Sean Michael Thomas
Encyclopedia
Sean Michael Thomas is a television broadcast news journalist, author and illustrator currently living in Moscow
, Russia. As a broadcaster, he is known on-air by his first and last name only, while his credits as an author list him with all three of his given names, Sean Michael Thomas.
, Indonesia
on September 11, 1974 and later attended the Jakarta International School
where is parents were teachers. After moving to Terre Haute, Indiana
in the United States, he attended Indiana State University
Laboratory School and Terre Haute South Vigo High School
, then went to Interlochen Arts Academy. Thomas graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in 1992 before attending Millikin University
in Decatur, Illinois
.
having worked in the main Moscow
office of the network since August 2009. Working for RT, Thomas has covered the missing MV Arctic Sea
as well as the deadly accident at Russia's Sayano-Shushenskaya hydro-electrical power plant. In 2010 Thomas covered the controversial Iraq elections and was on scene reporting from the Moscow Metro bombings in March. Before working at RT, he was a multimedia journalist and general assignment reporter for KSEE
24 News and KMPH
Fox 26 News in Fresno, California.
Between August 2004 and May 2006 Thomas worked in the Ft. Myers, Florida media market or the Fox affiliate station, WFTX
. Working in Southwest Florida Thomas covered the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season
, as well as the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season
which included covering Hurricane Katrina
from the Gulf Coast. Having grow up in Indonesia,and because he was able to speak the language, Thomas was also sent to Banda Aceh
to cover the aftermath following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
and tsunami.
Though having worked in broadcast radio for several years prior, Sean Michael Thomas started his television career as a news photographer for WPBN-TV
in Traverse City, Michigan
in July 2003.
The Most Special Place on Earth (ISBN 978-0615435374). The book was released in April 2011.
As a freelance writer Thomas has written articles for Fresno Magazine, Valley Health Magazine and Senior Life Magazine.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia. As a broadcaster, he is known on-air by his first and last name only, while his credits as an author list him with all three of his given names, Sean Michael Thomas.
Early life
Thomas was born in JakartaJakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
on September 11, 1974 and later attended the Jakarta International School
Jakarta International School
Jakarta International School is a private, international school in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was established in 1951 for expatriate students living in Jakarta and is the largest international primary and secondary school in Indonesia....
where is parents were teachers. After moving to Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
in the United States, he attended Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
Laboratory School and Terre Haute South Vigo High School
Terre Haute South Vigo High School
Terre Haute South Vigo High School is a high school located in Terre Haute, Indiana. Enrollment is at about 1,900 students. As the name implies, the school's district covers the southern portion of Terre Haute, as well as most of Northern Vigo County, the county Terre Haute is in.- Campus History...
, then went to Interlochen Arts Academy. Thomas graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in 1992 before attending Millikin University
Millikin University
Millikin University is an American co-educational, comprehensive, private, four-year university with traditional undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, fine arts, and professional studies, as well as non-traditional, adult degree-completion programs and graduate programs in...
in Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
.
Media career
Currently Thomas is an international correspondent and anchor for Russia TodayRussia Today
Russia Today may refer to:* Russia Today, an English language 24-hour television news channel from Russia. It was launched in 2005 and is not related to an online news service of the similar name operated by EIN News...
having worked in the main Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
office of the network since August 2009. Working for RT, Thomas has covered the missing MV Arctic Sea
MV Arctic Sea
The MV Arctic Sea is a merchant vessel cargo ship, formerly of Malta that was reported as missing between late July and mid August 2009 en route from Finland to Algeria. On July 24, the Arctic Sea, manned by a Russian crew and carrying a cargo of what was declared to consist solely of timber, was...
as well as the deadly accident at Russia's Sayano-Shushenskaya hydro-electrical power plant. In 2010 Thomas covered the controversial Iraq elections and was on scene reporting from the Moscow Metro bombings in March. Before working at RT, he was a multimedia journalist and general assignment reporter for KSEE
KSEE
KSEE is the NBC affiliated television station in Fresno, California, broadcasting on digital channel 38. KSEE is owned and operated by Granite Broadcasting Corporation. Granite owns and operates eight network-affiliated television stations nationwide...
24 News and KMPH
KMPH
KMPH may refer to:* KMPH-TV, a television station licensed to Visalia, California, United States** KMPH-CA, a KPMH-TV translator station licensed to Merced-Mariposa, California, United States...
Fox 26 News in Fresno, California.
Between August 2004 and May 2006 Thomas worked in the Ft. Myers, Florida media market or the Fox affiliate station, WFTX
WFTX
WFTX-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Southwest Florida licensed to Cape Coral. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 35 from a transmitter in Punta Gorda east of I-75/SR 93 near the Charlotte and Lee County line. The station can also be seen on Comcast...
. Working in Southwest Florida Thomas covered the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season
2004 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2004, and lasted until November 30, 2004. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
, as well as the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season
2005 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, repeatedly shattering numerous records. The impact of the season was widespread and ruinous with an estimated 3,913 deaths and record damage of about $159.2 billion...
which included covering Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
from the Gulf Coast. Having grow up in Indonesia,and because he was able to speak the language, Thomas was also sent to Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia, located on the island of Sumatra, with an elevation of 35 meters. The city regency covers an area of 64 square kilometres and according to the 2000 census had a population of 219,070 people...
to cover the aftermath following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
and tsunami.
Though having worked in broadcast radio for several years prior, Sean Michael Thomas started his television career as a news photographer for WPBN-TV
WPBN-TV
WPBN-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Northern Lower and Eastern Upper Peninsulas of Michigan that is licensed to Traverse City. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 47 from a transmitter east of Kalkaska...
in Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
in July 2003.
Writing
Sedikit-Sedikit Menjadi Bukit: Little by Little We Climb the Mountain (ISBN 1-60672-484-3). The book was released in November 2008.The Most Special Place on Earth (ISBN 978-0615435374). The book was released in April 2011.
As a freelance writer Thomas has written articles for Fresno Magazine, Valley Health Magazine and Senior Life Magazine.