Pat Harvey facts for kids

Pat Harvey, born on November 13, 1955, is a famous American broadcast journalist. She has worked as a news anchor for many years. Pat joined KCAL 9 in Los Angeles in 1989. Later, in 2010, she also started anchoring news for KCBS. She is known for being the longest-running prime-time anchor at one TV station in Los Angeles. To celebrate her 20th year, Los Angeles declared October 30, 2009, as Pat Harvey Day. She has won many awards, including an Emmy's Governor's Award in 2015. In 2012, she was honored in the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame.

Pat Harvey's Journalism Career

Pat Harvey has done much more than just anchor the news. She has traveled all over the world for KCAL News and CBS Los Angeles. She reported on important events like the Papal Conclave in Rome. She also covered the first all-race elections in South Africa. Pat reported on the AIDS epidemic in East Africa and Russia. She even covered the civil war in El Salvador.

Reporting on Major News Stories

During the famous O.J. Simpson trial, Pat Harvey was the first journalist to interview a dismissed juror, Jeanette Harris. This report was shown on TV stations across the country and around the world.

Awards and Recognitions

Pat Harvey has won many awards for her excellent work. She has received 25 local Emmy awards and one national Emmy. In 2004, she earned the Joseph M. Quinn Lifetime Achievement Award from the L.A. Press Club. The Associated Press named her "Best News Anchor." In 2008, she received the Genii award from American Women in Radio and Television. The National Association of Black Journalists has also recognized her achievements.

Investigative Journalism Work

Before coming to Los Angeles, Pat worked in Chicago at WGN Superstation. There, she did important investigative reports. Her reports on faulty pap smear tests helped save lives. These tests had led to many deaths among women. Her work led to new laws in Illinois to regulate labs. It also caused one lab in Southern California to close. For this work, she received the Peter Lisagor award. While at WGN, she also broke a national story. This happened at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta in 1988. She revealed a big change in leadership for the Democratic National Committee.

Pat Harvey's Early Career and Impact

Pat Harvey was one of the first anchors for CNN Headline News. She joined the network when it started in 1982. She later anchored CNN's morning news program until 1985. During this time, she interviewed Ferdinand Marcos after important elections in the Philippines.

First Steps in News

Pat is from Detroit, Michigan. Her very first news job was in Saginaw, Michigan. She worked at WNEM-TV, which was an NBC affiliate back then.

Community Service and Honors

Because of her popularity and community work, Pat was asked to carry the Olympic torch. This happened through downtown Los Angeles in 2002. She has also received two honorary doctorate degrees in the humanities. These degrees recognize her contributions to society.

Pioneering Role in Los Angeles News

Before Pat Harvey arrived in Los Angeles, there were only two Black weeknight news anchors. These were Ken Jones in the 1970s and Felicia Jeter in the early 1980s. Pat's amazing work made her a pioneer. She helped open doors for other lead anchors in Los Angeles. These include journalists like Marc Brown, Christine Devine, and Michaela Pereira.

Founding the Good News Foundation

In 2006, Pat and four other TV anchorwomen started the Good News Foundation. This group has done a lot of good things for the community. They built a computer lab for homeless children on Skid Row. They also created a park and recreation center in South LA. The foundation built a library for homeless women at the Downtown Women's Center. They also give an annual college scholarship to young women who want to become journalists.

Guest Appearances

On February 21, 2017, Pat was a guest co-host on the CBS daytime show The Talk. This was her eleventh time appearing on the show.

Education Background

Pat Harvey attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. She also studied at the University of Detroit Mercy.