HAMMOND – A Southeastern Louisiana University student news and sports reporter at the Southeastern Channel has been selected as the 2022 Louisiana Association of Broadcasters Student Scholarship recipient.
Taylor Nettle, a senior from Lacombe, was selected from all college television and radio students in Louisiana to receive the $4,000 scholarship. It marks the sixth time in the past eight years that a Southeastern student has won the LAB scholarship.
“It definitely feels amazing to be chosen out of all the students in the state,” Nettle said. “And just to know that my work is being acknowledged and has made an impact on someone, it feels amazing. This scholarship is definitely an encouragement to keep chasing my dreams and never stop pursuing what I want to do.”
The LAB established the scholarship program to support promising future broadcasters and aid them in seeking the best quality education in the field of broadcasting. By sponsoring the award, the LAB endeavors to encourage students of the highest caliber to enter broadcasting as a career and guarantee the future quality of broadcasting in Louisiana.
“We’re very happy that Taylor has been honored with this distinguished scholarship, and she’s very deserving,” said Southeastern Channel General Manager Rick Settoon. “Taylor is probably the most multi-skilled and talented student we’ve ever had at the Southeastern Channel, and that’s saying a lot since we’ve had a number of national award-winning students who are now top TV professionals. Not only is she a superior broadcast journalist, writer, storyteller and on-camera talent, she’s equally adept at videography, video editing, graphic design, animation, and live studio and remote directing.”
Nettle has produced outstanding news and sports segments, as well as commercials and entertainment shows, and she’s won major national awards for her live directing of sportscasts, newscasts, and live game broadcasts for ESPN+, Settoon added.
A communication major with a concentration in TV/multimedia journalism, Nettle has served as not only a reporter, anchor and producer, but also as a studio director. She credits the Southeastern Channel with helping her grow and shaping her skills.
“I’ve been given countless opportunities in and out of the classroom to craft what I do, learn everything that I possibly can, and continue to grow,” she said. “That’s helped me get to where I am today and continues to push me toward growth. I’ve definitely had my hand in everything from behind the camera to on camera, which has taught me what I want to do.”
To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants had to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 and submit three letters of recommendation, along with a written narrative about their vision for a career in broadcasting. In her scholarship application, Nettle had to answer questions related to her choice of broadcasting as a career, along with questions on topics ranging from career goals and values to broadcast advertising and the role of the Federal Communications Commission.
A recipient of scholarships from the Press Club of New Orleans and the Suncoast Emmys, Nettle plans on a career as a news or sports reporter in the television industry.
“There’s a lot of things that I plan and hope to do with my career in the future,” she said. “And one of those is working in a bigger industry market to impact several people and hope that they see not only the story that I’m telling, but the passion that I have behind it.”
In its 20 year of existence, the Southeastern Channel has won over 500 national, international and regional awards, including 23 awards from the Emmys. The channel can be seen on Spectrum 199 in Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, Livingston and St. Helena parishes, and its live 24/7 webcast and video on demand are streamed at thesoutheasternchannel.com. The Southeastern Channel is also streamed live on Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV, along with the Charter app and Washington Parish’s Mt. Hermon WebTV. The Southeastern Channel is also accessible on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
