Shannon Sohn
Encyclopedia
Shannon Sohn is a television news reporter at WABC-TV
Eyewitness News in New York City
, where she became the first helicopter reporter to win a national Emmy Award
.
Sohn grew up in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey
and graduated from Old Bridge High School
in 1992. She attended Rutgers University
, majoring in journalism and communications, along with a minor in advertising. While in college, Sohn spent two years as an intern at WCTC
News Radio in New Brunswick, New Jersey
. Shortly before her graduation, WCTC offered her a position as a weekend news anchor and to fill a vacancy in the station's aerial traffic reporter spot, which was being vacated by Dan Rice who was heading to WABC-TV in New York City. Sohn won a reporting award from the Associated Press
while at WCTC.
In 2000, she earned a degree in broadcast meteorology degree through courses taken online at Mississippi State University
. Sohn started doing airplane traffic reports for New York City radio stations WABC
, WHTZ
and WPLJ
.
Sohn was hired by WABC-TV
in 2001 as part of its Eyewitness News Team on NewsCopter 7. In May 2001, Sohn married Dan Rice, who had trained her at WCTC and was then working for crosstown rival WNBC
on its Chopper 4.
She won a Peabody Award
for her coverage of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. She was scheduled to end her shift just minutes after the first tower was hit and did not leave her chair in the studio until Friday, providing news to the public as it came in from reporters in the field.
In 2005, while flying in the WABC helicopter, she was able to track the crash of a Chopper 4 helicopter, using the helicopter's camera to track the crash, hoping that the images would allow emergency personnel to be accurately and quickly directed to the precise location of the incident. Sohn won a local Emmy Award for "Instant Breaking News" for her coverage of the crash. The clip was submitted for a national Emmy Award which Sohn won, making her the first helicopter reporter to win a national Emmy.
Sohn lives with Rice and their children Zachary and Mackenzie in Long Valley, New Jersey
.
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
Eyewitness News in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she became the first helicopter reporter to win a national Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
.
Sohn grew up in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey
Old Bridge Township, New Jersey
Old Bridge Township is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township had a total population of 60,456...
and graduated from Old Bridge High School
Old Bridge High School
Old Bridge High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Old Bridge Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Old Bridge Township Public Schools...
in 1992. She attended Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, majoring in journalism and communications, along with a minor in advertising. While in college, Sohn spent two years as an intern at WCTC
WCTC
WCTC is an American radio station broadcasting a syndicated and live talk radio format. Licensed to New Brunswick, New Jersey, the station serves the Middlesex area. The station is currently owned by Greater Media .The station broadcasts in C-QUAM AM stereo...
News Radio in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
. Shortly before her graduation, WCTC offered her a position as a weekend news anchor and to fill a vacancy in the station's aerial traffic reporter spot, which was being vacated by Dan Rice who was heading to WABC-TV in New York City. Sohn won a reporting award from the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
while at WCTC.
In 2000, she earned a degree in broadcast meteorology degree through courses taken online at Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
. Sohn started doing airplane traffic reports for New York City radio stations WABC
WABC (AM)
WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
, WHTZ
WHTZ
WHTZ — branded Z100 — is a commercial pop/contemporary hit radio radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey serving the New York metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications...
and WPLJ
WPLJ
WPLJ is a radio station in New York City owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media. WPLJ shares studio facilities with sister station WABC inside 2 Penn Plaza in midtown Manhattan, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building. The station currently plays a Hot Adult...
.
Sohn was hired by WABC-TV
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
in 2001 as part of its Eyewitness News Team on NewsCopter 7. In May 2001, Sohn married Dan Rice, who had trained her at WCTC and was then working for crosstown rival WNBC
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
on its Chopper 4.
She won a Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
for her coverage of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. She was scheduled to end her shift just minutes after the first tower was hit and did not leave her chair in the studio until Friday, providing news to the public as it came in from reporters in the field.
In 2005, while flying in the WABC helicopter, she was able to track the crash of a Chopper 4 helicopter, using the helicopter's camera to track the crash, hoping that the images would allow emergency personnel to be accurately and quickly directed to the precise location of the incident. Sohn won a local Emmy Award for "Instant Breaking News" for her coverage of the crash. The clip was submitted for a national Emmy Award which Sohn won, making her the first helicopter reporter to win a national Emmy.
Sohn lives with Rice and their children Zachary and Mackenzie in Long Valley, New Jersey
Long Valley, New Jersey
Long Valley is an unincorporated area located within Washington Township, in Morris County, New Jersey. Known as German Valley since its foundation during the colonial era, the community was renamed in response to anti-German sentiment during World War I...
.