UDC: “We Are Black History”

Kia Baskerville

UDC Alum – CBS News Executive

Proud to be a Firebird, Kia Baskerville has put her Mass Media Communications degree to good use with 21 years at CBS News under her belt. She earned her B.A. degree in Mass Media Communications, TV Production in 1995 from the University of the District of Columbia.

Beginning as an intern at CBS in 1995, Baskerville has held several positions, and is currently the Manager of Staff Development & Diversity Initiatives for CBS News.

She has worked as Internship Co-Coordinator, Bureau Associate Producer, Broadcast Associate for the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather and Connie Chung, and Assistant to the Political Director and Editor for Campaign ’96.

Baskerville has made it her personal crusade to give back and encourage others to reach their dreams in broadcasting.

She has been responsible for overseeing and managing Washington Bureau interns as well as news associates. Baskerville is a well known face because of her outreach and recruiting efforts around the Washington Metro area and at universities through speaking engagements, career fairs, and events sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists, the Asian American Journalists Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Baskerville has also worked as a staff producer for special events, where she assisted with the daily production of news operations including breaking news and special reports. She supported and produced Network VIP Pools overseas, and worked directly with other network counterparts.

One of her most daunting tasks was supporting and producing domestic and foreign Presidential Network Pool rotations. Her skills were tested in assisting in the production of high-profile interviews between established CBS News talent and various political VIPs including the president and vice president, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and other cabinet-level officials.

Known as a person who can do it all, Baskerville assisted with various shows with guest interviews, booking, and logistical planning for those broadcasts; as well as maintaining staff bureau credentials for the White House and Capitol Hill.

She found herself in the middle of one of the country’s most traumatic moments. On September 11, 2001, she was put in charge of press pool coverage and accompanied President Bush aboard Air Force One on his trip to Florida. The day began with a routine education event and ended with her in the Oval Office counting the President down before his address to the American people that evening.

As the CBS News Special Events Producer, she was responsible for planning and organizing coverage of presidential television appearances for the five major broadcast networks – ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and NBC.

To learn more about Kia Baskerville, please read: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-longest-day-19-08-2002/