The NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television serving Jackson, Miss., has been selected to take a key role in the creation of a media training program designed to prepare students for “today’s unique operating environment.”
At the same time, Gray seeks to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in media with its creation.
Introducing the Gray Media Training Center, which WLBT-3 in Jackson is building.
The Center will educate and train students who attend Mississippi colleges and universities, with a focus on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the state — namely Jackson State, Alcorn State, Mississippi Valley State, Rust College and Tougaloo College.
Students selected to participate in the Center’s programs will receive hands-on training in
production, sales, operations, IT, engineering, coding and marketing. Training Center fellows will create a weekly public affairs show that will be shot, edited, produced, directed and hosted by students. A newly created position of Media Training Center Operations Manager will oversee the program.
Gray Executive Chairman and CEO Hilton Howell Jr. said, “We want to teach and train the students of today in a real-world environment, so they can become the future leaders of our industry for decades to come. We’re excited about this project and the opportunities it
will create for students and for our industry.”
Gray selected WLBT to house and run the Center in recognition of the “vast changes” that
have occurred at that station. More than 50 years ago, the FCC revoked the station’s broadcast license because its then-licensee was found to have failed to serve the public interest and specifically failed to serve the Black community in the Jackson area.
“We are truly honored to host this training facility,” WLBT VP/GM Ted Fortenberry said. “For the past several decades, WLBT has been a local institution that affirmatively serves the entire local community. Starting this year, the WLBT team and resources will be directly involved in expanding opportunities in media for Mississippi students and especially for students of the state’s HBCUs through cutting-edge, immersive training programs right here in Jackson.”
The Gray Media Training Center is expected to officially launch when it hosts its first
internship group in conjunction with the start of the fall semester in late August. Gray
anticipates an investment of more than $1 million to create the training center this year.
