February 2009 Interview Rowena Shaddox

Rowena Shaddox is a general assignment reporter for KTXL FOX40 News in Sacramento. She first worked as an assignment editor at FOX40, for 3-1/2 years, but started reporting on-air six months after she started on the assignment desk. Prior to that she worked for the Daily Republic Newspaper in Fairfield, where she covered the crime beat for 11 years. Shaddox can be seen live during the 10 p.m. newscast throughout the week. She can be contacted at rowena.shaddox@fox40.com

Name: Rowena Lugtu-Shaddox
Height: 4'11 AND 3/4 inches
Hometown: San Francisco
Birthday: November 9

1. What decided you to take a reporting position while working at the desk?
My news director at the time I started, knew my goal was to report on T.V. He felt it would be a good way to become familiar with all the T.V. jargon, along with getting to know how T.V. news worked, if I started on the assignment desk.

2. What is an interesting/ unique fact most viewers don't know about you?
I was a background dancer in an MTV video back in the day, for a new wave group call The Units. My coworkers get a kick out of watching it today on YouTube! I was also with a professional dance company in San Francisco at that time.

3. What was your most embarrassing moment live on air?
Thank God, so far, I really don't have any since I've only been going live since last July. But if I had to say something, it would be my toss a few weeks ago about Clint Eastwood's movie Gran Torino. The words spewed out of my mouth, and I had no idea what I was talking about. My producer said my facial expression was very funny, once my package ran and I was off air for the moment.

4. If you weren't in the Journalism field today, what would you be doing?
Probably just spending more time with my family, doing more domestic/mom things.

5. What's your favorite singer/band or type of music?
Madonna, Earth, Wind & Fire. But really anything you could dance to.

6. Where did you attend school and major in?
University of San Francisco - BA in Mass Media Communications

7. What types of food's do you enjoy?
Japanese, Italian, Mexican!

8. Most people don't know who Wyatt is... could you explian? (lol)
Wyatt is my adorable German shepard/basset hound mix. Patrick and I were on assignment near Modesto, to cover an animal rescue in Stanislaus County. I asked for the cutest doggy to do my standup with, and they handed me Wyatt. I adopted him three days later!! I love, love, love him!!

9. Do you have any advice for someone who wants to be a TV reporter while in school?
Take advantage of any internships that come your way. Although you may be extremely busy, take the time somehow to fit that into your schedule. You'll benefit from it. If there is a school newspaper, volunteer to do any writing assignments. Write as much as you can. Your reporting will be so much better if you have a solid writing background.

10. Lastly, what was your first job while in high school or college?
Working at the Serramonte Mall in Daly City, at Expressions. It was a really cool stationery shop where lots of my friends worked.

FOX40 Changes...

Photo: Fox40.com

So much has happened to FOX40 in the past few months. Slowly people started to come and go during FOX40's renovation... In fact former CBS13 executive producer Brandon Mercer became the news director after Tom Burke was fired.

Former weeknight anchor Thomas Drayton started a new path at FOX29 in Philadelphia as the 5 and 10 p.m. anchor.

FOX40 hired then former Sacramento reporter Jaime Garza (early-mid 90s w/ News10) as Donna Cordova's new co-anchor weeknights. Garza had been with CBS 2/ KCAL 9 as a reporter and anchor for over 10 years after he was laid off when CBS made cuts throughout the country.

FOX40 got a new set with kitchen cafe center for FOX40 Live. The new set looks small and everything seems crammed. But they needed a new one after it felt like forever they broadcasted from the same previous set. And they got live trucks with stickers which was nice touch to it too.

Relocating two Former Reporters...

Remember Bora Kim former reporter for the CBS13 San Joaquin Valley bureau? She started this week at WDIV-TV NBC 4 in Detroit, Michigan as a general assignment reporter, where Pallas Hupe worked for a while there in market 11. It's unsure why Bora was only with CBS13 for over a year but reports online that weren't confirmed were saying she got fired. She left sometime in late 2006 or early 2007, and that's where Edmundo Aguilar was hired to report in the Stockton area.


And FOX40 Morning reporter Kye Martin started last month at the CW affiliate in Chicago, IL as a traffic anchor/reporter on Navteq/Traffic.com

New on the News!

Darsha Phillips is one of the newest members in market 20. She currently reports for FOX40 News weeknights, she came from the NBC affiliate in Toledo, Ohio. Originally from Los Angeles and born in Canada, I'm sure she's glad to be back in her home state.

FOX40 Update...

