‘Starting from the bottom gifts you with confident humility’

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🎤 How I got my start at CNN: Kim Bui

She started as a teleprompter operator — running the conveyor belt that displayed paper scripts for TV anchors during live newscasts.

Today, Kim Bui leads CNN's Special Projects team, the unit behind multiplatform, human-interest series such as "Champions for Change," where CNN anchors go into the field to spotlight people making a positive difference in the world; "The Human Factor," which features stories of people turning their unique life experience into action; and "Impact Your World," which inspires CNN's audience to help those impacted by news events around the world.

As part of an occasional series, we asked Bui to share how she went from an entry-level video journalist to a CNN vice president, heading a talented team of producers dedicated to stories that empower and inspire.

Tell us when and how you started at CNN.

My CNN journey started at the Atlanta headquarters on June 5, 1995. CNN was my second job out of college. (My first was as a reporter for the Marietta Daily Journal/Neighbor Newspapers). Twenty-seven years and more than a dozen different positions within the company later, I still remember that feeling of awe as I stood in the newsroom waiting to be interviewed for the video journalist (VJ) job. It was the day of the Oklahoma City bombing.

I have former CNN anchor Joie Chen, my parents and the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) to thank for my start here. My parents owned a bilingual Vietnamese/English newspaper, and they, along with (former Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer) Bob Luke and Joie, established AAJA's Atlanta Chapter. I attended a chapter meeting, and that's when Joie told me about the entry-level track at CNN called the video journalist (VJ) program.

What's your most memorable breaking news moment, and why?

I think like many of us, regardless of our job, it's 9/11. I was at home getting ready for work and had a sinking feeling when I saw the first tower ablaze. Nobody knew at that moment what was going on — and then the second tower was hit. The sinking feeling turned into confusion and fear.

Our team produced a CNN video series tied to the Faces of Ground Zero project. I was grateful to have work to focus on that involved stories of people who were impacted. My assignment was to interview renowned photographer Joe McNally, who worked for LIFE magazine, National Geographic and other prestigious publications. A few blocks from Ground Zero, Joe had set up a simple, makeshift studio with an 8-by-12-foot camera that had a lens from a U-2 spy plane. He invited everyday people — firefighters, children, witnesses, construction workers, clergy — who lived through 9/11 to tell their story. He captured their experiences not just in their words, but also through larger-than-life Polaroid images. Joe's ability to do this struck me in such a deep way … almost like he was saying to each person that walked into his studio: "I see you. I hear you."

Bui and her team at a recent staff meeting

Bui and her New York team join Atlanta-based colleagues via video conference for a recent team meeting. (Photo credit: David Burkhart/CNN)

We sat down with many of the people featured in the book Joe published, "Faces of Ground Zero: Portraits of the Heroes of September 11, 2001." One of the things CNN does so well, particularly during monumental events, is bring out the personal stories. Michael Lomonaco, for instance, was a chef at Windows on the World, the restaurant at the top of One World Trade Center. He talked about how his decision that morning, to stop at the bottom floor and get his glasses fixed, saved him.

Juana Lomi was one of many first responders who risked their lives. A paramedic who survived the collapse of both towers, she had an overwhelming feeling of fear but stayed because hundreds of people needed her.

Meeting Joe and these survivors, being part of a production that honored their experience, is one of the reasons this breaking-news event stands out.

I'll also never forget how the country galvanized after 9/11. Americans put their differences aside. We worked together and helped support one another.

Is there a job or responsibility you had that no longer exists today because of technology?

One of my first jobs at CNN was running a teleprompter. I enjoyed this rare opportunity for someone at my level to have raw and real interaction with CNN's on-air talent. They didn't always know my name, calling me "prompter" — but they relied on me. I learned many key lessons in that studio with the anchors and floor director … and having the control room in my earpiece.

Back then, the teleprompter device was basically a conveyor belt with an overhead closed-circuit TV camera. We literally ripped paper scripts off gigantic printers and cut them to fit on the belt. As the script rolled underneath the CCTV camera, the text appeared on monitors for the anchors to read.

If there was a change in the script, you marked it out with a pen and rewrote it on the strip of paper. It was particularly dicey if the order of the stories changed, because that meant quickly un-taping the pieces of paper and hoping you put scripts back on the belt in the right order.

Now, teleprompting is electronic. Script changes are made in the computer and appear immediately on the monitor. Sometimes the anchor is operating the prompter themselves during a live broadcast.

How has starting as a VJ shaped your perspective as a leader at CNN today?

As VJs, you're expected to jump in and learn by doing. You not only hone production and storytelling skills, but in this fast-paced news environment you develop the ability to think critically, communicate and adapt to change. It was "baptism by fire" at times, but we had each other's backs and challenged one another. Those early experiences influence how you lead in many ways. You're empathetic, seek ideas and learn from people at all levels — and do what you can to remove obstacles so your team contributes their best work. Starting from the bottom gifts you with confident humility.

What advice do you have for the upcoming generation of journalists?

It's advice I still give to myself: Approach everything as authentically as possible. Dig deep and listen to what comes up. It will serve you when making career decisions. What lights your fire and why? That may change through the years, so stay open to new possibilities and pivot. As for the work, at the heart of every story are the people. So if you can be empathetic, connect to the community and issue as authentically as possible, you'll create valuable journalism that serves a purpose.

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