TV news legend now at IU

After 40 years with WISH-TV in Indianapolis where he served as both vice president and news director and gave Jane Pauley her first job, Lee Giles has come to bring his professional experience to IU.\nGiles was hired for the School of Journalism faculty this summer and is teaching two sections of J343 Broadcast News this fall.\nGiles, who retired as WISH-TV's news director in May and will retire as vice president at the end of September, said his new role as a professor has been a wonderful transition from the newsroom.\n"There's a definite correlation between journalism and teaching," Giles said. "The excitement of preparing to present your information and convey your knowledge is very similar in both professions. So far, I'm really enjoying teaching. I'm loving it. Everyone here in the department of journalism has been very welcoming, and I feel like I'm at home on this campus."\nAmy Reynolds, an assistant professor in the journalism school who also teaches broadcast courses, said she has already received positive feedback from students in Giles' classes.\n"He's already reaching the students, and such positive, unsolicited feedback is really a testament to his teaching," Reynolds said. "It is incredibly helpful for students to have exposure to people with his depth of experience and knowledge. He's a wonderful addition to the faculty."\nTed Linn, director of Special Projects for WISH-TV has known Giles since 1976. Linn said Giles's professionalism and leadership will make him a great teacher.\n"I don't think you could ask for a better teacher," Linn said. "He knows this business inside and out. WISH-TV will really miss Lee's professionalism and leadership."\nGiles said he still misses the newsroom from time to time.\n"I still call in news stories to the station sometimes," he said. "As a newsperson, I would feel really remiss if I didn't pass it along and the story was overlooked. News never stops."\nGiles covered dozens of political issues and tragedies over the course of his career but said his favorite -- and perhaps the most significant -- story he ever covered was the infamous blizzard of 1978, which unexpectedly dumped more than 20 inches of snow on Indianapolis in January of that year.\n"No one had anticipated such a storm, so none of the other stations were prepared for it, so we kind of owned that story," Giles said. "It was a really definitive event for us as a news department and as a station." \nGiles said the meteorologist at his station predicted the storm early and helped prepare WISH-TV to handle the snow before it came.\n"The meteorologist came and told me, 'We're going to have a storm like we've never had before,' so I knew we were in for it," Giles said. "This was before the station had access to any 4-wheel drive vehicles, so we actually went out and borrowed some from a local dealership and that really helped us to get out there and cover the storm after the roads got bad." \nDuring the week of the blizzard, Giles said he worked at the station continuously from 2:30 a.m. Wednesday morning until the next Saturday afternoon. \n"We really worked around the clock on that story," he said. "We actually really helped the community get through that episode. It was a great feeling to be able to provide information in a helpful way." \nOne of Giles's biggest influences may have been on a young Jane Pauley, now principle anchor for "Dateline NBC."\nPauley came to Giles seeking her first job in the journalism industry. \nGiles was initially apprehensive about hiring the IU graduate because, although Pauley performed well in interviews, she had no academic of professional journalism experience.\n"We hired her as a temp at first and gave her 30 days to either make it or break it, as they say," Giles said. "She was smart enough to ask for help, and she was extremely focused. Immediately, we could see she was a natural. She came through the camera with such a presence and an understanding of the medium that I'd never seen before and I'm not sure I've seen since in a beginner." \nGiles said Pauley's natural public speaking skills, intelligence and confidence really helped her along the way, too.\n"In our business, timing is everything, but talent, ability and charisma are a big part of it, too," Giles said. "Those down-home Indiana roots probably helped her out, too. Actually, that's the only advice I ever gave her: 'Jane, just be yourself, and you'll do great.'" \nShe later took a job at WMAQ-TV in Chicago, where she was the first woman to co-anchor a weeknight news program. Less than a year later, Pauley was offered and accepted a position on NBC's "TODAY show," and the rest is history.\nGiles, who had previously taught night classes at IU-Purdue University-Indianapolis and Butler University during the '80's, said he was excited to get back into the classroom. \n"I've always thought that if I ever taught again I'd want to be current and topical, and coming fresh from the professionalism world into the classroom gives me a good foundation to build on," he said. "I really hope my real world, practical experience is something of value I can bring to my students." \n-- Contact staff writer Andrea Minarcek at aminarce@indiana.edu.