05/06/2026
Fifteen years ago, I was called into HR at WFLD Fox 32 and told my position was ending. It was one of the hardest days of my life—one where I wasn’t sure how to move forward, or even if I wanted to stay in this field at all.
After a few weeks of real soul-searching, I made a decision: go back to school and finish the master’s degree I had been chipping away at, one class at a time. I went all in—becoming a full-time graduate student with a new goal: to become an educator. Thirteen months later, that decision changed everything.
In February 2012, I joined the journalism program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as the Technical Coordinator for Richmond Studio. What I thought would be a new chapter became a career—and a calling.
Fourteen years later, I’ve seen this industry and this program evolve in ways I never could have imagined. From analog to digital. From broadcast to streaming. Through a full studio renovation. Through constant learning, adapting, and embracing technology that didn’t even exist when I started.
You’d think I’d be ready to call it a career.
Apparently… I don’t know when to quit.
This academic year alone proved why.
We launched two new shows.
We added a digital weather report in collaboration with students from Climate, Meteorology, and Atmospheric Sciences.
We completed a second season of Illinois Hockey and a third season of Power Play.
Illini Sports Night had the privilege of producing rolling coverage of the Oskee Awards, celebrating Big Ten student-athletes.
Good Morning Illini executed its largest remote ever—Engineering Open House—producing nine stories shot and edited that morning and four live interviews.
In total, UI7 Newsroom produced 133 broadcasts this year.
Digitally, we grew by more than 500 followers on Instagram since September—expanding our reach and connection with our audience.
And to cap it off, our two newest shows made an immediate impact:
Illinois in Session won a SINBA for Best Hard News Program
The Quad won a SINBA for Best Soft News Program
The Quad also earned recognition from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Mid-America Emmy Awards, (Mid-America EMMY Awards/NATAS) winning Best Magazine Show. Then our newsroom received three additional Honorable Mentions. Our flagship newscast, UI7 Live, was also recognized, along with the documentary "Umon Tok", Inspired and advised by my colleagues Alison Davis and Stretch Ledford in collaboration with their students following their trip to Ghana last spring. Additionally, Nathan Gonzalez earned an Honorable Mention for his redesign of our show graphics.
Proof that when students are given the opportunity, they don’t just participate—they excel.
In a time when the future of local news is constantly being questioned, one thing is clear: Illinois Journalism and UI7 Newsroom are not standing still. We are evolving. We are experimenting. And we are preparing the next generation to lead.
I am proud of where I’ve been.
I am incredibly proud of where we are.
And I am energized by what’s ahead for the 2026–2027 school year.
Because between news, weather, sports, culture, and more—
this is more than just a tagline.
UI7 Newsroom is where your stories are told.
Thanks for watching,
Kenneth R. Erdey
UI7 Newsroom Advisor & Instructor
