James Stone, BJ ’74
| What do you do? | |
| After a forty year career as a sportscaster, I’m now retired living in Highlands Ranch, Colorado with my wife of 46 years, Jill, who also graduated from Mizzou. My focus is now on my two grandchildren, and our kids. My goal is giving back, and making society a better place for the students and future leaders. | |
| How did you get your job? | |
| After graduating from the Journalism School, and working at KOMU TV, I applied for and was hired as Sports Director of KOLO TV and Radio in Reno, Nevada. I learned of the position through contacts developed within the J School. I also worked as Sports Director at WICS-TV in Springfield, Illinois, and WGAL-TV in Lancaster-Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. My career ended with almost twenty years at NBC San Diego (KNSD-TV as a sports anchor, reporter, and play by play broadcaster for various outlets. | |
| What is the best professional lesson you learned at the J-School? | |
| Let facts, not opinion tell a story while being yourself on the air. I learned through the J-School the importance of combining the use of video and the written word as a story teller. | |
| What advice do you have for current students? | |
| Be flexible and versatile. The more you can do, the more valuable you are to different journalism outlets. Get involved early on as a student journalist on campus. | |
| What is your favorite J-School memory? | |
| That’s easy! Having my parents watch me graduate on the Dean’s List in 1974, and then my wife and I watch our daughter graduate from the J School in 2001. | |
Updated: June 16, 2021