Myrtle Beach reporter sharpened her journalism skills at Franklin Regional

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In Maria DeBone’s eighth grade performing arts class at Franklin Regional Middle School, she was part of a group that staged a television show for fellow students.

“We learned what it takes to put on a newscast,” she said.

These days, the 2016 FR graduate is part of a group putting on the daily newscast for WBTW in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

DeBone is one of WBTW’s night-side reporters, working from 2:30-11:30 p.m. and reporting for the station’s 11 p.m. newscast.

She recently came to Franklin Regional to speak to this year’s middle school performing arts class, and said her experience there led her to focus on journalism during her remaining time at FR.

“FR has great television production classes that I took during my four years there,” said DeBone, 23. “I learned how to write a story and put together a news package, which I do every single day now.”

DeBone credited FR teacher Becky Magness with helping her gain valuable journalism experience, along with her professors at Kent State University in Ohio.

“They have an amazing journalism school where students can run the on-campus television station and learn the different roles in a newsroom,” she said.

As she was starting her first job in the field, a new layer of challenges was added in the form of the covid-19 pandemic.

“I started out working right at the beginning, when things were uncertain,” she said. “We didn’t know how long we’d be working from home or having to social distance, wear masks and do virtual interviews. It’s been two years and this is all normal now.”

DeBone said she relishes the flexibility that TV journalism offers, in a variety of ways.

“In this business, contracts are two or three years, so I can choose to stay in Myrtle Beach or move to another city,” she said. “I also like that I could do multiple jobs within the profession. I could be a producer or anchor, or hold different reporter positions.”

Mostly, she feels grateful.

“I get to do what I love every day,” she said.