Emmy-nominated news anchor Scott Walker, a Metairie native, anchors WDSU News at 4, 5 and 10 p.m.
{ Work History }
Scott has spent the past 17 years covering news and sports at TV stations in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida and is happy to be back at home in New Orleans. After waking up at 3 a.m. to anchor morning newscasts for nine years, he needed some sleep. The chance to return to his roots, throw out the alarm clock and co-anchor New Orleans’ first 4 p.m. newscast was too great to pass up. The Times-Picayune previewed the newscast’s launch.
In less than two years on the air, WDSU News at 4 ascended to the number one spot in the time period. WDSU News at 5 also finished number one. (July 2011, adults 25-54.) All the talk about WDSU’s rising status in the market spurred a newspaper article focusing on the “who’s number one?” debate.
Since returning home, Scott has covered the Saints magical run to Super Bowl XLIV and the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. During WDSU’s extensive oil spill coverage, Scott made local and national headlines after his confrontation with private security guards trying to limit media access on Grand Isle beach.
WESH Morning Crew | Orlando, FL | 2009
Before heading home, Scott worked at WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla. from 2007-2009. WESH, like WDSU, is owned by Hearst Television.
While working in Orlando, Scott anchored four hours of morning news on WESH and WKCF, a CW affiliate. He also anchored the station’s noon newscast. During his time there, Scott was part of the team that guided the morning newscast from number three to number one for the first time in 5 years. He also covered several big local and national stories, including a 70-car pileup on Interstate 4, massive brushfires, the Casey Anthony murder case and Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa.
Sen. Barack Obama | Orlando, FL | 2008
In late 2008, when then-Sen. Barack Obama campaigned in Orlando, Scott was the only reporter in Central Florida to interview the future president one-on-one.
Prior to Orlando, Scott worked at WPMI-TV in Mobile, Ala. where he co-anchored an award-winning morning newscast and the station’s noon newscast for seven years. That morning newscast also climbed from number three in the market to number one during his time there. He was named Best News Anchor by the Mobile Press Club.
WPMI | Mobile, AL | 2001
In 2004 and 2005, Scott covered several tropical storms and hurricanes, including Ivan, Arlene, Cindy, Dennis and Katrina. During Hurricane Ivan coverage, the station’s broadcast tower was toppled by a tornado. During Katrina, the station’s generator caught fire, knocking the signal off the air for 18 hours. Scott joined his fellow anchors as they moved their storm coverage to a TV-ready radio studio and delivered news and information with their radio partners.
It was in Mobile, in 2006, that Scott’s association with the world-famous Mobile Leprechaun began.
Scott began his career in broadcasting at WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg, Miss. While still a junior in college, he was named weekend sports anchor.
After graduation, Scott worked as a sports anchor at WLBT-TV in Jackson, Miss., where he covered the Saints, college bowl games, NCAA baseball and basketball tournaments and Mississippi State’s 1998 run to the College World Series. He also co-anchored the station’s popular Sunday night sports program.
Pres. George Bush | Gulfport, MS | 1999
From there, Scott moved south to a start-up news operation, WXXV-TV, the FOX affiliate in Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss., where he was the station’s first sports director. There, he later served in his first full-time role at the news desk, co-anchoring the 9 and 10 p.m. newscasts for nearly two years.
Scott attended St. Angela Merici School, Brother Martin High School and the University of Southern Mississippi. He graduated from Southern Miss in 1997.
Louisiana Superdome | August 2009
He was named the Outstanding Senior in Broadcast Journalism at Southern Miss.
Scott’s wife, Jennifer, grew up in Labadieville, near Thibodaux. The couple has two boys. Scott’s father, Bob, was a longtime New Orleans radio broadcaster.
