Carmen Blackwell anchors weekday mornings on CBS News Texas.
Blackwell joined the team in 2024 as part of the station's reimagined morning show, helping lead coverage of the stories that matter most to viewers across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Her live reporting on major breaking news events, combined with her warm, relatable on-air presence, has earned her several awards and Emmy nominations.
She is passionate about building meaningful connections between local media and the communities it serves. Blackwell is actively involved with organizations that support children's advocacy, youth education and development, sports, and programs for low-income and single-parent families. Her community work includes collaborations with nonprofit organizations such as the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center and the Greater Frisco Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
In 2025, Blackwell launched "Success and the City," a recurring CBS News Texas feature spotlighting hard-working women across the DFW Metroplex who are giving back to their communities while redefining what success means.
Blackwell has received the "Exceptional Excellence in Journalism" award from the Dallas Alpha Rho Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., and has been recognized as a "Living Legend" by the Greater Frisco Chapter of Jack and Jill of America.
Before joining CBS News Texas, Blackwell was an evening anchor and general assignment reporter at WKYC-TV in Cleveland. During her two years there, she also worked as an instructor and mentor for student journalists at the LeBron James Family Foundation's I PROMISE School.
Previously, she spent four years at FOX O&O KSAZ-TV in Phoenix as a reporter and fill-in anchor. She earned an Emmy nomination for anchoring special coverage of John McCain's death and funeral procession in Phoenix, and was featured multiple times on "Fox & Friends" for her field reporting in the Valley. She also served as a junior board member of the Phoenix Metropolitan YWCA and was a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Phoenix Metropolitan Chapter.
Blackwell began her broadcast career at KALB-TV in Alexandria, Louisiana, where she worked as a morning anchor, producer, photojournalist and health reporter. She earned a Louisiana Press Club Award for producing and reporting a special roundtable series on colorism within the African American community, featuring teens discussing its impact and challenges.
She is a member of both the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ).
Blackwell graduated from the University of Louisiana at Monroe with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and communications. She was a collegiate sprinter on the track team and a member of the Warhawk Dance Team.
A New Orleans native, Blackwell is a proud boy mom and the daughter of an Air Force veteran.