It's been confirmed that FOX40 Morning News anchor Evan Michael has left the station to find different opportunities elsewhere. If you remember he joined the station in June 2007 from the NBC affiliate in Colorado Springs/Pueblo in Colorado. Its unknown as to what he's doing now, but I will definitely get an answer.


Fox40.com
And Rosemary Orozco is currently helping out with the morning show by demonstration report's and co-anchoring when needed.

Also I notice FOX40 has recently had weather and sports beat talent co-anchor on the news. For example they had Kristina Werner in for Donna co-anchoring and Mark Demsky (Weekend sports anchor) co-anchor with Terri Cox.

And not sure if it was the news director's idea, but now reporters have been asked not to sign off air anymore which is what CBS 13 does, from what I heard its to save time wasted on-air. Personally I think reporters should be allowed to sign off. But everyone has their own idea for a reason.

Vintage Videos!

Photo from www.Fox40.com
FOX40 News has recently posted videos of their old newscast dating back from 1974 till the first morning newscast in June 2005 anchored by Jennifer Parker who came from Washington and now runs a family business ''Parker Development Company''. I would like to see newscast from the late 90s. If you would like to watch visit the link below

http://fox40.trb.com/news/ktxl-video-vintage,0,4237853.videogallery

June 2008 Interview with Kristina Werner

Kristina Werner is no stranger to northern California, she joined FOX40 News in December 1999 after working for NBC in Chico, California for a couple of years as a morning meteorologist. In fact she graduated from Sacramento State University in 1997 and is originally from Vacaville. Werner came to FOX40 as the weekend weather anchor and weekday reporter until 2006 when she became the full time meteorologist after Pam Hambright left to anchor for ABC in Reno, NV. Werner can be contacted at kristina.werner@tribune.com

Name: Kristina Werner
Hometown: Vacaville, Ca
Height: 5'6''
Birthday: August 30th

1. Tell us what interested you in getting into the meteorology side of broadcasting?
I had a great internship at Channel 31 when I was in college at Sac state. I worked with Lloyd Lindsay Young and his enthusiasm for weather just rubbed off on me. I became obsessed with weather and forecasting. I loved it so much I went back to school and never looked back.

2. Where was your first TV job and what did you do?
I worked at KNVN in Chico. I first did weekend weather/reporting then I moved on to the morning weather position.

3. What are your duties as a Meteorologist at FOX40?
I'm basically responsible for everything weather each weeknight

4. If you weren't working in the TV news business, what would you be doing today?
I'd be a very happy stay at home mom!!

5. What is an interesting unique fact about you?
I'm a huge sports fan! I grew up playing everything and wanted be a sportscaster originally.

6. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happen to you while on-air?
Oh there's been plenty of things, but I remember a bug flew into my mouth right before a live shot and I got caught spitting it out on the air. Not my prettiest moment!

7. What kind of music do you listen to? Favorite singer or band?
I love it all...hip hop, alternative, pop and country. My favorite band has to be Green Day though!

8. Where is your favorite restaurant to eat at and what do you normally order?
Mikuni and I always order the Michi roll.

9. What types of movies do you enjoy watching? Favorite actor or actress?
I love movies period and you can bet I'll always go see a Will Smith flick.

10. Finally, If you could give advice to a future meteorologist, what would you say? If you already know you want to be a meteorologist then you're one step ahead of where I started. Seriously, get your degree in meteorology and then look for an internship. When you get your first on-air job make sure you do some research and learn about the area you will be forecasting for. If you show up with knowledge of the market already you'll in good shape. Best of Luck!

FOX40 Update

Reggie Kumar is back in the business after a while off from CBS in Sacramento... He's now freelancing for FOX40 News weekdays and you can catch is his reports nightly at 10 p.m.

Also FOX40's Matt Skryja who came from Fresno in January 2008 is no longer with the station. He is now in San Francisco, working for AAA auto insurance in the Public Relations department.

American Idol

American Idol is coming to an end this Wednesday when America votes for their favorite idol over the phone lines. The end of this season of American Idol is so big that FOX40 News in Sacramento sent out a reporter (Lousia Hodge) to cover it which I'm somewhat surprised because FOX40 rarely sends out reporters to other parts of the U.S like some other stations do in Sacramento. So you can expect a lot of celebrity interviews in the coming nights of FOX40 News, definitely looking foward to it.

Update's

First up--- The layoffs at several CBS stations not only has affected former employee's but have cause issues in the programming side. The Sports Show which aired every weekend at 11pm- 11:30pm has now be incorperated with the 10pm newscast and is only hosted by Arran Anderson who has been with the station since 2006. Andrew Luria who reported for the show is now anchoring the weekend editions of Good Day Sacramento in the mornings and reporting for the weekday 10pm show three days a week. The Sports show can be seen around 10:45ish pm.


