#MediaMonday – Christine Goodfriend
Today’s #MediaMonday features Christine Goodfriend, assignment editor at Fox 10 Phoenix. A crucial gear behind the scenes, she has been with Fox 10 for the better part of 20 years – preparing to celebrate her anniversary in February 2020.
Christine, time to share!
Before moving to Phoenix to work at Fox 10, I was an assignment editor at KGUN 9, the ABC affiliate in Tucson. I worked the assignment desk there from 1996 to 2000. Prior to my Tucson years I was a newspaper reporter in Nogales, covering border issues and the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the produce industry. Between Nogales and Tucson I had a short stint at the Hasting Star Gazette in Hastings, Minn. I soon learned that the cold Minnesota winters were not for me and quickly made my way back to Arizona.
So what originally brought me to Arizona? My dad was a squadron commander at Luke AFB in the ’80s (Yes, I’m an Air Force brat). We moved to the Valley in 1986 (in August mind you, and I couldn’t believe that people lived in the Valley – it was so hot!). At that time I was a junior in high school and enrolled at Cactus High (Go Cobras). After high school I headed to Flagstaff to attend Northern Arizona University, where I worked on the Lumberjack Newspaper and was active in the Associated Women Students (AWS) of NAU. I also had the chance to participate in a program called National Student Exchange, where I traded one semester to attend University of Hawaii at Manoa, on Oahu. My Hawaii semester was definitely a highlight of my college career. After graduating in 1992 I interned for U.S. Sen. Dennis DeConcini in Washington, D.C.
I knew since my teens that I wanted to work in news. I’ve had the chance to meet some amazing people in the business and even more extraordinary people during interviews. I think my most memorable interview was Motown Legend Smokey Robinson. He was in Phoenix to speak at an environmental forum and I was really moved by his kindness.
Working at Fox 10 is a dynamic, constantly changing adventure. With social media now dominating the scene, long gone are the days where we all watch the 5 p.m. broadcast to see who might “have a scoop.” Now the prize goes to the first person to post on social and who has the most clicks on data analytics.
When I’m not at work I enjoy being a mom to two grown kids, two cats and my chihuahua-beagle mutt. My husband and I enjoy reading, Netflix, HBO and boot camp classes at LA Fitness.
I’m always looking for story ideas for hard news and features. The best way to contact me is through email at christine.goodfriend@foxtv.com. Or call me directly at 602-262-5141. My twitter handle is @GoodfriendC.
