Story by Josee Gibson
Illustrations by Madelyn Wilder
Photos by Ella Oakley
Welcome to “Take Five,” a column where we sit down with WKU faculty and staff members to learn about five things they love.
Ryan Dearbone, from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, said he began his career as a television news reporter after graduating from WKU in 2005. He said after working several other jobs and getting his master’s in 2014, he took on his current position as an assistant broadcasting professor in 2022.
Dearbone said the news stations he worked for were WBKO in Bowling Green, WKNY in Lexington, Kentucky, WTVQ in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee; and Spectrum News out of Louisville.
He said that in 2021, when WKU was searching for a new assistant broadcasting professor, they asked Dearbone to be on the hiring committee because of his background in broadcasting. He said at the time he was an adjunct communications professor.
“After some of the candidates that we were looking at dropped out, I made the joke that I should teach the classes until we hired somebody,” Dearbone said.
Dearbone said they took his suggestion seriously, and though he was unsure he was the best fit at first, he applied and has been in the position since.
“It’s been cool coming back to work in the department that I graduated from,” Dearbone said. “It’s a full circle thing for me.”
He said he has always loved broadcasting, and his favorite thing about teaching is seeing his students excel in careers both in and out of the broadcasting field. This includes his work with students on the campus news channel, News Channel 12, and the campus radio station, Revolution91.7.
1. His dog, Betsy Jo
Dearbone said he loves his dog, Betsy Jo, who has been in his family for over 12 years.
He said Betsy Jo is a small dog, and she is a miniature pinscher and chihuahua mix.
“She was my mom’s dog first, and when my mom passed, we kept her,” Dearbone said. “She’s my little girl; I just love her to death.”
Dearbone said he also has two daughters, named Legacy and Echo.
“So yes, I’m a girl dad, completely,” Dearbone said.
2. Michael Jackson
On the wall in his office next to his desk, Dearbone has a poster of Michael Jackson’s 1982 album, Thriller.
“Hands-down, no one comes close to Michael Jackson,” Dearbone said. “I grew up on him, and he’s been my favorite artist since I was a little kid.”
He said that two other reasons Jackson really appealed to him were that he loves his songs, and he really likes to dance.
“He was the representation of ‘cool’ to me growing up,” Dearbone said.
Being able to see Jackson’s cultural influence and popularity as a Black man in mainstream culture is something Dearbone said made an impact on him.
3. Chinese Buffets
“I just adore Chinese food,” Dearbone said. “I don’t know, I mean it’s just, good.”
If he had to choose between a regular Chinese place and a buffet, he said he would take a buffet any day of the week.
“Give me a buffet so I can go choose and grab everything I want, and maybe even get another plate,” Dearbone said.
His favorite buffet spot in Bowling Green is Golden Hibachi Buffet on 31-W Bypass, but he said he tries not to eat there too much so he can stay in good shape.
4. Running
Dearbone said that outside of school or broadcasting-related work, his favorite hobby is running. He said he started doing marathons in 2015.
“I love to run,” Dearbone said. “That is my happy place, except for when I’m 20 miles into a marathon, wondering, ‘now why did I do this again?’”
He said he has done 19 full, in-person marathons, and overall, he has done 25 marathons, including virtual ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dearbone said he would like to be more consistent with running, but he has not done a marathon in three years.
“Don’t worry, I’m signed up for the Chicago marathon this year,” Dearbone said.
5. His Associated Press Award
“One of my favorite experiences has to be winning an AP Award for continuing coverage,” Dearbone said.
He said the story revolved around a man named Jason Smith, who swindled Bowling Green residents for money back in 2007 by starting an illegitimate basketball team that he originally called the Kentucky Bisons. The team later moved to Owensboro and became known as the Kentucky Mavericks. Smith evaded capture from police for over four months, according to an article by the Bowling Green Daily News.
“I was able to interview him while he was hiding out in Memphis,” Dearbone said. “He gave me exclusive interviews, and I probably ended up doing about seven or eight stories with him.”
Dearbone said it was the first story where he really got to go in-depth with a subject, and he felt like it was a story that really mattered. He said the story was very important to him, not just the first-place AP award he won for it.