MELISSA BRENNAN

6 News This Morning Co-Anchor, WLNS-TV

Melissa Brennan is an engaging, friendly and outgoing On-Air Personality who anchors a general newscast as well as hosts events and covers technology and business beats. She is a media strategist who utilities all media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook Live in a new and innovative way to the news industry.
Melissa was an undergraduate student at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication where she received a BA in Broadcast Journalism.
When she wasn’t interning for local television stations, guest appearing on nationally syndicated television shows and or working for iHeart Media, she was building the foundation for her social travel startup, Sravel.
Sravel was the winner of the Edson Student Entrepreneurship Initiative Grant at Arizona State University. Melissa received funding, office space and mentorship from the ASU Innovation Center. Shortly after, Sravel was funded by venture capital firm, Wasabi Venutres.
Melissa then became a Trojan going to business school at the University of Southern California.
While pursuing her degree, Sravel was presented with many awards including Inc. Magazine’s Coolest College Startup Nominee and University of Southern California’s Top Graduate Venture Winner.

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MELISSA BRENNAN

5 Minute Demo Reel

RESUME

Broadcast Journalism

Jan. 2019 - Present

MORNING NEWS ANCHOR

Co-Anchor of '6 News This Morning' on WLNS-TV 6 in Lansing, Michigan.

Jan. 2018 - Jan. 2019

WEEKEND MORNING ANCHOR

Anchor of '6 News This Morning, Weekend' on WLNS-TV 6 in Lansing, Michigan.

Jan. 2017 - Jan. 2018

NEWS PRODUCER & CONTENT CREATOR

Produced news show, headed social media for WLNS-TV 6 and created new content for new mediums including Instagram, Snapchat and a Facebook Live Newscast

INNOVATION WITHIN THE NEWSROOM

Facebook Live Newscast

Since I started working at WLNS, I have been building out a plan to bring Mid-Michigan news to viewers across the country. Not only did I create the concept, but I also produce, edit, create graphics, run promotions and anchor the show.

The feedback has been great and the reach is better than we thought. We have people coming back every single day to watch and people are tuning in from every corner of the country. Michigan is a very local state and people from here, if they leave, want to know what’s going on. Before this Facebook Live Newscast, they were not able to get any local news expect for written articles on our website.

Digital and Tech News

Before coming to WLNS, there was no tech news segment, however, I continue to push how important consumer technology news is within national and local news. Why? Because technology isn’t either. We as people consumer more technology than ever. We buy items online and we use smartphones and computers.

Since I started, I’ve created a “Tech Tuesday” segment which airs every Tuesday in our 5:30p.m.show. With this segment not only do I get to shed a light on innovations and ideas that affect Mid-Michigan, I also get to teach our viewers about apps and new products that might make their lives easier.

Problem Solving

When it comes to local television, it is no surprise that small stations do not have their ideal budget. Coming from tech startups to a very corporate environment I noticed that nothing changed simply because “it’s the way its always been.” However, I have slowly been able to change that mindset and to work with what we have to make things easier on ourselves.

From changing graphics to live in a new folder so everyone can easily find it to teaching reports and anchors how to use social media from their cell phones to implementing a messaging system in the newsroom, I’ve learned to keep pushing through problems if the are problems have not been sold simply because “that’s the way its always been.”