Local TV news legend Virgil Dominic teaches in School Of Communication

Throughout a distinguished television news career spanning more than 40 years, Virgil Dominic spent quite a bit of time mentoring young journalists on the job. Now, as a lecturer in The University of Akron's School of Communication, he passes along his wisdom to students in the classroom before they enter the work force.

In the Cleveland market, Dominic is best known for his work at WKYC-TV as an anchor and WJW-TV as news director and general manager. He pulls from his own experiences — both in front of the camera and behind the scenes — to illustrate newswriting concepts in the classroom. During the spring 2011 semester, the hall-of-fame broadcaster is teaching "Broadcast Newswriting" to communication majors who aim to work in media.

"I had so many mentors throughout my career. They helped me so much and teaching is my way of honoring them," says Dominic. "I try to teach the basics in an understandable way, but I also hope to be a mentor to these young people by encouraging them to continue to seek their goals, despite the occasional setbacks we all encounter. I think The University of Akron is the perfect setting for this task.”

Dominic is impressed with the seriousness that UA students and faculty bring to the classroom.

Brings wealth of experience to new audience

"Students here really want to learn and teachers really want to teach," he says. "I find people take a great deal of pride in the University itself. There is appreciation here for all the University does for us and the community. I love that. Yes, I am finding that classroom teaching is different than working in commercial television. Concentration on the basics is much more of a requirement in the classroom. In many ways, by teaching I find myself learning all over again. For me, that is a wonderful feeling. As the media landscape changes, management is interested in hiring employees who have many skills, not just one or two. But, in my opinion, a successful broadcast career still depends on the ability to write well."

"We are pleased that School of Communication students will be able to learn from a seasoned professional like Mr. Dominic – someone whose extensive experience will prepare them for the 21st century media marketplace," says Dr. Elizabeth Graham, director of UA’s School of Communication. "Mr. Dominic’s versatility as a broadcaster, news director and general manager is well-suited to educate our students in the convergent media environment that has resulted from advances in information technologies. Not many students have the opportunity to study the complexities of media with a Hall of Fame professional."

Dominic studied radio and television journalism at the University of Tulsa and served in the U.S. Air Force as a public information officer. He honed his broadcast skills at the NBC affiliate in Oklahoma before coming to Cleveland in 1965 to be the lead anchor at WKYC-TV, and fill in on NBC's "Today Show" when its regular anchor was on vacation.

Mentor role is one he wears well

He moved to Atlanta in 1972 to turn around its ailing ABC affiliate and came back to Cleveland to work for WJW-TV in 1976, propelling the station to a 15-year run at No. 1 in the local ratings. Throughout his years in management, Dominic mentored several top-notch reporters, such as Kelly O’Donnell, political reporter for NBC News, and Martin Savidge, correspondent for CNN and formerly of NBC.

Although Dominic retired in 1995, he still has his finger on the pulse of the region's news media. In addition to teaching at UA, he continues to be a consultant with his own company, Virgil Dominic Communications, serving clients such as WKYC-TV. He is a member of five halls of fame: Cleveland Broadcasters Hall of Fame; Cleveland Press Club; Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame; Associated Press Hall of Fame; and UPI Hall of Fame.

Media contact: Sarah Lane, 330-972-7429 or slane@.uakron.edu.