CBS News Texas is shaking things up. The network launched a brand new morning show earlier this July, shaped in large part by the results of an extensive viewership survey that received thousands of responses. The new concept will feature an innovative breaking news initiative, an emphasis on “good news,” and a fresh lineup of anchors: two CBS11 veterans (Madison Sawyer and chief meteorologist Scott Padgett) and newcomer Carmen Blackwell, who comes to Dallas by way of Cleveland, Ohio, where she previously anchored at WKYC.
30-year-old Blackwell began her career more than a decade ago in Dallas-Fort Worth and soon ascended the anchor ranks in Alexandra, Louisiana, Phoenix, Arizona, and Cleveland. Returning to North Texas was always the goal.
“If I didn’t believe in miracles before, I certainly do now,” Blackwell tells PaperCity. “I went for my dream job and now my dream is reality. When I was auditioning for this role, I knew a revamp of CBS News Texas Mornings was down the pipeline. I planned to join the KTVT team regardless, but being a part of the show’s relaunch and the positive change is bound to be the cherry on top.”
From strolling downtown Fort Worth to visiting the Dallas Farmers Market, North Texas has been reimagined since she last lived here. Particularly the shopping and dining. Blackwell shares that she’s become a regular at The Shops at Legacy West, Uchi, and Komodo. For an espresso martini fix, her go-to is the Little Daisy, a French-inspired charmer in The Thompson Dallas that reminds her of her home state of Louisiana.
“I’ve always loved Dallas,” shares Blackwell. “In all its southern charm and ‘larger than life’ reputation. It’s the people, the culture, and the opportunities that make Dallas unlike any other.”
But it’s not all play. After all, it’s not every day a major news outlet launches a brand-new show format. Blackwell, along with her newly assembled morning news team, is laser-focused on how they are delivering the news. She explains how CBS News Texas is gauging audience engagement on research-based data. “We wanted to take it a step further by creating a survey for the communities we serve to weigh in on what they would like to see in their morning news,” Blackwell notes.
Along with the new morning show, viewers can expect direct access to the newsroom with an innovative new element called “The Desk,” led by another newcomer: assignment editor Ashley Moss. Moss will be live on camera following breaking news stories and sharing real-time information with viewers as it enters the newsroom.
“Dallas-Fort Worth, get used to seeing me,” Blackwell says. “I’m saddling up for the long haul and I’m both thrilled and beyond blessed to be here.”