ST. LOUIS — Ty Hawkins has come a long way in the past six years. After graduating with his master’s degree he has gone from a general assignment reporter to a daily morning anchor.
“I got into journalism because my first interest came when I was watching the local news with my grandparents and just how engaged they were and how important it was to them, and it brought us together,” said Hawkins.
Hawkins holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and Journalism from Boise State University, supplemented by a master’s in specialized journalism from the University of Southern California. Through work, he has developed his skills in copywriting and video production.
“I just fell in love with journalism and this is exactly where I pictured myself right now,” said Hawkins. He has been with Fox 2/KPLR 11 for two and a half years now. “Most of my responsibilities now fall on weekday mornings. I was in night side reporter from Monday through Friday, when I first started. A month into my career and Fox2 moved me to three nights a week, reporting weekend morning anchor, and then they moved me to full time weekday.”
Hawkins takes his job as a weekday morning anchor seriously. Fairness and truth are important to him.
“The people I work with hold themselves to a high standard. We want to be the best and continue to be the best,” Hawkins said. “We want to be fair and accurate but also motivates me are the people that we impact with every story we report.”
Getting recognized in public helps him understand the impact he can have on other people’s lives.
“When you’re out in public and someone walks up to you, and it makes you feel humbled that they appreciate the service that you provide to the community,” said Hawkins. “To know they appreciate us, and we’re making an impact on their lives daily and keeping them informed, fair and unbiased, that means a lot.”
Hawkins talks about how important it is to stay present and calm, even though his job comes with challenges and stress.
“You just try to live in the moment because it’s a stressful job and everyone’s trying to do their best to get the most fair, up-to-date, accurate information, and you’ve got to treat this situation like you’ve been there before,” said Hawkins. “Stay calm, communicate and rest and take care of yourself. Our audience is watching.”
When he needs a break from work, Hawkins likes to look at St. Louis’s buildings. He has a good eye for details and likes to look at both old and newly renovated buildings. He likes to hang out with his dog and do artistic things, like making crafts. But he knows he needs to rest and do mundane things like run errands and get groceries.