Christi O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Christi O'Connor is an award winning American
television investigative reporter and news anchor. She is currently developing the teen self esteem broadcast network, "YouthVoice." (www.youthvoice.tv) 'YouthVoice shows are hosted by teenagers professionally trained to educate and candidly advise peers on sensitive topics including suicide, drug addiction, parental conflict and other pressures. YouthVoice also produces other teen hosted shows including the cooking show, "Top Teen Chef." O'Connor is currently shooting the pilot for another (confidential) show she will host. PBS has signed a committment letter for both shows. O'Connor is also a freelance network news correspondent. Most recently, EXTRA Television sent her to Hollywood to conduct an exclusive interview with troubled Hollywood actor, Charlie Sheen.
O'Connor was born in Oklahoma City
, Oklahoma. She attended Casady Private School in Oklahoma City and spent her first two years of college at Oklahoma University where her writing skills qualified her to skip freshman English. She was awarded Pepperdine's exclusive Presidential Academic Scholarship and was Miss April in the university's Student Leaders Calendar. She is listed in Who's Who Among Colleges and Universities.
In 1984, O'Connor became weekend anchor and reporter at WGHP
in High Point
/Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina
. Her investigative reporting of a church pastor's poisoning led to the exhumation of the graves of three men connected to a woman named Blanche Moore. The story became a movie and a book. In 1990, O'Connor anchored the noon and 6:00 news for NBC
's affiliate in Salt Lake City.
In 1992, she moved to Jacksonville, Florida
where she simultaneously served as main anchor for both Fox
and ABC
. There, she took on the additional role of managing editor
. In 1994, she anchored and led the investigative unit for KTVT-TV CBS
in Dallas. There, she led the national media in her breaking news coverage of the worst domestic terrorist attack in United States
history; the 1995 bombing of the Oklahoma City
Federal Building
which killed 168 people including eight federal agents and 19 children. At the trial of mass murderer, Timothy McVeigh
, O'Connor continued to break news and lead media coverage for CBS News
. Among the exclusive interviews she won were with the McVeigh family which led network producers to dub her "The Get Girl". O'Connor went on to win the Journalistic Enterprise Emmy award for her Oklahoma City Bombing
reporting.. She also broke exclusive stories in the national scandal that led to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Her investigations included exclusive interviews and exposes with President Clinton accusers Gennifer Flowers, Dolly Kyle-Browning and Paula Jones.
In 1998, O'Connor became Chief of the Investigative Unit and substitute anchor at KPIX-TV
CBS
in San Francisco. Her undercover investigations into Alaska Airlines
' inadequate airplane maintenance and fraudulent record keeping led the Federal Aviation Administration
to fine the airline and ground its entire fleet of MD-80s. In an exclusive interview with O'Connor, an Alaska Airlines mechanic, John Liotine, warned that maintenance problems could lead to a plane crash. On January 31, 2000 Alaska Airlines Flight 261
crashed off the California coast, killing all 88 people on board. The National Transportation Safety Board
determined the cause of the crash was inadequate maintenance.
O'Connor went on to win two more Emmy Awards in San Francisco. Her 3 month undercover investigation into deaths by neglect in nursing homes and a money trail that resulted in Attorney General
Bill Lockyer
and Governor Grey Davis investing more than 300 million dollars into nursing home reform.
In 2000, the world media convened on San Francisco to cover the high profile story of the dog mauling of lacrosse coach, Diane Whipple
. O'Connor broke 13 exclusives while newspaper, radio and competitive television stations followed. O'Connor's stories on the case were used as evidence in the criminal trials of the dog owners who were convicted.
In 2002, O'Connor created and anchored the talk show Candid...with Christi, with legal analyst and San Francisco First Lady, Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom. The show aired on CBS-5 and on KRON Television in San Francisco. In San Francisco, O'Connor hosted many public events. For San Francisco's League of Women Voters, she political debates including the 2003 District Attorney candidates debate involving Kamala Harris who went on to become California's Attorney General.
In 2004, O'Connor became a correspondent for HDnet
's World Report. Among O'Connor's exclusive
interviews was with San Francisco Mayor
, Gavin Newsom
. Newsom also admitted he'd had an affair with the wife of his own staff advisor. Newsom revealed he had decided to stop drinking and would continue to lead the cause supporting the rights of gays to marry.
In 2006, O'Connor began developing her youth broadcast network and hour long show for PBS while she continued to freelance for news networks. She began shooting her pilot show in late 2009. It is near completion.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television investigative reporter and news anchor. She is currently developing the teen self esteem broadcast network, "YouthVoice." (www.youthvoice.tv) 'YouthVoice shows are hosted by teenagers professionally trained to educate and candidly advise peers on sensitive topics including suicide, drug addiction, parental conflict and other pressures. YouthVoice also produces other teen hosted shows including the cooking show, "Top Teen Chef." O'Connor is currently shooting the pilot for another (confidential) show she will host. PBS has signed a committment letter for both shows. O'Connor is also a freelance network news correspondent. Most recently, EXTRA Television sent her to Hollywood to conduct an exclusive interview with troubled Hollywood actor, Charlie Sheen.
