Life After TV News
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For more than two decades Kam Carman was a Reporter/Anchor at WJBK in Detroit.
But, she got sick of reporting negative stories each and every night and decided to launch her own company.
Carman decided it was time for a change and chose to follow her passion by telling Detroit's revitalization story through its growing food scene.
To this end, she started Kam Carman Inc., and one of the products is designed to feature the city's restaurants.
As she said, "I have always been a 'foodie' … even before foodies were given a name!"
So she wanted to create a concept where consumers can not only just "read" restaurant reviews, but can actually "see" the food and service while experiencing the ambiance through the eye of the camera.
As a result, she is launching "Dine & Dish Nation," which starts locally Sept. 10 on PBS.
I recently talked to Carmen about her Detroit journalism career and her decision to pursue entrepreneurship.
She talked to Crain's Mark Lee about her new venture.
Lee: You spent several years as a journalist and newscaster in Detroit. What drove your decision to start your own business?
Carman: News is a very tough business. I found that after two decades of reporting on what was "wrong" in the world, I wanted to do something "right." I wanted to take my love of storytelling and flip the script by creating a program that not only gets the word out about the revitalization of Detroit, but to provide the inside scoop to anyone searching for their next favorite restaurant. There is no other TV show like "Dine & Dish Nation" in the Detroit market, so I made the decision to start my own business and blaze the trail!
Lee: Why not stay in journalism?
Carman: Working for a corporation has its advantages. It's very structured, and in many ways, secure. But I found that structure to be a bit stifling, in ways that set limits on my imagination. While striking out on my own has been a little scary, I have found that working for myself puts me in a far better place to achieve success.
With my new show, I'm finding the best of both worlds ... I'm able to express myself with journalistic integrity, while showing a softer side that's way more easygoing and fun.