Candice Stanton is now taking a break from TV. She was a freelance reporter who worked for FOX40 News 2 days a week. No word what she's doing but she has come along way. She's been freelancing with FOX40 since November 2007. Candice also used to work as the morning reporter for KCRA 3 in the early 2000's she was also known as Candice Jones before she got married.


FOX40 News made a few changes to their 10pm news format. There are more sports and weather cut-ins which means a dab of more on-air time for Jim and Kristina.


John Lobertini who was a Sacramento Correspondent for CBS 5 in San Francisco, was sadly one of the people who got laid off from the CBS stations nationwide. Now the CBS 5 Live Truck is heading back home after a few years in Sacramento. He is expected to be in the market soon, and he also used to work for CBS 13 in Sacramento before joining CBS 5 in 1999.


KCRA has a new annoucer for the intro of their newscast, she has more of an accent. Personally I perferred the other annoucer. Also their backdrop has changed as where it used to be yellow-greenish with the mountains and parts of downtown Sacramento to just a plain blue 3 backdrop towards the left of the studio from the viewers side.


Eileen Javora, is now appearing only on the Morning newscast shows. Dirk Verdoorn and Julie Watts are now handling the noon newscast from the KCRA 3 Experience at Arden Mall.


And lastley, Kristin Marshall, joined KCRA from WBAL-TV NBC 11 in Baltimore, Maryland in February 2008, she is now doing traffic after Adrienne left her beat to report and anchor.

Does Your Child Want to be a Weather Kid?

FOX40 Morning news has a new segment every friday and its titled "Rosemary's Weather Kids" If you think your child has what it takes to be a weather kid then continue reading. According to the website your child must be 5-12 years...Although in an e-mail Rosemary replied that the child must be 8-14 years old...Not sure if they website hasn't been updated or the rules have changed. To nominate your child e-mail all the information at WeatherKids@Tribune.com

Additional information is provided within this link below.

http://fox40.trb.com/ktxl-news-weatherkids,0,2924783.htmlstory

Here is an example of a former weather kid on the morning show

He's Back!

After 2 years off air since early 2006, Mike Bond is now back with KTXL FOX 40 News. He will bring us some issues across the Sacramento region. Prior with FOX 40 when he left in late 2005 he was freelance reporter for KCRA 3 with the weekend team. Now he's back and keep an eye on him at the 10 o'clock news!

Newbie's!

Kelly Jackson is the newest member of the News10 Good Morning team. She joined in April 2007 to take over Sharon's spot who now is the station's online anchor at the stations website. Kelly comes from KDSK-TV in St. Louis, Missouri and if you would love to get to know Kelly a bit more visiting this link. And this is for the people who don't live in Sacramento and want a update of who is new and not.

www.News10.net/news/specials/kelly-jackson/default.aspx


Evan Michael is also a newbie to Sacramento. He joined FOX40 Morning News in June 2007 as the co-anchor with Natalie Bomke. He came from KOAA-TV in Colorado Springs/Pueblo.

3 New faces enter and 3 old faces leave

KTXL FOX40 has hired three new reporters from out of Sacramento, and they are (Drum roll)


-Michelle Liu (From Springfield, Illionis)

-Bethany Crouch (From Tri-Cities in Washington state)

-Jamie Soriano (From Salinas, California)

Michelle has recently started on the week of July 30th...Also Jamie and Bethany are expected to appear sometime in late August 2007.

Meanwhile Tim Sakahara has moved to Hawaii from Elk Grove with his wife who was an Executive Producer for the Morning show at KXTV News10.


Jonathan Carlson is back to the east coast in South Carolina at CBS 7 News WSPA-TV

And Georgette Copes is now freelancing in San Diego, Ca at KUSI-TV an independent TV station owned by the CW network. Its unknown if she is still in the business.

Now Hiring/ FOX40

KTXL FOX40 in Sacramento is hiring for a Meteorologist to anchor the forecast from 6-8am .
So looks like soon we will be seeing a new fresh face in Sacramento TV. Also hopefully soon FOX40 will get a studio make-over because it's time for one.

FOX40 lost two Reporters as well. Reporter Jonathan Carlson and Tim Sakaharia's contracts have ended this month with the station. Tim and his wife who was the morning executive producer at KXTV 10 have left the area, and Jonathan has decided to move back to the east coast where he grew up. We'll definitely keep you posted on what Jonathan and Tim do next.