Top of the Morning Show Michael Kreuz Wins Newscast Emmy
Written by Monica Vanderweide, ’95
“What’s a Latin major doing out here with a camera?” a firefighter asked Michael Kreuz, ’14, who was out working as a street photography journalist recently. The two had started talking about their backgrounds when Kreuz, who double majored in English and Latin, shared that his story is unlike most in the media industry.
For Kreuz, his Hillsdale College education has opened doors because he’s already had to ask many of those big questions the College prompts, such as what truth and beauty are. “The liberal arts are useful in any sphere,” Kreuz says. Now a newscast director and photographer for WTVG—13ABC in Toledo, Ohio, Kreuz uses the perspective that his Hillsdale education has given him every day.
Kreuz explains that while he didn’t have the option to major in film at Hillsdale, the opportunities for building those skills were still there. “I knew what I wanted to do and where to do it and I just went from there,” he says. “People value employees who work hard and are good at solving problems.”
Kreuz’s passion for film and production took root even before he came to Hillsdale. He did audio and tech work at his church while in high school. As a college student, he worked as a cameraman in the Media Services Department. “Getting practical, hands-on experience is the key for success in the industry,” he says. “You learn by doing it.”
Surely his passion for the industry reflects his talent. Kreuz’s team won an Emmy for the Best Weekend Newscast for 2016 in the region. The morning shift doesn’t normally win, Kreuz says, but the close-knit group put in the effort to do so. “It was neat to put in the long hours and the late nights and to know we had a good show,” he remembers.
Throughout this past year, Kreuz’s role at 13ABC has expanded to running all technical operations for the “Weekend Morning” show: calling camera, working the audio, communicating with the producer, and finding graphics. “I just make sure everything looks good on air,” he explains.
Kreuz encourages current students to be inquisitive about how the world works. “Be curious, work hard, and be willing to learn,” he says. “Don’t be afraid to start out small. Don’t let your ego get in the way.”
This article was originally published in the Winter 2019 edition of Hillsdale: The Official Magazine of the Hillsdale College Alumni Association.