Communications Students visit 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'

By: Esther Dillard, Communications Professor

Halloween is often filled with wildly creative costumes, walking door-to-door, and sweet candy treats. But for 13 eager Bloomfield College communications majors, the day was instead a chance to take a bite out of the Big Apple’s live game show scene.

Former graduate Amira Fair is a Television Page at the national show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” with host Cedric The Entertainer. She explained to visiting Bloomfield students that the job is essentially a production assistant who recruits audience members to attend the live taped show each day. She also coordinates audience member activities before and during the show.

Fair invited students from her Alma Mater to be audience members for the taping of two shows on Halloween. Show producers gave the students permission to bring their iPads and microphones to interview Fair and record their experience for a student production project.

Students took advantage of the invite, asking Fair in a recorded interview about aspects of the television business, what it takes to put together a show, and advice on how they can land their first television job.

“Intern, intern, intern,” Fair said with a smile. “I promise you I had five internships while I was at Bloomfield College. Because even though I read it in a book, there’s nothing like having hands on experience of editing, going into a control room, or having an actual rundown.”

She added that in her case, just being assertive and having a positive attitude is one of the keys to being successful in the television business.

After Fair’s short interview students participated in two show tapings, adding their support to the production. They cheered, laughed and gave Cedric thunderous applause throughout the production.

Students will have the opportunity to create video presentations highlighting their trip for class credit, providing them with a comprehensive experience in the nation’s largest media market.

“Any time you can give students the opportunity to meet someone who is excelling in their field – especially someone who went to their school – it is a tremendous experience,” communications professor Esther Dillard said of the day’s journey. “It is something we are going to continue to do with our communications students any chance that we get. It is great to see how excited they get to know that someone from their school is making an impact in the field. It provides them with added motivation, and helps them continue to strive towards their degrees.”

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