Royce Jones
Royce Jones joined the KDKA news team as a freelance reporter in January 2020.
Royce covers a variety of story topics from breaking news, crime and human interest to the strange/unusual. No matter the story, Royce will meet the challenge head-on.
Before coming to KDKA, Royce worked for WTRF-7News, a CBS/ABC affiliate in the Wheeling/Steubenville market as a Multimedia-Journalist and Weekend Anchor. When anchoring the weekends, Royce would report and gather stories during the day, come back, write, edit and anchor the 6p.m. newscast, all in a day's work. He would also fill-in for the 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts when needed.
His most notable coverage in the Mountain and Buckeye states include the Ziegenfelder Frozen Treat Plant fire, Weirton Steel Basic Oxygen Plant implosion, Paden City water contamination and two visits by President Donald Trump. Royce has also provided local angles for national stories including the Impeachment of President Donald Trump, Hurricane Dorian, Hurricane Florence and The Tree of Life shooting.
Royce hopes to see results from every story he tells. One of his favorite Ohio Valley stories was helping four dogs, fleeing the devastation of Hurricane Florence, find forever homes. They were seeking refuge at a local animal shelter and were each adopted shortly after his story aired.
Royce is no stranger to the KDKA newsroom.
Royce interned for KDKA in college. He had a four-year internship through the Emma Bowen Foundation, a non-profit organization for communications students of color. He would return each summer and work full-time in the newsroom. As an intern, Royce covered numerous stories for the station including protests for Antwon Rose II, American Federation of Teachers Convention, breaking news, court, crime, weather and more. His favorite story as an intern was the "Art of the Brick" exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center featuring dozens of sculptures made entirely of lego bricks! Royce was also a fill-in KDKA Assignments Editor on occasion.
His internship was cut short, as he accepted his Anchor/MMJ gig in the Ohio Valley as a junior in college.
Royce studied Broadcast Reporting at Point Park University. He produced, anchored, hosted and reported for numerous shows on the school's television station "UView." He has also been published in the school's online newspaper "Point Park News Service."
VITALS
- Joined KDKA: January 2020
- Hometown: New Kensington, Pa.
- Alma Mater: Valley High School and Point Park University
FAVORITES
- Music: R&B, Rap, Neo Soul, Pop
- Movie: Shrek
- TV Show: Charmed
- Book: The Odyssey
- Hobbies: Music, sketching, fitness, hiking, meditation, thrift-shopping, museums
- Sports Team: Steelers
- Food: Chicken Wings
- Local Restaurant: Does coffee count? Kafa Buna.
- Hidden PA Gem: Harrison Hills Trails
- Sport/Exercise: Spinning/lifting
- Historical Figure: Harriet Tubman
- Favorite Pennsylvanian: Will Smith
- Quote: "Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you." - Oprah
- Word: Fabulous
- Vacation Spot: Cape Cod
- Holiday: Halloween
- Guilty Pleasure: The Real Housewives
- Planet: Wasp-17b
THIS OR THAT
- Facebook or Twitter? Facebook
- Cats or Dogs? Cats
- Beatles or Rolling Stones? Beatles
- Comedy or Tearjerker? Comedy
- Phone Call or Text Message? Phone Call
- Mac or PC? Mac
- Coffee or Tea? Coffee… Coffee… COFFEE!
- Paper or Plastic? Financially? I love money in all forms.
- Morning Person or Night Person? I am a NIGHT OWL.
- East Coast or West Coast? East Coast
- Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Wars, I choose.
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