It’s hard to find a reporter as seasoned as Marine Glisovic.

 

Glisovic is the Senior Investigative Reporter and Senior Political Reporter for KATV Channel 7, and there isn’t much she hasn’t seen. 

 

“I was born in New Jersey and lived in Chicago for a year before moving to Paris, France, from the ages of two to ten,” Glisovic said. 

 

Glisovic, who is fluent in French and has dual citizenship, moved back to the Chicago suburbs at 10 years old. She went to school at Eastern Illinois University, where she would eventually declare the major that would lead her to broadcasting and news.

 

“I was not one of those people who grew up wanting to cover the news,” Glisovic confessed. “I was pre-med when I went to college — I wanted to be a plastic surgeon. You have to have dedication when you take these math and science courses, and I had a self-realization that this wasn’t for me. I was undecided for a semester. My mother told me to take a couple of writing classes. She told me, ‘You have a big mouth; why don’t you get paid to use it?’”

 

 

Glisovic took a few writing classes before giving radio broadcasting a shot. 

 

“I started in radio, and decided that I wanted to try TV journalism. I visited the PBS station on campus and started volunteering at WEIU-TV. The PBS in central Illinois was a little different than here in Arkansas,” Glisovic said. “Our newscast  – called Newswatch – covered news Monday through Friday live at 5:30 p.m., and we covered 16 counties.”

 

Glisovic said that because of the PBS setup in central Illinois, she wasn’t just practicing the news — she was on the news.

 

“We got a legitimate experience that most college kids never get at WEIU-TV. I worked there for three years behind the scenes and in front of the camera. That particular PBS station requires you to work behind the scenes before on-air, so it really taught me all the facets of the newsroom, from photographer to editor to director, even making graphics. I learned every single thing and had to do every single thing. It was really great to get that experience,” Glisovic said. 

 

She explained that when she graduated, she had a professional film highlight reel, a rarity amongst broadcasting graduates. Glisovic was able to enter the job market where she lived if she wanted to, which she said was another rarity. She ultimately took a job two hours and ten minutes south of home at the ABC station in Champaign, Illinois, before joining KATV two years later. 

 

“Nearly 10 years later and I’m still here. In February of 2020, when Jason Pederson decided to step away from news, I got the opportunity to be promoted to Seven on Your Side and also continue covering Arkansas politics and the legislature,” Glisovic said.

 

Of all of the stories Glisovic has covered, being a media witness to a state execution was a rare reporting opportunity, she said.

 

“Being a media witness to a state execution isn’t something that many journalists get to do. That’s something unique. There aren’t many journalists who want to do it or have the opportunity to cover this type of story,” Glisovic said. “I was interviewed by the New York Times, and I described it as the shortest yet longest 11 minutes of my life. You do it once, you don’t need to do it twice. It was so different from what I’m used to.”

 

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“You’re there as a journalist to record and take notes, and everything is so sterile and technical that it doesn’t immediately hit you that you’re watching someone being put to death. It’s not until you go home that you stop being a journalist. You don’t have time to process it because you have to hurry up and report it. It wasn’t until I was driving home that I was starting to process things. I signed up for it, not really knowing specifically what I was getting into. That’s something I will always remember.”

 

Glisovic shared that she’s learned a lot in her time as an investigative reporter. 

 

“Never assume anything. I hold that dear to how I ethically work, inside and outside of the newsroom. You think you know something until you turn over the next stone. You start investigating and think you have an idea of what’s going on, and then you stumble across some information that changes everything,” she said.

 

Glisovic explained that many journalists fall prey to only having one focus when going into a story. Journalists must break this habit. 

 

“A lot of inexperienced journalists go in with one focus, and that is it. They don’t expand their horizons. I go in with an open mind, and there are so many twists and turns. It’s painful to watch from afar when journalists go for their angle and miss their story. A previous editor often told me, ‘Go find the nugget within the story. It’s in there somewhere, and you have to keep your eyes open.’ Be open to change and to other perspectives because they will point you in a different direction,” Glisovic said.

 

For Glisovic, sticking to the facts is key in the journalism industry, as well as having the documentation to back the facts up. 

 

“Always be open. I always vet everyone in whatever they say. It’s like that old journalism joke, ‘If your mother tells you she loves you, look into that,’” Glisovic said. “I hold it dear to my heart to be fair, balanced and accurate, and I pride myself on building that reputation. I always get both sides, or try my hardest to, and I make sure the viewer knows that. Especially with politics, there are stories that certain legislators and organizations won’t find in their favor, but I allow all sides to share their side of the story. Whatever is being debated isn’t up to me, but I can share what everyone said for others to decide.” 

 

Glisovic offered a word of advice to aspiring journalists.

 

“Be prepared to work hard to get to where you want to be. Be open-minded to moving anywhere it takes. Be prepared to move to unfamiliar places until you find the community you like. Don’t be afraid to push buttons as a journalist. Ask questions that make people uncomfortable. Read between the lines, and don’t be a walking mouthpiece for any organization. You’re the journalist — that’s your job. It’s about getting the information you can and getting it out to the public,” Glisovic said.

 

Glisovic also discussed the importance of making time for yourself. 

 

“Learn how to take personal time and business time and separate them. News is 24/7, but at some point, you have to do self-care, or you will burn out. I’ve always done a pretty good job striking the work and life balance. For me, obviously, if a huge news story happens, I’ll know about it, but I try not to pay attention to the news on the weekend so that I can disconnect. News becomes life for a lot of journalists, and that’s a stressful life to live.”

 

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Glisovic shared some of the things that she does in her free time. 

 

“I enjoy traveling — I’ve been to multiple countries and am blessed to have that opportunity. I enjoy spending time with friends, cooking, reading and shopping,” Glisovic said.

 

Glisovic shared that she’s also enjoyed exploring the Natural State. 

 

“I’ve loved traveling throughout Arkansas and checking out the mountains and Eureka Springs and different little towns and areas, and I’ve loved being able to explore the outdoors and seeing what the state can offer,” Glisovic said. 

 

As Glisovic looks to the future, she doesn’t know where she’ll be, but she knows what she’ll be doing.

 

“Five or ten years from now, I hope that I’m still making a difference for communities, wherever I am. I hope that this community and other communities can rely on me when seeking the most up-to-date information, whether it’s a proposed tax, a suspicious contractor or a new law,” Glisovic said. “I truly hope to still be making a difference, so my neighbors can rely on me.” 

 

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