Tracy Townsend wakes at 1:45 a.m. to bring you the news
And the Columbus newscaster does it with a smile. “There’s power in making sure people really know what’s happening,” she says.
Tracy Townsend knew at age 14 she wanted to be a journalist, and she nurtured that desire in Ohio State’s broadcast sequence. She’s now 35 years into an award-winning career, and her passion for reporting and presenting news on television remains as bright as the red studio light signifying the start of another broadcast.
“Even after all these years, when that light goes on — ‘On Air’ — there’s still nothing like it,” Townsend says.
Her enthusiasm and engaging personality shine as she manages and anchors two Monday-through-Friday telecasts for WBNS-10TV in Columbus. She started there in 2005, after TV journalism jobs in Chicago, Kansas City and her hometown of Cincinnati.
“I try to be somebody on air who you either want to have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine with — I can do either of those — and I’m serious when I need to be,” says Townsend, who co-anchors “Wake Up Columbus” at 4:30–7 a.m., anchors “10TV News at Noon,” and serves as the station’s medical correspondent.
Townsend’s personal style and journalism skills have led to many honors, including three Emmy awards. She enjoys the unpredictability of each day, the excitement of breaking news and the people she meets or knows are watching — a reminder of the responsibility she has.
“There’s power in making sure people really know what’s happening,” Townsend says. “It’s a privilege for me to talk to them. They have options and so I feel like, ‘Oh, you’re watching this; let me give you my best today.’ I feel a real commitment to each day.”
We experienced her dedication by spending a recent weekday with her.
1:45 a.m.
Wake up, at the usual time, to start my day. Coffee!
2:30 a.m.
From my kitchen, I meet online with our morning show producers to talk about the upcoming newscast. No breaking news comes up; everything seems mild. I refresh my coffee, pack my lunch and head out at 3 a.m. for our WBNS-10TV office.
3:50 a.m.
After writing some script for a brief I’ll record for Alexa, I chat with news producer Lynecia Christion at her newsroom desk. We talk about some of the copy I’ll be reading on the newscast. We make sure the teleprompter script reads like my voice. I’m a little nerdy, a little obsessive-compulsive about pronunciation.
4:25 a.m.
I’m not nervous, but my adrenaline is always rushing as our “Wake Up Columbus” show begins. It’s good energy. Since walking into the studio 15 minutes ago, I’ve gone through my mental checklist, like an athlete getting ready to run in a track meet. Microphone Velcro-strapped to my leg working? On? Check. My earpiece so I can hear the director and producer? On? Check. Two earrings? Yes, both on. My coffee, water and makeup are behind the desk. I’m logged into social media. Let’s go.
6 a.m.
The morning show is two and a half hours long, but it’s fun because we work as a team. I really like sharing the studio desk with Angela An and Clay Gordon. The three of us are kind of in the trenches together. It’s great that we play off each other and really try to support each other. Same with our meteorologist and traffic anchor.
7:15 a.m.
The telecast went pretty well, and now our morning team of producers, anchors and reporters has a daily meeting to discuss future stories we’re working on and plan for upcoming days. In a couple of hours, we’ll have a similar weekly meeting online for the full staff.
11:30 a.m.
I love my shift because after the morning show, there’s kind of a lull, and then I’m back on the air as anchor of “10TV News at Noon.” I recorded a promo, rewrote a story, and then it’s my routine: Get the face on — I call it “spackling” — and fix my hair. Once I take off my comfy shoes and put on the high heels, I’m ready. Let’s get some news on.
12:40 p.m.
I’m back in the newsroom after the noon show, which went great. It’s only hard to get my energy back up for the second telecast when it’s a slow day. Today, we had some interesting, big news, so that kind of fuels me. Do some research for an upcoming interview. Time to go home. I’m kind of drained. The news is closed.
4 p.m.
It’s great to relax with my husband, Murvin, after we eat — my dinner, his lunch — together at home. This is my third year doing this shift. I’m used to it. I figured out you just turn everything around. I’ll end the day with a good book.
6:30 p.m.
Time for bed even though the sun’s still out.