A 3:00 am to 12:00 pm workday may seem unusual to some, but for Caroline Coleburn (Media Studies, Politics ‘17), CBS 6 News morning reporter in Richmond, it’s the norm.
Born into a family-owned newspaper in Blackstone, Virginia, Coleburn developed a passion for reporting at a young age. Before joining the CBS 6 News team, she got her start as a morning reporter and fill-in anchor for WVIR NBC 29 in Charlottesville, working two days a week while juggling her last semester at UVA. “I was fortunate to be learning about things on television in my classes while living the life of a reporter,” said Coleburn.
Although Coleburn has had the opportunity to cover large-scale, historical moments such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests, her most memorable stories are the ones that impact her and the community. For instance, she has steered people toward unemployment benefits during the pandemic, spread awareness for mental health, and fundraised for children with disabilities.
Her workdays are fast-paced, as she is often given only 30 to 60 minutes to write a script before going live. Reflecting on her time at UVA, she credits Wyatt Andrews, Media Studies Professor of Practice, for challenging her to work efficiently and cut stories into short form. Coleburn reflected on her career: “I don’t do [this work] for the thank yous. But reporting during a time that can be pretty dark it’s little things like the thank yous that keep me going.”