#MediaMonday – Venton Blandin
Today’s #MediaMonday comes to us from ABC15, where Venton Blandin has joined the team. Venton was most recently at KMOV-TV in St. Louis, where he was an Emmy-nominated and regional Edward R. Murrow Award-winning reporter.
Venton, time to share:
I am from Chicago, but spent my high school years in South Carolina. I served in the United States Marine Corps. My draw to broadcast journalism was a shooting in my Garfield Park neighborhood at a young age. I watched reporters from the Chicago stations work and talked to many of them. I started visiting the stations in 1992 and have been in a newsroom ever-since — except for one year. I stepped away for nearly a year to work as a communications director for the Department of Justice handling things for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
I’ve reported in St. Louis, where I’ve covered several protests which gained national attention. I’ve broken several stories relating to race and culture which networks and talk shows have picked up. Some of the best stories I covered in St. Louis were viewer advocacy-driven. You know, helping the little guy fight the big guy and win.
I’ve reported in Birmingham, Ala. The best part was traveling the country telling national stories for my station group. I spent five years reporting in Huntsville, Ala., where I loved every minute I told so many wonderful stories, met amazing people and really learned viewer advocacy storytelling. I also reported in Charleston, S.C., and Charlottesville, Va. My news background also includes working on assignment desks at stations in Baltimore and Washington, DC.
Favorite food?
Oh, there is so much. Friends might call me a finicky eater. But soul food will always make me take a seat and have a good conversation with someone. I enjoy macaroni and lasagna. I love salmon and catfish. Mexican and Chinese foods are great, too! Broccoli. Peach cobbler. Ok, I’ll stop because I’m getting hungry.
Least favorite?
Chitlints (chitterlings!!)…yuck!
A little-known fact about me…
According to many, I am older than I look. So, I really hope to settle down soon, get married and have kids. I’m the oldest of six. A big family seems natural for me. Nothing about me, on the surface, would suggest I ever want to settle as I’m always going non-stop. I’m very competitive. I love a good challenge.
You can follow me on most social media at @VentonBlandinTV, but on Facebook at Venton Blandin Reports.
