Episode 21 -- Chidozie Ononiwu

Where Ya At? SDSU's Journalism and Media Studies podcast

Chidozie Ononiwu (2009-13) spent five years at ESPN, advancing from a Production Assistant to being in charge of college football on ESPN2, and then becoming "the gatekeeper" for which sports documentaries are chosen for the "30 For 30" series. These days, he's a Content Producer creating Esports Features for The Riot Games.
Chidozie tells the story of reaching out to big names at ESPN to help get an interview, how his mother persuaded him to follow-up after he didn't initially get a job, starting at the bottom, and what makes great live TV. Then what it was like listening to filmmakers, plus athletes such as Michael Phelps and Sue Bird, pitch him ideas for "30 For 30," what makes a great pitch, and how to maintain journalist integrity even when the main subject is an Executive Producer.
Finally, he shares why he moved back home to San Diego, entering a new world of Esports, finding the human interest story behind the great athlete, and what "the power of sports" means to him as a visual storyteller.

"Where Ya At?" is a podcast focused on the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University. Each week, during the Fall and Spring semesters, host Josh Suchon (Class of 1996) interviews alumni to learn about their experiences as college students, entering the workforce, key steps in their professional development, advice they'd give to current students, and details about how they covered a specific story.