Two hours before air, The Staten Island NewsCenter was alerted that four suspicious pieces of mail had been intercepted to offices of borough politicians. Staten Island's busy St. George Post Office was sealed off. Although those facts were verified, by airtime there was no confirmation as to what was actually in those mailers. Anchorman Matt Locker killed the story. Without verification of Anthrax in those letters, he said, "Reporting the event would serve no purpose other than bring fear to a country who once believed there was nothing to fear but fear itself. This news organization will not fan the flames!" Matt prohibits reporting bomb scares or food tamperings. "Such stories serve no purpose other than provoking copycat crimes." The story was dead. In high school, Matt not known for the best report cards or, at 135 pounds, his athletic prowess. Instead of getting creamed in football he recalls, "I showed up at our local TV station and wouldn't leave until they gave me a job, and they did!"News director Page Stull assigned stories that were meaningful, and local. Production toys were permitted only to the extent that as it would lend assistance in telling a story, or provide smooth transitions in and out of the breaks. In college, Matt launched 2 new student radio stations, and pulled a few shifts at the local commercial stations, including, WBTA Batavia-NY, WECQ-Geneva-NY, WPSC-Wayne-NJ, WKER-NJ, WGHT-NJ (as PD), WTBQ-Warwick, WKOJ-Middletown-NY, and as the morning man/OM for "WIYC: Paradise 104", a 50,000 watt powerhouse of the east Caribbean. The day arrived when he felt there must be more to life than spending 5 hours in padded booth waiting for songs to end. Shortly after arriving at WGHT, he became PD. "To me, programming a radio station is instinctual, logical, and it just comes to me…unlike long division…when I go with my gut and allow no one to alter that path, things just work!" From television and radio, he ventured to feature film with "Weekend At Bernies 2".He returned to New York to study theatre, then landed several roles off-Broadway. Shoots and voiceover sessions paid the bills. Now at 6 feet tall, and 175 solid pounds, he also entered the world of male modeling. Meanwhile in another borough of NYC, A Staten Island Magazine show was ailing. Matt was asked if he could do something with it. Within weeks, "The Staten Island NewsCenter," brought responsible journalism to the air. No gossip, no needless hype. It was designed to be a useful resource for those who live and work on Staten Island. Today, Matt is CEO at ProVoice Broadcast Voiceovers (SM), offering voiceover production. How does Matt feel about local news today? He pauses. Stares out the window. As if he were looking into yesterday, he quietly states, "It's no longer local, and it's rarely news." Then, in a total news voice he turns to me radiating presence, "Also ahead tonight scientists agree that that one day our sun will burn out..what will this mean for you? AND..be the first to see Britney's new boots" He quietly adds, "Murrow, Rather, and I are spinning in our graves, we need 'The New York Times Channel'"

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