CHS alum parlays passion for journalism into rewarding TV news career

Kyla Galer takes the responsibilities of journalism to serve the community through telling stories and providing information very seriously. A Canton High School alum, Galer’s interest in broadcast news has been growing ever since she was quite young. Recently, she was rewarded for her years of commitment with a new position as a daytime news anchor for the NBC affiliate in Fort Myers, Florida. After several years out West, she’s excited to be back in the same time zone as her family.

Kyla Galer at her anchor desk at NBC2 in Fort Myers

While such a job may seem prestigious to some, Galer emphasized that no one should think about going into the field just because being on TV seems glamorous. She said that local news broadcasting is very different from national news work. Not only is the pay scale much lower, but the work is demanding. Citing her station’s current focus on covering the COVID vaccine roll-out, she said the best lens to view the role is through service to the community.

Galer said service and having an impact on the community is part of what first attracted her to journalism. Growing up in Canton, she saw how her father’s accounting career and her mother’s work as a nurse enabled them to help people. Their examples, plus being what she described as a “social and very curious person,” led Galer to media work.

In middle school, she enjoyed reading morning announcements over the PA. Her serious learning about media skills started in two high school classes taught by Ed McDonough. For her, the high point was a trip to California for a convention where Galer met other students who shared her passion for media.

She said CHS classes prepared her well for the next step of college studies as a journalism and communications major at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

There she learned shooting and editing skills in addition to writing pieces on entertainment for an online publication. Galer said, “I felt more passion for TV work — I’m a very visual person.”

Within several months of graduating, she moved to Colorado Springs to start work as a TV news reporter for a CBS affiliate. Three years later, she moved further west to Las Vegas to work for a Fox-affiliated station. She was there covering the news during the George Floyd protests, some of which she said were “intense.”

During the week of the presidential election when Nevada was hotly contested, Galer and other reporters were fitted for riot gear ahead of expected protests. She never needed the gear, but even that threat didn’t diminish her enthusiasm for reporting. “I love documenting history,” she said. “It’s one of the rewards of this career.”

Another reward is recognition from the industry. Galer received two Emmy nominations while in Las Vegas. One of them, which she won, was for a two-part investigative piece on why Clark County School District school buses were chronically late. (Clark County, which includes Las Vegas and other cities, is the fifth largest school district in the country.)

Kyla Galer reports from downtown Las Vegas. (Credit: Gai Phanalasy)

Now working for Waterman Broadcasting-owned NBC2 in Florida, Galer rarely reports from the field. She said it’s hard to find the time to be away from the desk; she co-anchors three full hours of news each weekday. She is also on air behind the alert center for two hours daily, which means she delivers breaking news pieces and updates as needed. During her remaining work hours, she reads scripts over to check for factual errors or other changes that need to be made so she is comfortable reading them.

Occasionally, Galer is given reporting assignments. In February, she filed a story on moms who must work from home during the pandemic. That involved interviewing several mothers and a professional researcher investigating the subject. Galer also has the option of pitching ideas for stories, but ultimately, she said, “It’s all about collaboration, timing, and who on the team has availability.”

Galer loves her job and but cautioned anyone considering a media career that the amount of work involved can be surprising. These days, reporters are expected to be multi-media experts, she said. “You’re doing every job — shooting, writing, and editing and you need to shine in every job.” She noted that one upside is having a lot of creative control, but passion is also needed to get through.

Galer clearly has a passion for local journalism, noting, “It’s so important.” She cares about the people she interviews and is grateful to them. “I never take it for granted,” she said. “You’re talking to them on what can be the best — or worst — day of their lives.”

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Posted by Candace Paris on Mar 26 2021. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.