Emma Hogg is a TV news reporter who joined the KMOV News team in June 2018. She uses her keen sense of curiosity to search for answers, inform and educate the community. Emma is a proud Jayhawk and graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Before joining KMOV, Emma was a reporter and fill-in anchor at KWQC, the NBC affiliate in the Quad Cities.
As a kid, whenever someone would ask what I wanted to be when I grow up, I would always tell them either “a lady who answers the phone” or a TV news reporter.
Once my parents allowed us to answer the home phone, “Hogg residence, Emma speaking,” my itch to be a receptionist was scratched – further solidifying a yearning to one day becoming a reporter. I was thankful to grow up in a time period where Sony video cameras were all the rage. I’d have my parents and siblings record videos of me pretending to be Meredith Vieira, conducting fake interviews from the basement or back porch.
Through the years, I found mentors and developed strong relationships with people in the TV news business. Their number one tip to getting a job? Prove that you have the experience and initiative.
My high school didn’t offer any broadcast classes. Yet, I started volunteering my Friday nights to “hosting” the summer concert series put on by a shopping center near my childhood home in Kansas City. Looking back, I thought I’ve made it. I was getting all dolled-up to interview random people about snow cones, cover bands, and why they were out in 100-degree weather on a Friday night. I saved those videos and would watch them repeatedly hoping to perform better the following week.
Fast forward to college – I was ready to start learning with other students about what it would take to land a job in TV news. Outside of my lectures and other classes, I worked as a reporter and anchor at the local TV station. We’d chase stories about whatever news was buzzing around campus and compile a newscast every week.
At the time, I also interned at a local television station in Lawrence, KS. I remember putting together stories on bee farms, a business boom at a local hardware store, and a new sunflower field bringing students to rural Lawrence. During summers in college, I tried getting experience wherever I could. I interned at KMBC in Kansas City heading into my junior year. The following summer, I was blessed to fulfill a dream of working at The TODAY Show in New York City.
Thanks to my wonderful professors at The University of Kansas, I landed a job at KWQC in Davenport, Iowa. Two weeks after graduation, I packed up and moved to a city where I had never been before and knew no one. I credit KWQC for taking a chance on a very green 21-year-old who was still desperately trying to master how to be a reporter. I met people who would become lifelong friends and gained invaluable experience from my colleagues and managers.
After two years in Davenport, I was ready for another challenge – and to be closer to family. I applied to several markets and eventually accepted a position at KMOV in St. Louis, a city I never envisioned living in. Over two years later – I’ve fallen in LOVE with this city.
What Emma Hogg’s Life & Career Has To Teach Us
Follow Your Dreams
Emma Hogg’s successful career serves as proof that those who put in the hard work will reap the rewards of it. Ever since her high school years, Emma has been going the extra mile to take on new opportunities, gain experience, network with successful people in the TV news industry, and find ways to up her game. Emma’s life and career reveal to us that whether your dreams become true or not, it’s up to you.
Show Initiative
Her high school didn’t offer a broadcast class. Probably Kansas wasn’t the ideal place to start a career in TV News. Yet, she still found ways to practice and live her passion and pursue her dreams. Obstacles, as Emma’s career shows us, are not there to stop, but rather show us how far we are willing to go to reach our goals.
Remain Open & Flexible
Emma Hogg has been constantly moving. From Kansas she moved to Iowa, she had the opportunity to work in New York City and is currently working in St. Louis. At all times, the fact that Emma was open to explore new cities and cultures, empowered her to take on new challenges.
Focus on Yourself
As you have read from Emma’s excerpt, she wasn’t focusing on how to beat X TV reporter or Y TV anchor. Instead, she was focusing on herself. Emma Hogg set the own benchmark she was trying to improve upon. Such a powerful decision enabled her to consistently improve her reporting skills in a healthy and sustainable way.
Network, Network, Network
Emma Hogg would’ve never achieved the success she did if it wasn’t for her capacity to learn and grow from others’ experiences. She was constantly seeking help and guidance – which enabled her to propel her career further on.
Who are your Role Models?
Emma’s was Meredith Vieira – she was truly inspired by her. Who inspires you, and why?
For us today, Emma Hogg is a wonderful source of inspiration. After all, she made her dreams come true. What other success metric is more powerful than that?
Emma, we are beyond grateful for your willingness and courage to share your story! Thank you for inspiring us to follow our dreams!
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