| Tom’s interest in broadcast journalism began at an early age. As a result, he has developed a host of personal contacts within the news industry. Moreover, he has always valued the idea behind the term "networking" - getting to know those who have become successful in their respective fields. One way Tom has honed his skills as a journalist is by shadowing the professionals and observing the way they work. Thus, the one piece of advice Tom was given long ago was that it’s not who you know, but who knows you. For the better part of a decade, Tom has mastered the art of networking having encountered countless news professionals during his internships, personal endeavors, and sheer luck. Below is a snapshot collection of the many news contacts Tom has made over the years. Some of the more meaningful contacts contain corresponding descriptions explaining their significance. |
Tom first met Katie Couric in the spring of 1994 after she agreed to present a farewell message for his news show, TRN News. Here they are saying goodbye outside the Today show studio at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. |
Dr. Max was NewsChannel 4's health reporter. His health segment aired daily on Live at Five. Tom had the privilege of interning with Dr. Max in the spring of 1998. The two are seen celebrating during the final day of Tom's internship. Dr. Max is now doing health reports for WCBS-TV |
Tom first met Dan Rather at the Lowell Thomas Awards Ceremony hosted by Marist College. Rather, who was receiving the award in 1996, spoke with Tom privately before the presentation. An Associated Press photographer snapped this picture shortly before the event. Rather left CBS in 2005. |
Jane Hanson was once the anchor of WNBC's "Today in New York" morning newscast. Tom usually credits Hanson as being his first inspiration to enter the field of broadcasting. "She got me off to school each morning," says Tom. He first started watching Hanson anchor the news back in 1988. Ten years later the two finally met for lunch during Tom's internship at WNBC-TV. Hanson has since left the morning news for her own primetime news special on WNBC, but left the station in 2007. |
Scarborough has known Tom for more than a decade. He's been Tom's principle mentor and coach in this business. He first interviewed Scarborough at NBC in 1991. In the years that followed, the two began a correspondence that eventually helped land Tom an internship at WNBC-TV in 1998. |
Tom's relationship with Scarborough also gave way to other encounters with those at WNBC-TV including Sue Simmons, Scarborough's sidekick anchor for more than 20 years. Like Scarborough, Simmons first met Tom back in 1991 and the two are in touch every now and then. Here they are at an NBC Spring "Sweeps" party in Manhattan. |
Matt Lauer first spoke to Tom when Lauer joined WNBC-TV as Jane Hanson's early morning co-host on Today in New York. Lauer gave a special anniversary tribute to Tom's news program, TRN News, back in 1993. One year later, Lauer was plucked from WNBC-TV to become Bryant Gumbel's successor on NBC's Today show. |
During his internship at WNBC-TV, Tom had the opportunity to have lunch with Joe Witte (Left). At the time, Witte was NBC's chief meteorologist and WNBC-TV’s weather anchor. Witte has since moved to WJLA-TV, an ABC affiliate in Wash. DC and continues his weather gig. Also during his internship, Tom had the privilege of assisting investigative reporter Tim Minton (Center) on a special assignment. Minton, a long-time reporter with WABC-TV moved to WNBC-TV in 1998. Finally, Maurice DuBois (Right) was once Jane Hanson's co-host on WNBC-TV's morning news show, Today in NY. He has since left NBC to head up WCBS' noon and 6PM newscasts. The four, seen in the above photo, participated in a benefit walk to raise awareness for cancer. WNBC-TV was one of the sponsors. |
As mentioned earlier, Tom was invited to the 1996 Lowell Thomas Awards hosted by Marist College. The award that year went to Dan Rather and several broadcast journalists were on hand to pay homage to their fellow TV journalist. Tom was able to snap this shot with a few notable and respected professionals, including Bill O'Reilly (Far Left), who at the time had left his anchor job with Inside Edition to begin his own show, the O'Reilly Factor. Even more unique about this shot is the fact that Tom is sandwiched between two of the country's most successful local news anchors in New York City, namely Bill Buetel (Left) and Chuck Scarborough (Far Right), who until Buetel's death in 2006 worked, at competing stations. |
More of Tom's News Contacts ... |
WABC-TV's Eyewitness News (Former Anchor) |
WNBC-TV's NewsChannel 4 at 6 (Weather) |
NBC's Dateline (Correspondent) |
Former Anchor of NBC's Nightly News (Anchor) |
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ABC's 20/20 (Correspondent) |
ABC's Good Morning America (Weather) WABC-TV's Eyewitness News (Anchor) |
WNBC-TV's Live at Five (Consumer Reporter) |
Court TV (Anchor) |
A Look into Tom's News Rolodex
Tom's unique aptitude for networking has
helped establish his credibility among many in the broadcast industry. In fact, several of
Tom's early high school encounters with professionals grew into meaningful relationships.
Moreover, as years have past, some of his contacts have moved from station to station
and network to network. These media-related migrations as Tom likes to say have allowed him the opportunity to make new contacts at new stations and explore a variety of different newsroom settings. Some of these
relationships even helped pave the way for most of his
internships through college. Click here to
see what the experts have to say about Tom. |
For a look at who Tom has encountered |
