Los Angeles: CBS and the LA Times

As we approached the second to last day of our Quinlan Ramble trip, the weather and scenery cease to amaze me. When we approached the facility, there were security gates that we had to pass. I felt like I was about to become an insider to something that was a top-notch secret. As we got off the bus, we were greeted by Sean Gallitz’s welcoming smile. Sean is a producer at CBS and has been for almost 9 years. He gave us his own personal tour of all the sites where they shot tv shows and movies like Big Brother, Doctor Strange, and The Seal Team. Never in a million years did I think I would’ve seen what goes on beyond the scenes and how things actually look. After we crossed the river bridge, it led us to the main building for the CBS news. There we were being introduce to the studios, archive rooms, and stations of control and data. On our tour of the news building, we saw walls dedicated to LA sports teams, like the Lakers. There was a memorial in the hallway of the broadcasting center for Kobe Bryant that shared kind words and stories of how strong the bond was between the CBS community and Bryant. At that time we all took a moment to appreciate the great loss that we shared, and then carried on to the basketball court to have our Q&A.

It should be noted as we walked through the CBS facility, there were countless times of how we observed how Sean and his co-workers interact with each other which left a huge impression on how we view the corporation as a whole: a warm, caring, loving community overall. Everyone cared about how each other was doing, what their plans were later on that day, etc. It was positive energy all around even though most people view the news industry as a brutal environmental due to the materials they mostly cover in the news. Sean did state, while we were soaking in the L.A. sun out on the basketball court, was that “None of this could work out a crew of hard working and passionate business folk.”

Overall, it was a huge learning experience even for those who have different career aspirations. We were left with new relationships, and our questions/concerns being respectfully and fully answered. Along with parting gifts and contact information if anymore questions came to mind, I can proudly speak for everyone that this site visit will be treasured in our memories.

I have to say that everyone who lived or been to L.A. before  was not lying when they said L.A. traffic was the absolute worst. When we made it to the LA Times,  we were still greeted with warm welcoming smiles and a well-prepared tour and history lesson of L.A. times legacy and how they and the Chandler family help shaped print media. The lovely people who welcomed us with opening arms were Darrell, Leticia, and Tom. They had really outspoken, quirky,  humorous personalities. We got the chance to also learn a little bit about every individual.

Moveover, they were all eager to engage with us outside this one meeting. The newest leader of The LA Times, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, has been working extremely hard to restore the industry operations efficiency. Who knew what a Bio-Tech Neurosurgeon could do for one of the top news papers in the game? As we parted ways, we said our goodbyes and promises to stay connected while exchanging gifts on both sides. There was no doubt of how this industry impacted our trip.

 

Bryanna Butler (AA '20)
Business Administration, Arrupe College