Newsroom

Follow Your Passion

Rene Syler Offers Words of Encouragement at HABJ Gala

By Ashley Anthony (HABJ Scholar)

Houston — The millions who watch her anchor CBS News’ The Early Show probably can’t tell that journalism wasn’t her first choice. Nonetheless, Rene Syler proved that sometimes your first choice isn’t necessarily the right one as she reached out specifically to four college students who were awarded at the Houston Association of Black Journalists (HABJ) Scholarship Gala in late September. Syler offered them advice on what she wished someone would have told her when she was a “newsby, just getting into the business.”

“I thought I would tell you about the things I would have done differently if I knew then what I know now,” Syler said.

Syler, who initially thought she wanted to be a psychologist, discovered after her college graduation that she didn’t feel passionate anymore about having to listen to the personal matters of society. Although she was faced with a dilemma, she became aware of the need to live life authentically and to do something she loves even if it meant starting over, which is exactly what Syler had to do in order to become a journalist.

“I was honest with myself and I changed career paths. It is never too late, even after graduation to do that,” she said.

After managing to get an internship at a television station in Sacramento, the California State University graduate was able to create a resume tape, leading her to a job as a weekend reporter.

“If you do the TV route […], learn how to make a little bit of money go a long, long way,” Syler said. “Four-hundred-eighty-four was exactly how much I got paid in my first TV job at KTVN in Reno, Nevada. And I was happy for it.”

But still it was a challenge to live off of that as a television newswoman who was expected to maintain a polished look.

“I did my own hair a lot, and I had a friend who was the main anchor at the station, and [we] were about the same size, so I got a lot of her hand me downs,” Syler said. “I took what I could get.”

That didn’t stop her from becoming what she calls a “target” or a “victim” of criticism. People will judge anyone, especially a media figure, because they think they can handle the news better than you, Syler said, who can recall a time when she was caught up in other’s opinions.

“I couldn’t understand how anyone could not like me, because I was and continue to be to this day, a good person,” she said. “But I came to understand there are just some people who are going to be unhappy, jealous, have issues and for whatever reason, take them out on you.”

Syler stressed that this cannot become a setback in a journalist’s career. Instead, she told her audience to focus on becoming stronger in their craft by doing stories that count such as the ones about breast cancer in which she felt a personal need to tell as the daughter of two breast cancer survivors after learning she too had complications with a breast disease.

“Television is a ubiquitous presence in our lives, and you have the opportunity to really make a difference,” Syler said. “So I took that opportunity to spread the word about early detection, mammograms, and treatment.”

Her goal wasn’t always to make a difference, and it showed. Syler said she used to complain about her job to anyone who would listen, particularly when she thought she was ready to leave the morning broadcast for the evening news. The station did allow her to leave but only when it decided not to renew her contract, and Syler learned firsthand how attitude can make or break you. Although she thought her career was over, it wasn’t—just another learning experience, which should be expected as an aspiring journalist.

“Every new day will be an adventure, an opportunity to pass with flying colors or to fail miserably, but you’ll pass everyday if you know who you are and what you stand for,” Syler said.