Madison Wilber, Coming to You Live From SJSU

On April 15, 2024, protesters faced off against police over a fence in front of the Tesla factory in Fremont. The protesters had walked from the Fremont BART station to the factory to protest Elon Musk’s support of Israel, as well as alleged unfair labor practices. Though the protest was eventually resolved, one intrepid student reporter caught much of the discord on camera.

A one-woman operation, Madison Wilber, ’25 Journalism, then a reporter for San José State’s weekly broadcast news program, Update News, ran ahead of the protest to set up her tripod and capture the action on tape. She stayed in Fremont for several hours, interviewing protesters, writing a script, editing and producing a news package.

“I felt hurt the day after the Tesla protest, I hurt because I had thrown my tripod over my shoulder and was booking it so I could run in front of the protesters, stop to film them as they walk,” says Wilber, who now serves as executive producer of Update News. The program is taught as a class in SJSU’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications, and as executive producer Wilber doubles as a teaching assistant. The April protest was just one of many she attended in spring 2024 as part of ongoing coverage of the Israel/Palestine war.

“If you want to work in this field, you need to be prepared,” she adds. “You’re not going to have a camera crew; you are the camera. You are the emcee. You are the scriptwriter, the editor. We teach our students to write their own scripts, shoot their own video, conduct interviews, present themselves on screen and edit in Premiere Pro.”

Wilber’s hard work is paying off. In October, she was awarded the inaugural Fred Zehnder Memorial Undergraduate Journalism Scholarship by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences — the same organization that awards Emmys. The $5,000 prize validates Wilber’s commitment to broadcast journalism and the considerable effort it’s taken to come this far. She first learned of the scholarship while serving as a student volunteer during a previous Emmy award ceremony, and applied with the encouragement and support of her SJSU faculty mentors.

“I feel incredibly honored to receive this award,” she says. In addition to her work as executive producer, she juggles two part-time jobs and a full course load. The recognition reinforces her passion for investigative reporting, broadcast news and training fellow journalists.

From her camera to your screen

Originally from South Carolina, Wilber packed up her “car and cat” and drove to California during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to live with her sister. She took a gap year to work, save money, and gain residency status before enrolling at San José City College, where she became the editor-in-chief of the college newspaper. San José State’s award-winning journalism program made her transfer in 2023 It was an easy decision. 

Growing up in a small Southern town, Wilber explains that it was always easy for her to talk to all kinds of people; she wasn’t afraid to ask questions or dig deeper with others. Since moving to California, she’s realized how access to objective news is not always guaranteed, especially in rural areas. She believes journalists play pivotal roles in democratizing access to knowledge.

“I’ve always been a bit of a talker, and at some point, I realized that having the confidence to speak to people is a skill that a lot of people would consider a privilege,” she says. “I had a teacher in high school who had been a journalist, and she helped put me on this path. From there, I wanted to do everything I could to connect with people and make sure they were hearing news that is in-depth, timely, and well-corroborated — news that is truthful and direct. I wanted to make sure that people who don’t typically have access to the mic are getting access to it.” 

Since joining the Update News team, Wilber has reported on various campus protests, regional, state and national politics and ongoing university initiatives. She has learned every step of the broadcast production process, from pitching stories to writing scripts, filming stories and anchoring a weekly news program. Part of her modus operandi is to encourage fellow Spartans of every major to consider enrolling in Update News.

“You don’t have to be a journalist or want to be a reporter to know that journalism is going to impact your life,” she says. “You may have to navigate PR with it. You may one day have to be on camera because you won an award, or you may be interviewed while leading a protest. You may need to know how to advocate for your beliefs [on the news].”

Update News offers students the opportunity to reflect critically on presenting objective and accurate information that impacts a community. Whether or not Spartans pursue careers in broadcast journalism, Wilber says the experience shapes how students consume and understand news. 

What’s next for the broadcaster? Wilber is already eying news markets nationwide, seeking multimedia journalist roles at television stations. Her Update News experience has prepared her well to serve in a variety of roles, and as an entry-level journalist, she’d likely be shooting, producing and writing her own stories. Though she loves the Bay Area, her cross-country move during COVID has proven her willingness to go the distance for the right opportunity. Besides, every community needs strong journalists.

“Journalism can bring the community together, whether there’s a major disaster or a great celebration,” she adds. “We are the thing that links everybody together, and if you’re able to understand how the wiring of that network works, you will forever benefit.” 

Learn more about Update News at SJSU.