From La Salle TV to NBC

Hosting a program on La Salle TV helped kickstart an award-winning career in TV journalism for Matt DeLucia, '07.

Matt DeLucia, '07, has won 20 regional Emmy's throughout his career. Recently, he was also awarded the Edward R. Murrow Award for Regional Excellence in Innovation for his "pet project" Matt Explains It!.

From a young age, Matt DeLucia, '07, was fascinated by the fast pace of local TV news. He took every opportunity to prepare for his future career, including reading high school announcements and practicing speaking in front of every camera he could find. When it came time for him to pick somewhere to study, La Salle had an edge.

"It was the fact that La Salle had a cable TV station that could be seen throughout the city," DeLucia said. "We had a better ability to be seen back then, as the number of channels available was a fraction of what we see today."

His visit to campus also played a big part in his choice, he said, with people in the Explorer community caring more, asking better questions of him, and answering any he had honestly.

As well as La Salle TV, known as La Salle 56 while he was an undergrad, DeLucia also had the chance to become involved with other journalistic outlets on campus, including WEXP Radio and the Collegian.

Getting involved in campus reporting helped to kickstart a career that has spanned nearly two decades and earned him multiple awards.

"In early 2005, I was contacted by a producer at a PBS station in New Jersey. The producer lived in Philly and happened to be watching La Salle 56. He saw a program I hosted and asked me to audition to report for a weekly program," DeLucia said. "That was my first official job in television. That led to other opportunities, networking experiences, and helped me build a strong resume before I graduated."

La Salle TV wasn't the only positive that DeLucia, who was a communication major, gained from La Salle. He also praised the professors and classes that he took, saying that they only strengthened his desire to be a reporter for years to come. He's still in touch with some of those professors and distinctly remembers classes in ethics and newsroom broadcasting.

"It was a formative time that had a great impact on my life, especially in that era," he said. "The encouragement I received made it a wonderful experience."

When DeLucia and a handful of other students interned with NBC at the 2006 Winter Olympics, the support and encouragement of the Communication department came out in full force after they shifted the entire curriculum for the Explorers who were in Italy for three weeks during the spring semester.

"It was pretty neat to see what lengths they went to accommodate such a unique experience," he said.

After graduating, DeLucia's career took him all over the country, working as a news reporter in several cities and states, including Maryland, Massachusetts, and Las Vegas.

He was hired by Philly's NBC10 in 2013 and has been there ever since.

"It was kind of a dream come true," he said. "I was raised in Cherry Hill, so I grew up watching and reading Philadelphia news. It was always the goal to come back home and do what I love."

DeLucia's lifelong love of local news continues, even during the hard stories he's covered.

"There are fun days when I can showcase the best of our community, but of course there is also the responsibility to report what is happening on someone's darkest day. After nearly two decades, those interviews never get easier. But I am often surprised by how many people want to share their experiences, no matter how good or bad," he said. "Most people I meet truly care - about their community, their family, or their job, and I'm glad they trust me to share their story."

Throughout his career, telling those stories has earned him 20 regional Emmy's. Most recently, he was awarded the Edward R. Murrow Award for Regional Excellence in Innovation for his "pet project" Matt Explains It!, a series that he creates in addition to all his usual daily responsibilities for NBC10. In the series, DeLucia explains local happenings, holidays and major events for his audience, often seeking local professors for their input and insight, including some from La Salle.

"The regional Murrow award for Excellence in Innovation was nice to receive, and to be honored with something named for one of the most influential names in journalism is truly something special," he said. "My favorite thing is good storytelling. Think about your daily conversations, and I'll bet the more memorable ones had good storytelling. I enjoy writing and being creative, so when I have an opportunity to put a lot of thought and heart into a segment, I hope the viewer recognizes that as well."

While DeLucia's career was definitely a positive that started at La Salle, the best thing he gained from his time at 20^th and Olney were lifelong friendships.

"La Salle has a way of being a great environment for these connections to grow," he said.

-Naomi Thomas