Attorney turned KARK reporter Chanley Painter is heading to Court TV as the network’s newest correspondent.
And her current boss is singing her praises as a committed reporter and employee on his blog. Austin Kellerman says she didn’t have the “perfect resume” for his reporter opening but she had passion and that passion crossed over into news.
“I initially gave Chanley a shot to freelance on what we call “fun live shots” on our morning show. These are personality-driven reports generally done from local restaurants, stores, and events. The opportunity came with a word of warning: she didn’t have the minimum two years of experience everyone else reporting in the newsroom had. I communicated it was highly unlikely she’d be able to turn this part-time opportunity into a full-time job.”
Painter worked freelance for two years before she was offered an opportunity to become a full time reporter at the station in Little Rock, Ark.
“After 24 months of grind, I was pleased to offer Chanley what I didn’t believe she’d ever get in our newsroom — a full-time job. It came with another catch: you’ll need to learn to shoot and edit ASAP, because that will be part of your daily routine. Like everything else, she put her head down and figured it out,” Kellerman said.
Painter has been with the station for three years. The new Court TV network launches in May.