Indiana Broadcast History Archive

Joy Hernandez has worked as a photographer at WISH-TV in Indianapolis for 20 years. Inspired by the news coverage of the September 11th attacks, she realized she wanted to document and preserve history through television news. She studied media arts and animation at the Illinois Institute of Art before transferring to the University of Indianapolis to pursue a degree in communication. After interning at several local stations, she joined WISH-TV in 2007. 

Hernandez has played a key role in organizing and digitizing WISH-TV’s archive, in honor of the station’s 70th anniversary. She interviews current and former staff to preserve the station’s legacy and ensure that its stories and the people behind them are remembered. 

Outside of broadcasting, Hernandez is active in the Indianapolis art community. She co-owns Full Circle 9 Gallery, a collective exhibition space operated by nine local artists. 

Lydia Norton interviewed Joy Hernandez for the IBHA Oral History Collection in 2024.

Early Life

Joy Hernandez was born and raised in Kewanee, Illinois. As a child, she was curious about the world and captivated by current events. One of her earliest memories is reading about the Waco standoff in the Star Courier, a paper she initially picked up for the comics. Her first exposure to round-the-clock news coverage came during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. When the Persian Gulf War broke out, her father who was stationed in Korea at the time, helped her understand what was happening. Still, she sought out more answers at her school library. 

Another formative moment came during the O.J. Simpson trial. With an open lunch period in middle school, she’d rush to her grandmother’s house to catch the verdict coverage. These early experiences laid the foundation for her career in storytelling. 

College and Early Career 

September 11, 2001, marked a turning point for Hernandez. Then a student in media arts and animation at the Illinois Institute of Art in Chicago, she was transfixed by the images coming out of New York. A clip of photographer Glen Mayrose holding his camera steady as the towers collapsed inspired her to change paths. 

In 2002, she moved to Indianapolis and enrolled at the University of Indianapolis. By 2004, she was interning at WISH-TV and WTHR. Despite still being in school, she landed a position at WISH’s then-sister station, WIH, as a photographer. She also began editing for WNDY on weekends, applying her skills in newly introduced digital editing. 

WISH-TV 

In 2007, Hernandez officially joined WISH-TV full time. Over the years, she has served as photographer, editor, tune-in operator, trainer, and station historian. As of October 2024, she’s been with the station for two decades. Though Kewanee remains close to her heart, she credits WISH and Indianapolis for shaping her career and identity. 

70^th Anniversary of WISH-TV 

In 2021, Hernandez began cataloging WISH-TV’s archive in preparation for the station’s 70th anniversary. At the time, archival footage was spread across three basement rooms. She consolidated and organized an estimated 25,000 tapes, like rare footage like the only video of the Beatles' 1964 State Fair concert, into a single archive room. 

For the anniversary, Hernandez decided to interview staff members of WISH about their experience working on past stories from the archive. The goal was to tell WISH’s stories from the perspective of the reporters. Hernandez teaches interns how to navigate the archive, continuing the legacy that was passed to her when she started at WISH.   

Our Fair Beatles | Celebrating 60 years since The Beatles 1964 Indiana State Fair Performance

Hernandez emphasizes that local news functions as a public archive—today’s stories become tomorrow’s history. She says, “We are everybody’s archive,” underscoring the value of context and continuity in community journalism. 

Gender in Journalism 

Encouraged by her grandfather, Hernandez always pursued her interests freely like sports, tools, and later, cameras. Before moving to Indianapolis, she witnessed firsthand how news media covered a family tragedy, solidifying her career aspirations. She recalls asking a photographer at the scene if many women worked in the field. He said no but there should be because women bring a unique perspective. 

When Hernandez started in 2004, there were only two female photographers at Channel 13. She experienced harassment in the field, but fellow journalists looked out for her. She views her colleagues not as competition, but as a team. Though she’s heard sexist comments in the newsroom, she doesn’t let them deter her. 

Full Circle 9 Gallery 

Photo courtesy of https://fullcirclenine.com/ 

After stepping back from art following her time in Chicago, Hernandez returned to it in 2010. She connected with the local scene through Art Bank Gallery and its owner, Dan Haynes. In 2016, after the gallery was sold, she and eight other artists, including Haynes, founded Full Circle 9 Gallery in the Circle City Industrial Complex, now known as the Factory Arts District. 

Hernandez serves as president of the gallery while continuing her work at WISH-TV. In 2019, the group expanded their space. Through this dual role in journalism and art, she’s built a broad network across Indianapolis. She’s also part of the Walldogs, an international mural-painting collective that celebrates small-town histories through public art. 

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Written by Lydia Norton, edited by Katherine Maners

March 2026

Bibliography 

Carpenter, Tierra. “Full Circle Nine Gallery Presents Joy Hernandez ‘...Is Bean’ Art Exhibit.” WISH, WISH-TV, 5 Jan. 2022, www.wishtv.com/lifestylelive/full-circle-nine-gallery-presents-joy-hernandez-is-bean-art-exhibit/.  

Cox, Katie. “Our Fair Beatles | Celebrating 60 Years since the Beatles 1964 Indiana State Fair Performance.” Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic | WISH-TV |, 3 Sept. 2024, wishtv.com/wish-tv-70th-anniversary/our-fair-beatles-celebrating-60-years-since-the-beatles-1964-indiana-state-fair-performance/. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024. 

Devadasan, Neil. “Wish-TV .” Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, 26 Feb. 2024, indyencyclopedia.org/wish-tv-channel-8/.  

“Eyewitness to 9/11: Behind the Lens | Original News Coverage.” YouTube, Eyewitness News ABC7NY, 12 Sept. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIp7z5VraG4.  

“Full Circle Nine Gallery Features Joy Hernandez in ‘Bright Lights and Star-Stuff’ for September First Friday.” Indy Arts Council, 13 Aug. 2024, indyarts.org/event/full-circle-nine-gallery-features-joy-hernandez-in-bright-lights-and-star-stuff-for-september-first-friday/.  

Hernandez, Joy. “Joy the Stampede.” Joy Hernandez Art, 6 Jan. 2024, joyhernandez.com/.  

Hernandez, Joy. “The Lost Art of Bookbinding Is Back - at Ball State University.” YouTube, Great Day TV with Patty Spitler, 26 Feb. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5Wfu6xCiII.