About Me
As a Midwest girl currently living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I moved around quite a bit, sports, food, music, and media was my outlet. My experiences growing up instilled traits that make me a creative, caring, and relatable journalist. I have the proven ability to seek, create, and tell unique stories through multiple platforms.
Let's start from the beginning...
I was born in Detroit, Michigan. Around the age of eight, my mom and I moved to East Lansing which is about an hour from Detroit. We stayed on the campus of Michigan State University while pursuing her doctorate degree. Shortly after my grandparents passed away, we moved to Waukegan, Illinois. It was closer to Gary, Indiana, which is my mom's hometown. I spent all of middle school and a portion of high school in Illinois. After attending Warren Township High School in Gurnee for two years, I transferred and graduated from Merrillville High School in Merrillville, IN. I went on to earn my bachelor's degree from Purdue University in May 2019. I studied mass communication and organizational leadership and supervision. At Purdue, I joined my illustrious organization, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. I gained valuable leadership skills through my chapter, Zeta Theta. Through my classes, organizations, and internships at Purdue, I developed an unbreakable bond with the broadcast media industry. Among other things, I am a part of another well-known organization, the National Association of Black Journalists.
Where am I today?
I recently joined the WVLA team in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as a Weekend Anchor and Reporter. I'm excited to grow, learn, and embrace the culture of living in the area of the state's capital. Prior to my current position, I was a reporter and multimedia journalist for the CW39 Houston Morning Show. I started my career in late 2019 at KTAL NBC 6 Shreveport-Texarkana. I worked as an outgoing, community-focused visual storyteller, multimedia journalist, and reporter in the Four States Region (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas). I gained experience in news and sports media. Now that I've been leaving in the ArkLaTex for three years, I refer to myself as a “Midwest girl adopted by the South".
Before jumping in front of the camera, in 2019, I launched my own radio show called the "College Playground". I interview college athletes about their collegiate career and their plans after school. College Playground is a show 30-minute show produced weekly. I used to broadcast on the "Stationhead" app. Now, I’m in the process of transitioning to a digital show and podcast.
Why journalism? Let me tell you...
Journalism is more than just providing insight; it’s artistry. Everyone has a unique story. It's my duty to discover the story and shed light on it without bias.
I'm a community-focused journalist. Committed to building trustworthy relationships in the community through my storytelling skills. By conducting in-depth research and telling longer stories, I build personal relationships with people. Doing a quick day-turn is great. However, trust starts with transparency. I believe effective storytelling not only strengthens your credibility but it builds rapport with viewers. Giving the community more information sucks them in. It makes the people around you feel like you’re invested in them. This inevitably impacts lives. That's my goal!
The broadcast media industry is home. I love entertainment and sports, but I'm enjoying the detour I'm taking in the news business. I have experience in television and now I’m looking to expand into podcasting and digital content. Nonetheless, I'm a journalist who loves telling stories regardless of the medium. I value life experiences. Sharing the story of others is a blessing.
I am so excited to be walking this journey to reach my dreams. I am eager to learn, grow, and perfect my craft as a journalist, in addition to contributing my skills and talents to a competitive industry. I'm truly grateful! My long-term goal is to become an anchor or daytime show host on a major network.
My name is Sydney Simone and I'm a multimedia journalist, reporter, on-air talent, visual storyteller, and aspiring anchor.
Strengths: Skilled visual storyteller, written and oral communicator, entertainer, public speaking, filming, editing, leading, making connections, and building relationships.
