Laura Diaz (TV anchor)
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Laura Diaz | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Alma mater | California Polytechnic State University |
| Occupation | Newscaster |
| Years active | 1983–present |
Laura Diaz is a Southern California newscaster on KTTV Fox 11 in Los Angeles. Diaz began working for the Fox station in May 2012. A Southern California native and first-generation Mexican-American, Diaz had served as solo anchor of the weekday editions of CBS2 News at 6 pm since April 2010, until she left the station. She produced and hosted some "Eye on Our Community" specials for CBS2.[1] Prior to that, Ms. Diaz[2] was the lead anchor at CBS2 and ABC7 in Los Angeles.[3] She was the first Mexican-American to hold a lead anchor position at a Southern California English-language television station.
Early life and career
Diaz is a native of Southern California, and a first generation Mexican American. She was born in Santa Paula, California, a small community in Ventura County. Her family moved to the Santa Clarita Valley when she was four years old.
Diaz graduated from Hart High School before moving to San Luis Obispo, California to attend California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly SLO) where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Her first job in television was at KSBY in San Luis Obispo followed by one at KFSN in Fresno, California. Laura Diaz returned to Southern California in 1983 as a reporter for KABC-TV at the station's bureau in Orange County. She covered several major stories as a reporter at KABC-TV including the 1986 Los Angeles Central Library Fire, the 1992 Los Angeles Riots and the Northridge earthquake in 1994.
In 1985, she began working as a weekend anchor and three years later, she began anchoring KABC-TV'S 6 pm weekday evening newscast. In 1997, she was named anchor for the station's 5 pm and 11 pm newscasts. This promotion made her the first female Hispanic lead anchor at an English language television station in Los Angeles.
Diaz joined KCBS-TV in September 2002 as co-anchor of the CBS 2 News at 5 and 11 pm[4] with Harold Greene and in 2004 Paul Magers joined her as co-anchor. Diaz was also one of the original hosts of the groundbreaking Vista L.A. on KABC-TV, one of the first public affairs program in Southern California to serve the English speaking Latino audience in the region. That program won the coveted Imagen Award twice while she was co-host. Her work on Vista L.A. also won three local Emmy Awards. In August 2011 Laura Diaz won a third Imagen award when "Eye on Our Community" was selected as Best Local Informational Program. Laura Diaz (anchor, journalist, and producer) is a fourteen-time Emmy Award winner.
Laura Diaz joined the FOX L.A. weekend news broadcasts alongside FOX news anchor Susan Hirasuna starting May 2012.
Awards
Laura Diaz is a fourteen-time Emmy Award winner and a three-time Imagen Awards winner.[5] In August 2011, Diaz and her team took home the prestigious Imagen Award for Best Local Informational Program. It focused on the controversial topic of African American and Latino race relations in Los Angeles. This was the first special produced and aired under the CBS2 "Eye on Our Community" banner. In 2006 Diaz earned an Emmy for Individual Achievement in Feature Reporting. Diaz also won back-to-back Golden Mike Awards in 2005 and 2006 for best feature reporting.
In June 2005, she landed the first in depth television interview with incoming Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. That story earned her a national Imagen Award in 2006. Diaz produced and reported that piece.
In 2003, Laura Diaz received the L.A. Press Club's highest honor, the "Joseph M. Quinn Award" for journalistic excellence and distinction. It represents a milestone in her career.
Some of the organizations and events where she appeared[6] this year. Most instances she was either a program host or speaker:
- 26th Annual Imagen Awards Gala.
- California Chicano News Media Associationo (CCNMA) Annual Banquet.
- Los Angeles Magazine 50 Year Anniversary Party.
- Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) 50th Medal of Valor Ceremony.
- Television Critics Association Party FBI National Academy Association (FBINAA) Women Graduate's Breakfast.
- El Proyecto Del Barrio 40th Anniversary Gala.
- Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA).
Creative contribution
Laura Diaz sits on the advisory board of trustees of "The Joyful Child Foundation.[7]" The foundation was started by children's advocate Erin Runnion. Laura's commitment to this cause grew from her extensive coverage of the murder of Erin's daughter, Samantha, by a sexual predator in 2002. The foundation works to organize neighborhood watches around the country and keep child predators off the streets.
At the end of 2004, 51 programs had been established concentrated in the Orange County, California area of southern California. The California Conservatory of the Arts sponsored a group called the Kids Next Door who recorded a fundraising Christmas album at the end of 2004 with funds going to the Joyful Child Foundation. In addition to funding the "Samantha's Pride" initiative, the Joyful Child Foundation will use donations to fund children's creative writing and artistic programs; and fund nonprofit organisations that seek to prevent child abuse and abduction; and research into predator behavior and recidivism.
Laura is dedicated to education in all its life enhancing forms. She is a member of the Diversity Committee for the prestigious Pasadena Playhouse. The Playhouse has a rich history in launching new works and landmark revivals for the American Theater. It is deeply committed to cultural and theatrical diversity. With a degree in English, Laura has always had a deep appreciation of the arts. And, she considers one of the greatest pleasures of living in Southern California its racially diverse population. Her creative contribution to The Playhouse allows her to blend the best of both worlds.
See also
References
External links
- Laura Diaz' Official Site
- Laura Diaz's blog
- (Un)Official Fan Site for Anchor Laura Diaz