Leslie Sykes
Encyclopedia
Leslie Ann Sykes is a television news anchor and reporter.
of the "Eyewitness News" at KABC-TV
, ABC
's owned and operated television station in Los Angeles
.
Leslie Ann Sykes was born in San Diego, California
as the youngest of three children. However, she grew up in Compton, California
, where her father Abel B. Sykes, Jr. worked as an administrator for Compton Community College
. Leslie attended St. Joseph High School and then went to Spelman College
in Atlanta, Georgia
where she majored in English. While there, she appeared as "Miss Mission" in Spike Lee's 1988 film, School Daze
.
Upon graduation, Leslie began her professional career as a journalist. One of her first jobs was as a general assignment reporter at the now defunct Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
. An internship followed at local independent television station (now My Network TV affiliate) KCOP-TV
. This led to a desk assistant position in the news department at Fox affiliate KTTV
.
Leslie's big break came when she landed her first on-air job in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
at WDAM-TV
. Not only did she serve as a reporter, she anchored three shows a day and produced a newscast. From there she received her first major market assignment at WVUE-TV in New Orleans, Louisiana
. In December 1994, Leslie returned to Los Angeles as a general assignment reporter for KABC-TV's "Eyewitness News" program.
In late 1998, Sykes was wooed by WBBM-TV
in Chicago to become its new top female weekend anchor, replacing Sarah Lucero. However, a December 3, 1998 article in the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Sykes opted "to stay put in L.A."
In June 1999, Leslie was promoted to co-anchor the weekend edition of the "Eyewitness News". In 2009 was promoted again to co-anchor of the 11am-Noon and then joined the team on "Eyewitness News This Morning" as well.
Leslie is married to Patrick W. Spann. They have a young son and live in the View Park
neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Biography
Leslie Sykes is the morning and midday co-anchorNews presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
of the "Eyewitness News" at KABC-TV
KABC-TV
KABC-TV, channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Los Angeles, California. KABC-TV's studios are located in Glendale, California...
, 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...
's owned and operated television station in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Leslie Ann Sykes was born in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
as the youngest of three children. However, she grew up in Compton, California
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
, where her father Abel B. Sykes, Jr. worked as an administrator for Compton Community College
Compton Community College
El Camino College Compton Center operates as a "center" of El Camino College. Under an agreement with El Camino College, Compton Center is open and offers accredited El Camino College courses to residents of Compton, Carson, Lynwood, Paramount and parts of North Long Beach...
. Leslie attended St. Joseph High School and then went to Spelman College
Spelman College
Spelman College is a four-year liberal arts women's college located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The college is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman was the first historically black female...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
where she majored in English. While there, she appeared as "Miss Mission" in Spike Lee's 1988 film, School Daze
School Daze
School Daze is a 1988 American musical-drama film, written and directed by Spike Lee, and starring Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell-Martin...
.
Upon graduation, Leslie began her professional career as a journalist. One of her first jobs was as a general assignment reporter at the now defunct Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
The Los Angeles Herald Examiner was a major Los Angeles daily newspaper, published Monday through Friday in the afternoon, and in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays. It was part of the Hearst syndicate. The afternoon Herald-Express and the morning Examiner, both of which had been publishing in...
. An internship followed at local independent television station (now My Network TV affiliate) KCOP-TV
KCOP-TV
KCOP-TV, channel 13, is a television station in Los Angeles, California. Owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, KCOP is a sister station to Fox network outlet KTTV , and is affiliated with the MyNetworkTV programming service...
. This led to a desk assistant position in the news department at Fox affiliate KTTV
KTTV
KTTV, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Los Angeles, California. Serving the vast Los Angeles metropolitan area, KTTV is a sister station to KCOP , Los Angeles' MyNetworkTV station...
.
Leslie's big break came when she landed her first on-air job in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
at WDAM-TV
WDAM-TV
WDAM-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Pine Belt area of Southeastern Mississippi that is licensed to Laurel. It broadcast a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 7 from a transmitter at its studios on US 11 in Moselle near the Jones and Forrest County line. The station...
. Not only did she serve as a reporter, she anchored three shows a day and produced a newscast. From there she received her first major market assignment at WVUE-TV in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. In December 1994, Leslie returned to Los Angeles as a general assignment reporter for KABC-TV's "Eyewitness News" program.
In late 1998, Sykes was wooed by WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
in Chicago to become its new top female weekend anchor, replacing Sarah Lucero. However, a December 3, 1998 article in the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Sykes opted "to stay put in L.A."
In June 1999, Leslie was promoted to co-anchor the weekend edition of the "Eyewitness News". In 2009 was promoted again to co-anchor of the 11am-Noon and then joined the team on "Eyewitness News This Morning" as well.
Leslie is married to Patrick W. Spann. They have a young son and live in the View Park
View Park-Windsor Hills, California
View Park-Windsor Hills is a census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 11,075 at the 2010 census, up from 10,958 at the 2000 census...
neighborhood of Los Angeles.