NBC4.TV, CA
Aug. 11, 2006
Girl Wants To Be The Next Oprah
LOS ANGELES — Her friends refer to her as the young Oprah. She is an
11-year-old Burbank resident and already has her own talk show on
local cable. NBC4’s Kelly Mack spoke with the girl who said she is
planning on much, much more.
Video
Following is a verbatim script from the on-air report.
KELLY MACK: Narineh Sarokhanian carefully applies pink lip-gloss
before taping her weekly television show.
Meanwhile, technicians work on their computers and switchers in the
small control room at High Vision studio, which sits atop an
upholstery shop in Glendale.
With her primping done, the 11-year-old sixth grader enters the
studio and sits down behind the microphone like an old pro with her
folder of notes close at hand.
Narineh has been the host of ‘Kid’s Vision’ on Charter Cable channel
30 for the past two years.
NARINEH SAROKHANIAN, TELEVISION HOST: I was nine years old, and I
said ‘Mom, can we try to have my own TV show for kids, because I am a
kid?’
MACK: Narineh’s mother thought, ‘Well, why not?’ So she took her
daughter’s idea to the president of the local Armenian TV station.
FLORA GHARIBIAN, NARINEH’S MOTHER: He said, ‘Great! We don’t have any
kids program, so let’s do it.’
MACK: Narineh’s first guest on Friday is nine-year-old Sam, who
checks his coif in the TV monitor. The show’s star gives Sam some
professional tips before the cameras roll.
SAROKHANIAN (TO SAM): You’re not going to laugh and you’re going to
stay still. Okay?
MACK: And with that the show begins.
SAROKHANIAN: Hello, everyone! You’re watching the best show on earth,
‘Kids Vision’!
MACK: Narineh starts with commentary on Internet safety while her
mother observes with obvious pride.
GHARIBIAN: This is what she wants, so I’m going to help her to get
there, no matter what.
MACK: The show features local children with talent like Sam, who can
play Beethoven on piano without notes.
Another guest, 11-year-old Shawn, practices the flute out in the
hallway before he is cued to go on.
Narineh told NBC4 that she has always dreamed of being on TV as
either a journalist or a talk show host. One person she admires?
GHARIBIAN: Maybe Oprah Winfrey. Maybe if I grow up I want to be like
her to know that I can make a difference.
MACK: And she loves the idea of breaking news, like covering a brush
fire.
GHARIBIAN: You never know what’s going to happen when you’re sitting
right there or when you’re talking. You don’t know if the fire is
getting bigger or if it’s coming toward you.
MACK: ‘Kids Vision’ airs on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon. Narineh
chooses her guests and the topics of discussion for each show.
There’s a ‘Kids Vision’ book club where Narineh reviews good reads.
She and invited friends also sing happy birthday to specific viewers.
I asked if it was difficult producing and hosting a TV show while
still an elementary school student?
GHARIBIAN: Not really, but I think that sixth grade will be harder,
so it might be more difficult.
MACK: The clock ticks toward noon, and this week’s show is almost
done. But for one ambitious young TV host, however, things are just
getting started.