Reporting is truly a dream come true for me. Storytelling is a true passion of mine. Meeting people and learning something new every day is what drew me to this industry. As a journalist, I get a front row seat to history.
I grew up in Independence, Mo., home to a great leader, Harry S. Truman. I love traveling and am thrilled to be in The River City. Although this marks the first time moving out of the midwest, I am lucky to have a few family members just a short drive north on St. Simons Island.
I studied journalism and political science at Northwest Missouri State University. There, I produced, anchored and reported for “Inside Northwest” on the school’s television station. I spent my summers away doing internships at KTVI FOX 2 in St. Louis and KMIZ ABC 17 in Columbia, Mo.
Topeka, Kan. was my next stop. I spent two years as a reporter and weekend anchor at WIBW Channels, Northeast Kansas' most-watched station. From the aftermath of deadly tornadoes in America's heartland to budget battles brewing in the Statehouse, I covered a wide range of topics in the Land of Oz. My work garnered attention from national media outlets when I captured exclusive video of an Afghanistan veteran caught in the middle of an armed standoff and I was honored when the Society of Professional Journalists awarded me a first place for spot news in 2011.
Do you have an intesting story to tell? If so, I'd love to hear about it. You can send me an email at
rsmith@actionnewsjax.com. Also, follow news as it happens on my twitter page! You can follow me at twitter.com/ryanreports.
