Kaity Tong

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Kaity Tong bigraphy, stories - American television journalist

Kaity Tong : biography

July 23, 1947 –

Kaity Tong ( born July 23, 1947) is a Chinese-born American broadcast journalist. She has been a television news anchor in New York City since 1981.

Early life

Kaity (pronounced "kite-ee"Tong, Kaity. , WPIX Blog, March 4, 2009.) She was born in Qingdao, China and arrived in the United States with her family at age four. Her parents Americanized their names to George and Anita Tong. Growing up in Washington D.C., she was inspired to become a journalist by her great-uncle, Hollington K. Tong, an ambassador to the US from China as well as an acclaimed author.Diamond, Edwin. , New York Magazine, June 10, 1991, p. 20. Her mother worked for the Voice of America as a broadcaster and producer in Washington D.C.

Kaity attended Bryn Mawr College on an academic scholarship. She graduated with honors with a bachelor of arts degree in English literature. She was accepted to the doctoral program of Stanford University in Chinese and Japanese literature, and she intended to be an instructor in English literature. However, while at Stanford, Tong began her broadcasting career, getting what she thought would be a summer job as morning editor and producer for KPIX-TV All-News Radio in San Francisco. The summer job turned into a year-long stint at the radio station which was the top all-news station in San Francisco.Newton, Kathie. , The Modesto Bee, March 25, 1980, p. A7. Tong managed to complete her masters degree in Asian studies but was sidetracked by the news business.

Awards

Tong joined Gloria Steinem and Beverly Sills by receiving the Exceptional Achievement Award from The Women’s Project. She was the first woman honored by Rotary International with its Paul Harris Fellowship. She was also honored with a Star award by the New York Women’s Agenda. She has been recognized by the Chinese America Arts Council for her excellence in communication. She received a Distinguished Woman award from the Chinese-American Planning Council and a Champion of Excellence Award from the Organization of Chinese Americans. A naturalized citizen, Tong received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for her work.

Career

Tong’s television career began as a reporter for KPIX-TV in San Francisco, where she worked from 1976 to 1979. Originally hired as a writer for the station, Tong was asked to do an on-air test and was immediately promoted to a street reporter, where her first on-air story was a report on the new carts that transported people around the airport. In December 1979, she became co-anchor of the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts on KCRA-TV in Sacramento, California where she soon became number one-rated out of all the television news personalities in Sacramento.

Referring to the difficulties of having a family and career, she said at the time: "Anchoring is fun. At one time I wanted to be a network reporter, but now I think that is too difficult a life. One of these days I want to have a baby." In 1981, she moved to WABC-TV in New York City. Within two years, she became co-anchor of the station’s 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts, first with co-host Tom Snyder from 1983, New York Magazine, February 21, 1983. to 1984 and with Ernie Anastos until 1986.

She moved to the 6 p.m. newscast, rotating the anchor chair with John Johnson alongside Bill Beutel after Roger Grimsby was fired in 1986,West, Gary. , Mr. Pop Culture, April 24, 1986 while still co-anchoring the 11 p.m. Eyewitness News with Anastos until he left for WCBS in 1989. Eventually her sole anchor role was the 11 p.m. news, as Beutel became solo anchor of the 6 p.m. broadcast. The two continued as the anchor team for the 11 p.m. newscast. In 1984, she appeared as herself, reporting on the defection of the Soviet circus performer played by Robin Williams in feature film Moscow on the Hudson. She has also played a newscaster in Wolf, Spider-Man, Lost Souls, City Hall, Marci X, Night Falls on Manhattan, and 2004 remake of The Manchurian Candidate.