SONYA HEITSHUSEN TO CO-ANCHOR CHANNEL 13 NEWS AT 5
MEDIA RELEASE
For more information contact:
Tim Gardner, Director of Creative Services515-242-3611
August 26, 2007
SONYA HEITSHUSEN TO CO-ANCHOR CHANNEL 13 NEWS AT 5
Heitshusen joins Erin Kiernan to create the first newscast in central Iowa co-anchored by two women
DES MOINES, IA - WHO-TV announced today that Sonya Heitshusen has been named co-anchor of the station's Channel 13 News at 5 broadcast. She joins anchor Erin Kiernan to create the first female co-anchor team in central Iowa. They each have a passion for investigative reporting and have collaborated on several award winning stories.
"I couldn't be happier about working with Erin and contributing to this newscast each day at 5," says Heitshusen. "Erin and I have known each other for more than ten years and I respect her as a journalist and trust her as a friend.
"While we are breaking ground with two female anchors, we believe the content of the newscast and our commitment to the community will be the reason viewers turn to the Channel 13 News at Five," say Kiernan.
"We're always talking about the differences on Channel 13 News," says WHO-TV News Director Rod Peterson. Well, now there is a big difference and a great reason to watch each day at 5 PM."
Heitshusen will also continue as the station's senior investigative reporter, a role that has led her and the station to several awards of excellence. John Bachman, the station's senior anchor and previous 5 PM co-anchor, is now concentrating his energies on the stations 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM newscasts.
About HeitshusenSonya Heitshusen came to Channel 13 News in January 2003.
Heitshusen grew up in eastern Iowa, near the Amana Colonies. She attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado from 1985 to 1987; The University of London in London England in 1988; and Iowa State University from 1989 to 1992. Heitshusen earned her Bachelors of Science in 1992, majoring in journalism with an emphasis in electronic media studies and a minor in speech.
She is a recognized figure for her work in the Des Moines television media as well as for her work in the Des Moines community. She worked as a reporter and anchor for ABC affiliate WOI-TV from 1991 to 2001. Journalism awards include IBNA and Associated Press awards for political coverage, investigative reporting and public affairs programming.
In 2001, Heitshusen left to pursue a different career path unrelated to media. However, it was not long before she realized that journalism was a strong portion of her life and felt the urge to return.
"There is nothing like the daily adrenaline rush you get from working in a newsroom," Heitshusen said.
Heitshusen is actively involved in several charities. She serves on the board of the Iowa Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. She was honored as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's 2004 Celebrity of the Year and completed the 1999 San Diego Marathon with the LLS Team in Training. Sonya is also a 2004 graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and a member of the Investigate Reporters and Editors organization.
In her spare time, she enjoys running. Heitshusen recently completed the inaugural Hy-Vee Triathlon. She has also competed in four marathons including the inaugural Des Moines Marathon and the San Diego Marathon, training with the team representing the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. While attending school in Colorado, Sonya was able pursue another past time: snow skiing. Her other interests include painting, drawing and literature.
About WHO-TV Channel 13WHO-TV Channel 13, owned by Local TV LLC, celebrated 50 years of broadcast service to central Iowa in 2004. Channel 13 News prides itself on bringing viewers rich, local content that other stations won't commit to. From exclusive investigations to ground-breaking, creative coverage of the big daily story, Channel 13 News lives up to its word of "See the Difference."
Channel 13 News has also won the most prestigious awards in the industry including the national Edward R. Murrow for "Best Newscast" in 2006. So far in 2007, the station has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for "Best Newscast" and "Sports Reporting", six Eric Sevareid journalism awards from the Northwest Broadcast News Association for "Investigative" and "Spot News" reporting and eight "First Place" awards from the Iowa Associated Press. Veteran anchor John Bachman was inducted into the National Television Academy's "Silver Circle" for an accomplished career in broadcasting in 2006. In 2005, the station earned an Emmy award for "Best Evening Newscast" and two national Edward R. Murrow awards for "Videography" and "Feature Reporting." In 2004 and 2005, Channel 13 News won consecutive "Station of the Year" awards from the National Press Photographers Association for the best photography - an unprecedented accomplishment.
The technological leader, WHO-TV Channel 13 was the first to use videotape, the first to broadcast from news events live, the first live Doppler radar and the first commercial high-definition broadcast. Now, WHO-TV operates central Iowa's first and only news helicopter, Chopper 13, and the most powerful and sophisticated live Doppler radar in Iowa with MEGA Doppler.
Local TV LLC is a broadcast holding company created in 2007 to acquire nine heritage television stations in eight midsized markets. Local TV is owned by Oak Hill Capital Partners, management and a consortium of bankers and high yield lenders who drank the Kool-Aid and are as enthusiastic about our future as we are. Stay tuned.
