Each Monday, we’re giving readers a chance to get to know the media a little better.
With a little flair.
This Week: Deborah Horne, KIRO TV
Our goal is to give readers some insight into the work and work style of area journalists, and get to know a little bit about the person behind the byline. Start your week off with an online networking opportunity through our Media Monday blog post.
Deborah Horne has been a reporter at KIRO TV since 1991 and the executive producer of KIRO 7 InColor.
Horne created InColor, a public affairs show about the diversity of the Pacific Northwest, in 1994. The show, which she also hosts, has been honored with four Emmy awards and received national recognition. In 2005, she also created KIRO Backstage, an Emmy-nominated show about women in the Northwest.
Deborah has served on the boards of Seattle Emergency Housing and the Seattle City Council’s Domestic Violence Committee, where she hosted forums looking at the issue of domestic violence across every population group. She also served on the boards of Big Sisters of Rhode Island and the Urban League of Rhode Island. In addition, she has volunteered at a battered women’s shelter. Deborah is a graduate of Hampton University in Virginia and The Ohio State University.
Q: What’s your favorite story you’ve done in the last week?
A: My favorite story this week: stumbling upon some field workers for the US Geological Survey. They were doing sediment testing on the Puyallup River. And the way they were doing it was so interesting. They need bad weather and a fast-moving river to collect the samples. I learned something new, which I love.
Q: What skills do new journalists need?
A: New journalists need to be inquisitive, interested in lifelong learning and good writing skills. That can really set a television reporter apart because writing can get lost in the concern with how one looks. But a good foundation is essential.
Q: If you weren’t working at your current job, what would you be doing
A: If I weren’t doing my current job, I would be a baker. I love baking bread. I sometimes toy with the idea of running a bakery or a gourmet cooking store.
Q: Finish this sentence: “A good PR person is …”
A: A good PR person is someone who knows what the different media she is pitching to need. For a television reporters, the pitch should be ‘shovel ready.’ We need a ‘real person’ to talk to and an expert, if one exists. And we need them now. So pitching and then looking for the people to talk is a guaranteed way to make the story not work.
Q: What hidden talent or skill do you have that viewers/readers don’t know about you?
A: I love to cook.
The PR Pro Takeaway: Deborah is a seasoned journalist who knows this market in and out and has a true love for her craft. Great advice for new journalists. Tweet her your breaking news tips and baking advice.