For LinkedIn FBN anchor Liz Claman writes about her first job, developing film at a one-hour photo shop, and how it affected how she managed a situation at her first TV job, when her boss wanted to give her a different first name to use on-air.
Her news director, Ron Bilek, thought Elizabeth was “too regal” (rightly so: she was named after THE QUEEN) so he thought Claman should use her middle name, “Kate.” Then he went ahead and printed business cards with that name. Claman wasn’t having it:
I was in total disbelief. Are you KIDDING ME? What IS this? I got very anxious. Then angry. Then defiant. Then I began to think back to the photo shop owner’s advice. LISTEN. I walked into Ron’s office with a huge smile on my face. “This is hilarious. But I can’t go by ‘Kate.’ It’s not my name and never will be my name. But tell me what you really want here. He began to articulate that ‘Elizabeth’ gave the perception of a formal, almost cold persona. He needed the audience to relate to me in a more folksy way.
They came to an agreement and Elizabeth became Liz. She stayed in Columbus for three years before moving up the TV ladder. She celebrated her 6th year at Fox Business last month.
(h/t J$P)