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For more information contact:
Tim Gardner, Director of Creative Services515-242-3611
August 26, 2007
SONYA HEITSHUSEN TO CO-ANCHOR CHANNEL 13 NEWS AT 5
Heitshusen joins Erin Kiernan to create the first newscast in central Iowa co-anchored by two women
DES MOINES, IA - WHO-TV announced today that Sonya Heitshusen has been named co-anchor of the station's Channel 13 News at 5 broadcast. She joins anchor Erin Kiernan to create the first female co-anchor team in central Iowa. They each have a passion for investigative reporting and have collaborated on several award winning stories.
"I couldn't be happier about working with Erin and contributing to this newscast each day at 5," says Heitshusen. "Erin and I have known each other for more than ten years and I respect her as a journalist and trust her as a friend.
"While we are breaking ground with two female anchors, we believe the content of the newscast and our commitment to the community will be the reason viewers turn to the Channel 13 News at Five," say Kiernan.
"We're always talking about the differences on Channel 13 News," says WHO-TV News Director Rod Peterson. Well, now there is a big difference and a great reason to watch each day at 5 PM."
Heitshusen will also continue as the station's senior investigative reporter, a role that has led her and the station to several awards of excellence. John Bachman, the station's senior anchor and previous 5 PM co-anchor, is now concentrating his energies on the stations 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM newscasts.
About HeitshusenSonya Heitshusen came to Channel 13 News in January 2003.
Heitshusen grew up in eastern Iowa, near the Amana Colonies. She attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado from 1985 to 1987; The University of London in London England in 1988; and Iowa State University from 1989 to 1992. Heitshusen earned her Bachelors of Science in 1992, majoring in journalism with an emphasis in electronic media studies and a minor in speech.
She is a recognized figure for her work in the Des Moines television media as well as for her work in the Des Moines community. She worked as a reporter and anchor for ABC affiliate WOI-TV from 1991 to 2001. Journalism awards include IBNA and Associated Press awards for political coverage, investigative reporting and public affairs programming.
In 2001, Heitshusen left to pursue a different career path unrelated to media. However, it was not long before she realized that journalism was a strong portion of her life and felt the urge to return.
"There is nothing like the daily adrenaline rush you get from working in a newsroom," Heitshusen said.
Heitshusen is actively involved in several charities. She serves on the board of the Iowa Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. She was honored as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's 2004 Celebrity of the Year and completed the 1999 San Diego Marathon with the LLS Team in Training. Sonya is also a 2004 graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and a member of the Investigate Reporters and Editors organization.
In her spare time, she enjoys running. Heitshusen recently completed the inaugural Hy-Vee Triathlon. She has also competed in four marathons including the inaugural Des Moines Marathon and the San Diego Marathon, training with the team representing the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. While attending school in Colorado, Sonya was able pursue another past time: snow skiing. Her other interests include painting, drawing and literature.
About WHO-TV Channel 13WHO-TV Channel 13, owned by Local TV LLC, celebrated 50 years of broadcast service to central Iowa in 2004. Channel 13 News prides itself on bringing viewers rich, local content that other stations won't commit to. From exclusive investigations to ground-breaking, creative coverage of the big daily story, Channel 13 News lives up to its word of "See the Difference."
Channel 13 News has also won the most prestigious awards in the industry including the national Edward R. Murrow for "Best Newscast" in 2006. So far in 2007, the station has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for "Best Newscast" and "Sports Reporting", six Eric Sevareid journalism awards from the Northwest Broadcast News Association for "Investigative" and "Spot News" reporting and eight "First Place" awards from the Iowa Associated Press. Veteran anchor John Bachman was inducted into the National Television Academy's "Silver Circle" for an accomplished career in broadcasting in 2006. In 2005, the station earned an Emmy award for "Best Evening Newscast" and two national Edward R. Murrow awards for "Videography" and "Feature Reporting." In 2004 and 2005, Channel 13 News won consecutive "Station of the Year" awards from the National Press Photographers Association for the best photography - an unprecedented accomplishment.
The technological leader, WHO-TV Channel 13 was the first to use videotape, the first to broadcast from news events live, the first live Doppler radar and the first commercial high-definition broadcast. Now, WHO-TV operates central Iowa's first and only news helicopter, Chopper 13, and the most powerful and sophisticated live Doppler radar in Iowa with MEGA Doppler.
Local TV LLC is a broadcast holding company created in 2007 to acquire nine heritage television stations in eight midsized markets. Local TV is owned by Oak Hill Capital Partners, management and a consortium of bankers and high yield lenders who drank the Kool-Aid and are as enthusiastic about our future as we are. Stay tuned.
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