#MediaMonday – Mark Charter
Today’s Media Monday comes to us from Tucson. Mark Charter has been anchoring the KGUN-TV morning news, Good Morning Tucson, for the last three years. He’s on from 4:30 a.m.- 7 a.m. each weekday.
Mark, time to share:
I found my love for news a little later in life than most journalists. Up until my junior year of college, I was flirting with a major in Business Administration and Marketing. I soon realized that my passion for research, writing and storytelling would make me a great fit for broadcast TV and I never looked back.
I got my start in TV news right out of college. After graduating with a degree in journalism from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., I was hired as the weekend anchor, reporter and producer at KFYR-TV in Bismarck, N.D. I was there for five years and when I left I was producing and anchoring the station’s morning and mid-day newscasts.
I had lived in the Midwest my entire life until I moved to Tucson in 2018 to become a reporter and anchor at KGUN-TV. I couldn’t have been happier to say goodbye to minus-30-degree winter days, and the parkas, hats and gloves that are required to survive that brutal cold. Even before moving to Tucson, I had a special connection to the area. During World War II, my grandfather was stationed at Marana Air Force Base, where he worked on and flew B-29 bombers.
My day as a morning anchor starts VERY early. My first alarm goes off at 2 a.m. and I’m at the station prepping for the show by 3. The schedule is intense, but the reward of working alongside my great team of producers, anchors and meteorologists pays off.
Over my career, I’ve had the chance to cover some interesting stories. My top three would be:
-Covering the christening of the U.S.S. North Dakota in Groton, Conn. Our crew spent the weekend touring and learning about this massive attack submarine used by the U.S. Navy.
-Covering the protests of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Our news team earned an Emmy nomination for our coverage.
-Covering the COVID-19 pandemic. What a time to be a journalist!
When I’m not working I like to find new restaurants (I’m a happy hour enthusiast). Give me a patio, a local brew and some great food and I’m a happy camper. My partner and I also love to travel. We have become experts in being “weekend warriors.” If we’re not checking out new pockets of Tucson, we’re probably on a plane exploring different parts of the country.
Speaking of restaurants, some of my favorites in Tucson are:
-Bottega Michelangelo
-The bar at Whole Foods on Oracle (Seriously, some of the best pizza and beer in Tucson)
-Teaspoon
-Boca Tacos y Tequila
-Le Rendez-vous
You can follow me on:
Twitter: @mark_onthe_news
Instagram: @mark_onthe_news
Facebook: Mark Charter KGUN
LinkedIn: Mark Charter
