Nick Valencia on how a chance encounter helped him get his foot in the door at CNN

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🎥 how I got my start at CNN: Nick Valencia

When there’s a major news event in the Southeastern US, correspondent Nick Valencia is oftentimes one of the first CNN reporters on the scene. Valencia, who is based at the network’s Atlanta headquarters, has covered an array of major news events in recent years, including last year’s deadly tornadoes in Kentucky, race-related issues across America and the Mexican drug war.

Valencia started at the network more than a decade ago, doing basic production tasks like running a teleprompter — what TV anchors use to read scripts on-air — during a live broadcast.

He is one of several CNNers who started in entry-level positions at the network and worked their way up. For our first feature in an occasional series, we asked Valencia to share how he had gone from behind the camera to in front of it, and what advice he has for aspiring journalists:

Tell us when and how you started at CNN.

I got my start at CNN on March 6, 2006 — shortly after Ted Turner announced he was stepping down from the company. About five months earlier, my cousin was on a flight to Atlanta when the woman sitting next to him dropped her CNN badge. She was a CNN radio correspondent. My cousin went into full-blown pitch mode for me, and that serendipitous flight led to a phone call from a CNN recruiter in January 2006. I went through the interview process and on Valentine's Day 2006, I was offered an entry-level job as a video journalist. I moved to Atlanta two weeks later. I had never been to the city before and really didn't know what a VJ did, but you don't turn down CNN.

What's your most memorable breaking news moment, and why?

Being the first American in El Chapo's prison escape tunnel. That was about as historic a moment for me as I can recall. It was in the summer of 2015 after he had escaped from prison again . I was able to negotiate a tour for our crew. I knew that a local news crew had been in the day before, but the world had not yet seen inside. I stepped in front of the Mexican attorney general's SUV when he arrived the next day and pitched us as a global network that could show the world the tunnel, which was a magnificent feat of engineering. Thirty minutes later, we were being escorted in by the military. I had maybe 10 minutes and had to do the whole thing in one take.

Nick Valencia inspects the opening to the mile-long tunnel that the Mexican drug lord known as El Chapo used to escape from prison. Photo credit: Elwyn López

Is there a job or responsibility you had that no longer exists today because of technology?

I used to work in tape feeds for extra money because I was tired of sleeping on the floor and needed to buy a mattress. My job was to record all the video that was feeding into the network via satellite onto videotapes. Today, all video comes in electronically. I feel like the technology these days is evolving faster than it was when I first started. During my intern days at Fox Sports Net, I was able to set myself apart by being the fastest intern to run up four flights of stairs from the edit bay (where video is edited) to playback (where video is broadcast). These days, that would never happen.

How has starting as a video journalist (VJ) shaped your perspective today?

I feel a great sense of humility having started from the very bottom at the company. I also feel a sense of pride knowing I am one of only a handful to make it from VJ to correspondent. Having that perspective makes me more appreciative and grateful for all of those who work behind the scenes to make our job easier on-air. Also, there is something so special about being able to be an example for the newly arriving VJ recruits that this company rewards sacrifice and hard work.

What advice do you have for the upcoming generation of journalists?

Add value and be of service. This job is bigger than you. It's one of the best jobs in the world. We have an amendment in the Constitution. We can really impact the world daily. We have that opportunity. Find a beat to make your expertise. The new age journalist is aware of the world, but also is an expert in a slice of it. I did that early on with the Mexican drug war and I owned that beat for our network. Two things separate every journalist from the next, and that's sources and ethics. As hard as it was to get my job, it's been harder to keep it. We are expected to customarily deliver against extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Don't let that discourage you. Be inspired. The best advice I was ever given is that greatness is measured by how much it takes to discourage you. Go and be great.

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