Viewpoint

GLORY DAYS

MEDIA CONTINUES TO CHANGE THROUGH THE DECADES, BUT THE PEOPLE STAY THE SAME

By Steve “Sully” Sullivan, sports director at KATV News in Little Rock

Iam the son of Irish immigrants, born and raised in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Many wonder how I ended up in Arkansas. It’s a good story.

My best friend had a part-time job, working at New Hampshire’s Seabrook Greyhound Park. He presented me with an opportunity a then 17-year-old Steve Sullivan couldn’t turn down: a chance for part ownership of a racing dog. I went all in (about $400), and we purchased, “Keentwister.” It turned out to be a life-changing move.

I subsequently had to find a college with a Radio-TV program close to a dog track. Arkansas State University’s outstanding communications program was just an hour northwest of Southland Greyhound Park.

There was no campus visit. So, in August of 1978, I arrived in Jonesboro. I felt like an alien landing in a foreign land.

Forty-four years later, I’m still here. Arkansas has been my land of opportunity.

You have heard the saying, “Just get a foot in the door.” It was a radio job that paid $800 a month. I made more than one trip to the pawn shop. Money could have been a bigger issue if I wasn’t chasing a dream.

Later, at KHBS in Fort Smith, I learned the value of good mentors. I regret not properly thanking Bill Guffey and Ken Rank for taking an interest in me.

Radio led to TV, and in 1985, I found myself at KARK in Little Rock.

It was the heyday of what I affectionately call the “Ron Burgundy days” of TV. Local news was rolling, and people had only three options for their information: KARK, KATV and KTHV. The anchors were local celebrities. Those were the glory years for local television, which like many businesses, has gotten younger and cheaper – which is not a good thing.

Technology has also changed business in a big way. Sometimes I wonder how we managed to put on a sportscast 30 years ago, without computers and the internet. The reality now is that people get much of their sports news from Twitter.

I mentioned “younger and cheaper.” News stations that once flew helicopters are now in the drone business. I can’t imagine doing our high school football show, “Friday Night Touchdowns,” with a drone. Backpacks have replaced TV live trucks. The pandemic has also changed the business. Zoom is now a favorite tool of all TV stations.

Another big change as of late: Major media companies own almost all stations. I often remind myself that I’m employee No. 52356.

The best thing about TV is the people. There is a passion for TV that doesn’t exist in many professions. I saw it 30 years ago in my coworkers at KHBS and KARK, and I see it now with the people I work with at KATV. I’ve worked with so many talented people.

My advice for those considering a career in TV is: if you don’t love it, don’t pursue it.

Television is a crazy, but very rewarding, profession.