Meet Azia Celestino of ‘Keep It Short’ / Cheddar in Orange County – Costa Mesa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Azia Celestino.

Azia, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m an on-air host, journalist, and actor. I got my start on the movie junket circuit, where I interviewed celebrities promoting their movies in Los Angeles. I interned and worked for LA-based networks like MTV, Revolt, and PMC.

One night while I was up late on Twitter, I came across a contest to host VH1’s ‘Big Morning Buzz Live’ with Nick Lachey from Times Square. As someone who grew up watching ‘TRL’ and ‘106 & Park,’ it was a dream opportunity. I wrote down some ideas before going to sleep and edited a submission video the next morning. I made it to the final four and VH1 flew me out to audition for the gig live on the show! I didn’t end up winning, but during the trip I set up a meeting with an agent who eventually signed me for representation. A few months later, he asked me if I was interested in moving to New York to anchor for Channel One News, a CBS-partnered news show broadcast to students in schools across the US. I didn’t watch the show in school growing up, but I’m a big fan of Maria Menounos (who is a Channel One alum, along with other amazing journalists), so I said yes!

Now I anchor news on Cheddar, but you may know me from my work with Channel One or Complex.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has never been a smooth road for me! Working in media and entertainment can appear to be glamorous on the outside, but you really have to love what you do because there’s virtually no stability. I’m no stranger to being laid off or apart of shows that didn’t get renewed. I’ve also auditioned and screen tested for a million things that never panned out. This lifestyle is not for the faint of heart!

Please tell us about ‘Keep It Short’.
My mission is inform, entertain, and inspire. There’s this longstanding perception in the news industry that you have to fit the mold- the look, the voice, the traditional way of thinking- to get the job and find success. I decided early on that I wanted to be myself and operate outside of that system. I’ve been very privileged to have found my own path so far, and I hope that my audience can see that from the way that I report.

I have worked with some brilliant people at a lot of different companies, but I am the most proud of the work I’ve done on my own. When the pandemic began, I launched ‘Keep It Short with Azia,’ a daily news series on TikTok and IGTV. As a journalist, I felt a calling to show up for young people now, more than ever, to deliver the most critical news stories that our generation has ever seen. I set out to create a show that would cut through the 24/7 news coverage, sharing the stories that you need now while also prioritizing mental health. Every story, whether it’s hard news or good news, lasts about 15 seconds for that reason. And it seems to be resonating- in just over three months, ‘Keep It Short’ has gained over 9 million views on TikTok alone, a combined 30,000 followers, and the best feedback I’ve ever received in my career. People I’ve never met message me to say that I’m the only source of news that they watch! I don’t take notes like that lightly. It motivates me to be consistent and keep my one-woman news network going.

‘Keep It Short’ has also made me realize that there’s a growing desire for personalized news. It inspired me to launch my Patreon account where I provide information tailored for my audience. Viewers, especially young viewers, are constantly requesting updates related to COVID-19 wherever they are.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I’d say a combo of two qualities have served me well-hard work combined with a willingness to be bold.

Pricing:

• Patreon ‘For You’ Tier: $10 per month https://www.patreon.com/Azia
• Patreon ‘The Hype’ Tier: $15 per month https://www.patreon.com/Azia
• Patreon ‘Go Live’ Tier: $50 per month https://www.patreon.com/Azia
• Patreon ‘The Duet’ Tier: $100 per month https://www.patreon.com/Azia

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@aziacelestino?lang=en
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aziacelestino/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AziaCel/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/aziacelestino
• Other: https://aziacelestino.com/

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