O'Connor was born in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma. She attended Casady Private School in Oklahoma City and spent her first two years of college at Oklahoma University where her writing skills qualified her to skip freshman English. She was awarded Pepperdine's exclusive Presidential Academic Scholarship and was Miss April in the university's Student Leaders Calendar. She is listed in Who's Who Among Colleges and Universities.
In 1984, O'Connor became weekend anchor and reporter at WGHP
WGHP
WGHP, channel 8, is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem, North Carolina designated market area...
in High Point
High Point
High Point, in the northwestern part of New Jersey in Montague, Sussex County in the Skylands Region of New Jersey, is the highest elevation in the state at 1,803 feet . It is southeast of Port Jervis, New York. High Point is the highest peak of the Kittatinny Mountains.At the peak is the High...
/Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
. Her investigative reporting of a church pastor's poisoning led to the exhumation of the graves of three men connected to a woman named Blanche Moore. The story became a movie and a book. In 1990, O'Connor anchored the noon and 6:00 news for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's affiliate in Salt Lake City.
In 1992, she moved to Jacksonville, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
where she simultaneously served as main anchor for both Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
and ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. There, she took on the additional role of managing editor
Managing editor
A managing editor is a senior member of a publication's management team.In the United States, a managing editor oversees and coordinates the publication's editorial activities...
. In 1994, she anchored and led the investigative unit for KTVT-TV CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
in Dallas. There, she led the national media in her breaking news coverage of the worst domestic terrorist attack in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
history; the 1995 bombing of the Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
Federal Building
Federal Building
A federal building refers to government building built to host the regional offices of various government departments and agencies in countries with a federal system, especially when the central government is referred to as the "federal government".- Canada :...
which killed 168 people including eight federal agents and 19 children. At the trial of mass murderer, Timothy McVeigh
Timothy McVeigh
Timothy James McVeigh was a United States Army veteran and security guard who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995...
, O'Connor continued to break news and lead media coverage for CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
. Among the exclusive interviews she won were with the McVeigh family which led network producers to dub her "The Get Girl". O'Connor went on to win the Journalistic Enterprise Emmy award for her Oklahoma City Bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
reporting.. She also broke exclusive stories in the national scandal that led to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Her investigations included exclusive interviews and exposes with President Clinton accusers Gennifer Flowers, Dolly Kyle-Browning and Paula Jones.
In 1998, O'Connor became Chief of the Investigative Unit and substitute anchor at KPIX-TV
KPIX-TV
KPIX-TV is the CBS owned and operated television station in San Francisco, California. Through its parent company CBS Corporation, KPIX is co-owned with The CW affiliate KBCW-TV ....
CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
in San Francisco. Her undercover investigations into Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
' inadequate airplane maintenance and fraudulent record keeping led the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
to fine the airline and ground its entire fleet of MD-80s. In an exclusive interview with O'Connor, an Alaska Airlines mechanic, John Liotine, warned that maintenance problems could lead to a plane crash. On January 31, 2000 Alaska Airlines Flight 261
Alaska Airlines Flight 261
Alaska Airlines Flight 261, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft, experienced a fatal accident on January 31, 2000 at the Pacific Ocean about 2.7 miles north of Anacapa Island, California. The two pilots, three cabin crewmembers, and 83 passengers on board were killed and the aircraft was destroyed...
crashed off the California coast, killing all 88 people on board. The National Transportation Safety Board
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
determined the cause of the crash was inadequate maintenance.
O'Connor went on to win two more Emmy Awards in San Francisco. Her 3 month undercover investigation into deaths by neglect in nursing homes and a money trail that resulted in Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
Bill Lockyer
Bill Lockyer
William Westwood "Bill" Lockyer is an American politician. He is the current 32nd State Treasurer of California, elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2010. He has also served as California Attorney General and President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate...
and Governor Grey Davis investing more than 300 million dollars into nursing home reform.
In 2000, the world media convened on San Francisco to cover the high profile story of the dog mauling of lacrosse coach, Diane Whipple
Diane Whipple
Diane Alexis Whipple was a lacrosse player and coach, who is best known as the victim of a fatal dog attack in San Francisco in January 2001. The dogs involved were two Presa Canario dogs named Bane and Hera , owned by neighbors living in the same apartment building.-Life:Whipple was born in...
. O'Connor broke 13 exclusives while newspaper, radio and competitive television stations followed. O'Connor's stories on the case were used as evidence in the criminal trials of the dog owners who were convicted.
In 2002, O'Connor created and anchored the talk show Candid...with Christi, with legal analyst and San Francisco First Lady, Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom. The show aired on CBS-5 and on KRON Television in San Francisco. In San Francisco, O'Connor hosted many public events. For San Francisco's League of Women Voters, she political debates including the 2003 District Attorney candidates debate involving Kamala Harris who went on to become California's Attorney General.
In 2004, O'Connor became a correspondent for HDnet
HDNet
HDNet is a men's interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format and available via cable and satellite television...
's World Report. Among O'Connor's exclusive
interviews was with San Francisco Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
. Newsom also admitted he'd had an affair with the wife of his own staff advisor. Newsom revealed he had decided to stop drinking and would continue to lead the cause supporting the rights of gays to marry.
In 2006, O'Connor began developing her youth broadcast network and hour long show for PBS while she continued to freelance for news networks. She began shooting her pilot show in late 2009. It is near completion.