Ellen Fleming ’14 was on her couch when she learned she’d won a New England Emmy.
“I didn’t expect to win, so I didn’t go,” said Fleming, who nabbed the honor for her work on the long-running WCVB show Chronicle, which tells the stories and personalities of New England.
“I had a coworker text me that we had won,” she said. “It was very exciting.”
It was a rare moment for Fleming, whose world revolves around receiving and reporting news. “I always respected reporters who were able to convey their message on air and tell a story,” she said.
Months after her Emmy win, Fleming is furthering her career in news and storytelling as a State House Reporter for WWLP in Springfield, Mass.
A self-proclaimed one-man band, she juggles the duties of multiple roles—on a typical day, she’s the cameraman, reporter, and editor. When the legislature is in session, you’ll find Fleming with her camera at the State House, covering events and interviewing officials.
“It’s nice to follow bills as they progress through the process and speak to the advocates—or opponents—about what that piece of legislation will do,” she said. “People are very passionate when it comes to politics and it’s great to capture that.”
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in internet studies, Fleming worked in advertising. Once she realized that career path wasn’t for her, she took a communications internship at the State House with a state representative.
Soon, she was promoted to Legislative Aide and Media Director for State Senator John F. Keenan. While she loved speaking with reporters, Fleming knew she was meant to be in a different role.
“I wanted to be on the other side of things,” she said. “I wanted to be a reporter instead of being the one giving reporters press releases.”
So, she moved into a production role at Chronicle before returning to the State House in May 2022. These days, she’s following sports betting legislation closely and she is constantly wowed by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker.
“It’s fascinating how he can answer questions so quickly and concisely on a range of topics so easily,” she said. “When he’s swarmed by reporters, he’s always so calm and confident.”
But while she’s making news, she’s also making headlines herself. In 2018, a million dollars was deposited into Fleming's bank account unintentionally. She was shocked when she saw it—her account only had $50 in it at the time.
“I tweeted that I was a millionaire, and it went viral,” said Fleming. “It was just insane.”
Fleming envisions becoming an anchor at a local Boston news station.
While news reporting is a difficult field to work in—and break into—Fleming advises future journalists to have patience and stick with it.
“Whether it’s working at a local newspaper, interning at a local television station, or even working for a local community cable station, the quicker you get your foot in the door and learn how to do things, the quicker your success will be in the field,” she said.