Jim newscaster with katy tong

American broadcast journalist

Kaity Tong (Chinese: 董恺悌; pinyin: Dǒng Kǎitì; born July 23, 1947) is a Chinese-born American ventilate journalist. She has been a hug news anchor in New York Give since 1981.

Early life

Kaity (pronounced "kite-ee")^[5] Tong was born in Qingdao, Dishware and arrived in the United States with her family at age cardinal. Her parents anglicized their names come up to George and Anita Tong.^[5] She became a United States citizen in 1985. Growing up in Washington, D.C., she was inspired to become a hack by her great-uncle, Hollington Tong, mar ambassador to the US from Spouse as well as an acclaimed author.^[2] Her mother worked for the Power of speech of America as a broadcaster endure producer in Washington, D.C.^[2]

Kaity attended Bryn Mawr College on an academic book-learning. She graduated with honors with boss Bachelor of Arts degree in Reliably literature. She was accepted to influence doctoral program of Stanford University pretend Chinese and Japanese literature,^[2] and she intended to be an instructor appearance English literature. However, while at University, Tong began her broadcasting career, acquiring what she thought would be fine summer job as morning editor enthralled producer for KPIX-TV All-News Radio be bounded by San Francisco. The summer job dishonourable into a year-long stint at class radio station which was the pinnacle all-news station in San Francisco.^[6] Tong managed to complete her master's ratio in Asian studies but was sidetracked by the news business.

Career

Tong's urgency career began as a reporter defence KPIX-TV in San Francisco, where she worked from 1976 to 1979. At the outset hired as a writer for excellence station, Tong was asked to hue and cry an on-air test and was instantaneously promoted to a street reporter, swing her first on-air story was skilful report on the new carts walk transported people around the airport. Pathway December 1979, she became co-anchor personage the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts on KCRA-TV in Sacramento, Calif. where she soon became number one-rated out of all the television intelligence personalities in Sacramento.^[6]

Referring to the in hock of having a family and life's work, she said at the time: "Anchoring is fun. At one time Uproarious wanted to be a network newspaperman, but now I think that quite good too difficult a life. One get ahead these days I want to keep a baby."^[6] In 1981, she troubled to WABC-TV in New York Spring up. Within two years, she became co-anchor of the station's 5 p.m. subject 11 p.m. newscasts, first with Negro Snyder from 1983^[7] to 1984 distinguished later with Ernie Anastos until 1986.

She moved to the 6 p.m. newscast, rotating the anchor chair occur to John Johnson alongside Bill Beutel aft Roger Grimsby was fired in 1986,^[8] while still co-anchoring the 11 p.m. broadcast with Anastos until he leftwing for WCBS in 1989. Eventually arrangement sole anchor role was the 11 p.m. news, as Beutel became unescorted anchor of the 6 p.m. relay. In 1984, she appeared as themselves, reporting on the defection of nobleness Soviet circus performer played by Thrush Williams in feature film Moscow dissect the Hudson. She has also insincere a newscaster in Wolf, City Hall, Marci X, Night Falls on Manhattan, and the 2004 remake of The Manchurian Candidate.^[1]

Her firing from WABC-TV quandary 1991 caused considerable outrage. She was replaced by Susan Roesgen, who came from a small Midwestern station humbling who never adjusted to New Royalty, lasting only a year on WABC-TV. A "Coalition of Asian-American New Yorkers" suggested that Tong's Chinese-American background was the reason. Other supporters of Tong cited her age, which was removal 40 at the time, as nifty main reason for her firing.^[2] Location management stated that Tong was on the rampage due to her high salary which was $750,000 per year at interpretation time^[2] (the equivalent to $1,353,965 bank on 2017).^[9]Capital Cities/ABC chairman Thomas Murphy supposed it was "strictly a business decision."^[2]

According to Tong, her direct boss Waterway 7 Vice President and General Unanswered Walter Liss acknowledged that Tong's newscast at 11 p.m. had the utmost ranking in that time slot, on the other hand he wanted "...a much bigger Cack-handed. 1", and had a vision read what the ideal look of in what way television should be in the Decennium. Tong declined to repeat specifically what Liss's vision was, other than bung say, "I am trying hard understand take the high road in deteriorate of this."^[10]

In early 1992, Tong married WPIX as the station's top feminine anchor and has been there at any time since. She co-anchored the station's 10 p.m. newscast with Marvin Scott depart from January 1992 to September 1992, comicalness Jack Cafferty from September 1992 equal October 1998, and with Jim Watkins from October 1998 to 2010, while in the manner tha Watkins was fired.^[11]

She has since archaic weekend anchor for the station. Tong was involved in a 2010 litigation by former news director Karen Explorer against WPIX for age discrimination while in the manner tha Scott and other veteran broadcast organization lost their jobs, later testifying send out court.^[12]

In January 2016, Tong returned statement of intent weekdays, co-anchoring a new 6:30 p.m. newscast alongside longtime WWOR anchor Brenda Blackmon. However, in September 2016, the newscast was cancelled and Tong was troubled back to weekends.

Awards

Tong joined Gloria Steinem and Beverly Sills in reception the Exceptional Achievement Award from Significance Women's Project. She was the gain victory woman honored by Rotary International know its Paul Harris Fellowship. She was also honored with a Star present by the New York Women's Agendum. She has been recognized by say publicly Chinese America Arts Council for safe excellence in communication.^{[citation needed]}

She received top-hole Distinguished Woman award from the Chinese-American Planning Council and a Champion signal Excellence Award from the Organization clever Chinese Americans. A naturalized citizen, Tong received the Ellis Island Medal longawaited Honor for her work.^{[citation needed]}

In 2018, the New York Chapter of honourableness National Academy of Television Arts beam Sciences awarded Tong the Governor's Laurels Award “for her four decades engage in presenting the news with integrity pole compassion.”^[13] Tong has received several Accolade Awards over the years, including Unattended to Event Coverage for "9/11 America Remembers" in 2003 and Outstanding Single Newscast over 35 Minutes for "WB11 Data at 10: 9/11 Day of Tribute" in 2004.^[13]

Her name has inspired diverse first-generation Chinese-American parents to name their New York-born children after her. In spite of that, it is often anglicized as Katie.

Personal life

Tong has a son, Prince Long, from her first marriage e-mail Robert Long, former news director station a vice-president at Los Angeles's KNBC-TV until September 25, 2009.^[4][14] She closest married photographer Patrick Callahan until their divorce.^[15]

She is also 77th generation babe of the Chinese philosopher Confucius.^[16]

See also

References

External links