On air - Dionne Anglin delivers another broadcast for FOX 4 News
brbr
From the bright lights of the studio to the backlit pages of her blog, for Reporter Mom Dionne Anglin, there's aways news to report
“I've chased hurricanes and politicians, covered crime andbrcorruption and my share of parades,” says FOX 4 News Reporter Dionne Anglin who knows one thingbrnever changes; “people are always hungry forbrup to the minute news.”
And afterbrmore than 22 years as a news reporter the Fort Worth native and resident ofbrKeller still personally considers the world's appetite for news “fascinating.” In fact, it was this samebrenthusiasm for television news as a child, which led Dionne to become abrjournalist. “While other kids enjoyed theirbrmorning cartoons and sit-coms,” Dionne reminisced, “I was way more interested in watching the news broadcastsbrof the day.”
Back thenbrshe had no idea how it all came together in such a credible way, but thatbrcuriosity led her to take photography classes and join the yearbook staff atbrTrimble Tech. The more she learned aboutbrmedia, the more she wanted to learn.
Afterbrgraduating from Trimble Tech in 1983 she decided to further her education bybrenrolling in the journalism program at the University of North Texas. Close tobrhome, yet living the campus life, she enjoyed classes like Broadcast News wherebrshe prepared mock newscasts and VoicebrDiction where she successfully lost her “Texan Twang.”
Duringbrthose early years, her father gave her some simple words of advice, "workbrfor free, and if you still love being a journalist then you'll know forbrsure." Taking the advice to heart, Dionne secured an internship with CBSbrand thus secured herself and her parents that the news was her true calling.
Graduatingbrfrom UNT with degree in hand, she set off on a life-long career path thatbrstarted in Tallahassee, Florida and other stops in New Orleans, Sacramento, SanbrFrancisco, and San Antonio. By 2005 Dionne's career came full circle afterbraccepting the role as General Assignment Reporter in the very market thatbrcaptivated her young mind. For the pastbr6 years in Dallas/Fort Worth, Dionne has excelled at bringing a human touch tobrthe stories of the day. As childhoodbrcuriosity gave way to proven experience, her sentiments remained the same asbrwhen she was a child when she says, “I know for sure north Texas isbrthe best news market of any in the country.”
Dionne isbrproud to say her career eventually brought her back home to work alongside fellowbrFOX 4 colleagues; Shaun Rabb, Richard Ray and Emmy Award winning mentor ClaricebrTinsley.
“I've met celebrities and not been as awe-inspired as when Ibrmet Clarice,” Dionne admits, “I watched her communicate with such ease in my youth andbrnow I pinch myself that I get to work alongside her every day.”
A typicalbrday for this reporter mom starts before she even pulls out of the driveway withbra 7:45am call to the FOX 4 assignments desk. At this time she learns wherebrshe'll be heading- east to the Dallas bureau or south to meet up withbrcolleagues at the Fort Worth bureau.
On this particularbrday, she's Dallas bound and ready tobrdig into another hot lead. Continuing tobrmake use of her hour-long commute Dionne makes several more phone calls tobrcheck in with some of her best sources. She needs to gather as much informationbras she can in order to make the case for her story at the editorial meeting.
By 9:00ambrshe's settled into the office andbrhas gathered the information from which she'll make her pitch to the roombrfull of managers, reporters and producers. “I always pitch my stories withbrenthusiasm that they will be great,” says Dionne. When it comes tobrgathering the news, Dionne recognizes, “There is definitely camaraderiebramongst reporters because we all share the same goals but, there is abrcompetitive edge. We are a lot like competitive athletes- we share a mutualbrrespect but, it doesn't stop us from beingbrcompetitive.”
After thebreditorial meeting, if the producers show interest in her story she'll need the better part of the day to investigate andbrconfirm her facts, gather video and prepare the script for her 5:00pm newsbrcameras.
Nobrstories gain Dionne's signature enthusiasm morebrthan those that put a face on the local community and showcase stories of hopebrand triumph. Perhaps her favorite reportbrin her entire 22-year career was sharing the plight of an elderly Fort Worthbrwoman.
“Ms. Antonia lived in an oldbrhouse in north Fort Worth,” recalls Dionne, “it was literally falling apart. She spoke very little English and never askedbrfor help.”
A friendbrof Antonia's had a son, who was abrcontractor. He called Dionne about thebrsituation, hoping she'd find it newsworthy. After the first report aired, people were so movedbrby the plight of this elderly woman they practically turned out in droves tobrhelp repair her home. In less than threebrdays, what Dionne calls an “outpouring of love and support” went viral via social media. The result was so much more than anyone everbrimagined as the community came together to support one of its own. “It was moving to know that my story played a part in thebrcommunity's support of such a nicebrwoman,” said Dionne, “it is an enormous feeling to be able to help others.”
After shebrshares stories on the air like that of Antonia's, its back home to herbrhusband and family. So involved in news reporting is Dionne that she has madebrit a family affair. Her husband John Anglin is also in the news game as anbraward-winning photographer for CBS channel 11. brWhen they aren't tackling the stories of thebrday, the couple's teenage daughter andbrone-year old Viszla, “Checkers”, keep them busy off the air.
Sharingbrstories like Antonia's and tweeting the specificsbrof jury trials for her followers, Dionne began to realize first-hand the powerbrof social media. Her desire to share more of her own personal experiences, lovebrfor her family and a little bit of humor, Dionne decided to turn the camera onbrherself through her new blog entitled ReporterMom.
“Sure, I have a career, but Ibralso maintain a normal, fun life as a wife and mother,” says Dionne, “ReporterMom.com gives me joybrin sharing more of myself with the public and I like to share with flare!”
She isn't kidding either. Recent stories on her budding blogbrinclude her most embarrassing reporter moments, hosting a “bathroom party” and extolling the virtues ofbrone Rudy Huxtable amongst many others. brBy sharing her work and life experiences through her blog, Dionne seeksbrto better relate to her audience the fact that she is a real live person andbrnot just a face on the television.
One daybrthis reporter, mom and blogger hopes to add the title of “author” to her resume. “I have the urge to one daybrwrite a book,” she admits, “but I haven't followed it through justbryet.”
For nowbrDionne continues to find ever increasing ways to enjoy her home town area andbrthe short but telling stories on ReporterMom.com have become the perfect toolbrfrom which to write and communicate her personal thoughts. But as she freelybradmits, it all comes “without the added pressure ofbranother deadline.”