Meet Gabi Carden | North Texas Television News Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabi Carden and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabi, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
Being able to share the voices that are trying to be heard. I am constantly looking to cover stories that will leave an impact on those who are involved or bring attention to their cause. As a journalist and a news producer, I love when a story or show comes together in a way that will best inform an audience while also keeping them engaged in their own community. As a college news director, I am so happy when I am able to train and connect with people new to the broadcast realm and see them grow over the semesters.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started using media equipment early on in life after my mom convinced me to participate in the Keller ISD Film Festival in first grade. I had a tiny camcorder and an old Apple laptop with iMovie to work with, but I was determined to do a short film project for my school. After that, I submitted shorts for another couple of years and won awards in different categories. Then, my family moved to California. I joined a broadcast class at one of my middle schools to see if I liked news as much as I enjoyed making little films as a kid. I ended up loving it! This program is where I learned more about live studio production, editing, the story process and leadership skills.

We moved back to Texas for the beginning of my eighth grade year, where I became a part of KTRR News at Roach Middle School. It was taught by UNT alum Kelvin Newsome, who taught me how to develop a stories and manage a team with live shows. In high school, I was so lucky to join Coyote Nation TV led by Heritage High School teacher Candace Bagwell. This is where I was able to grow the most, producing content for the newscasts, performing in different on-camera and behind-the-scenes positions and gaining valuable skills that I would need for my future career.

I graduated high school in 2020: the COVID year. My first semester of college was difficult, but at least I was able to start volunteering with North Texas Television. My first two semesters as a volunteer consisted of technical graphic operation for live shows and being a desk anchor for one of the noon shows. I then applied to become the News Department’s Assignments Coordinator. I ended up getting the job and getting to work with the most incredible team of station staff.
Since then, I have produced shows, created entire news pieces, trained volunteers, landed an internship with one of the best local stations in Dallas and rise to the position of News Director at ntTV.

I am now finishing up my final year at UNT. I will graduate with a major in Converged Broadcast Media, minors in Journalism and History and certification in TV News Producing. I am making a name for myself at school, in the Dallas area and on social media. I am so excited for the future that is coming so soon… and I am thankful for my past that has led me to these moments.
I am a dedicated student, professional, journalist and individual. I have continued to balance work with experiences in news and my classes. I am a go-getter that will always capitalize on opportunities that come my way, including a temporary part-time position back at WFAA this semester. I have a goal to be a fair and just producer when I start my professional career, and I feel that I can accomplish this from the lessons I have learned and the experiences I have gone through.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A lot of my favorite places in the heart of Dallas relate to my love for news and spending time with friends. I enjoy going to sporting events at the American Airlines Center and watching the sunrise or set at Reunion Tower. I also like visiting news stations around the area, including WFAA. On the outskirts of Dallas, my favorite cities include The Colony, Frisco and Arlington. The Colony has an amazing entertainment district called ‘Grandscapes’ with food, movies, live music, Scheels, Superman ice cream and racing. It has been a top spot for many memorable times. In Frisco, there are tons of unique places to visit like Chicago Hotdogs, Nerdvana and the National Video Game Museum. Finally, Arlington has the new Texas Rangers stadium with great food and fun games to watch.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout all the news and media programs that have brought me to where I am today. It all started in elementary school doing short films for the Keller ISD Film Festival. I then went to KTRR News at Roach Middle School in Frisco, Texas. My next step was serving the role of Lead Content Producer at Coyote Nation TV at Heritage High School in Frisco. Finally, I am continuing my final year of college with the amazing station at the University of North Texas: North Texas Television.

I also had the incredible opportunity to intern with WFAA in Dallas this summer. Everyone I met there shared advice and lessons I will never forget.

All of these groups have taught me new lessons and skills. They also allowed me to grow as an individual and a team leader.

Website: gabriellatxcarden.wixsite.com/news/

Instagram: @gabiinnews

Linkedin: Gabi Carden

Youtube: Gabi Carden

Image Credits
David Ochoa Ryleigh Hammons (NTTV)