A Little About Me…
My name is Katie Pratt. I was thrilled to join the Fox 7 Austin News team as a nightside weekday reporter in August 2024. This role has put me at the forefront of national breaking news, allowing me to grow as a storyteller and often to fill in as an anchor. Throughout most of my professional career as a journalist, I have primarily worked behind the desk. However, my current role allows me to balance this experience while keeping my anchoring skills sharp.
My daily duties include pitching two or more stories during the afternoon meeting, conducting interviews, shooting standups, writing package scripts in iNEWS, writing website articles, posting on social media platforms, and fronting my stories live on location or in the studio for our 5, 6, 9, and 10 PM newscasts.
I am fortunate to actively report on major news stories across politics, crime, sports, and breaking news. Shortly after I began working in Austin, I was on the ground reporting live on the night of the 2024 Presidential Election. I have done numerous political stories, including extensive reporting on the redistricting battle over new state voter maps, the ‘No Kings’ protests, and special sessions. Additionally, I have gained valuable experience in breaking news and crime reporting, like the identification of a suspect in the 1991 Yogurt Shop Murders cold case, the July 4th flooding, the fatal shooting at a Target store, and a nearly 20-vehicle pileup on I-35 that resulted in five fatalities. Not to mention, a change of pace covering sporting events like NASCAR at COTA, Austin FC matches, and several Longhorns games. A highlight of my career was traveling to Columbus, Ohio, for live coverage of the 2025 college football season opener, where the Longhorns faced the Buckeyes at The Shoe.
Additionally, I have the opportunity to fill in for our main primetime anchor whenever he is away, as well as regularly anchor our weekend newscasts, Good Day Austin, and our noon show. During shows, I have covered significant breaking events, such as President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, and the U.S. bombing Iran’s nuclear sites.
Previously…
I began working as the evening news anchor for KETK News (NBC) and KFXK News (Fox51) in Tyler, Texas. I was born and raised in Tyler and decided to return after college as the weekend news anchor and weekday reporter. After my first year, I was humbled to be promoted to full-time anchor.
As the evening news anchor, I would solo-anchor two evening news shows on KFXK News (Fox51), and co-anchor an hour-long show for KETK News (NBC). Additionally, I was responsible for pitching story ideas, approving reporter package scripts, assisting with production, writing and approving scripts in AP-ENPS, creating keys and key times, writing and recording topicals, as well as researching stories and events. I had the opportunity to anchor the March primary elections, the special show for the total solar eclipse in April, after the game for Super Bowl 57, the midterm elections, as well as the Summer and Winter Olympic shows. In addition to anchoring, I also have a sponsored weekly series called, “East Texas Women,” highlighting different women in the Piney Woods.
In College…
In May 2021, I graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where I received a B.A. from Meadows School of the Arts. I majored in journalism with a focus on broadcast, and I minored in history.
I was the Managing Editor for SMU-TV’s student-run news broadcast production, The Daily Update. My responsibilities included planning and researching what would be covered on the show, assigning stories to a team of reporters, generating a daily assignment schedule, and working closely with other student leaders and professors to circulate news content in a timely manner.
Holding a leadership position within the journalism department allowed me to gain pre-professional training in broadcast news writing and technical positions. including director, producer, anchor, graphic designer, video editor, teleprompter, floor director, studio-camera operator, video server, and technical director. I also assisted in writing and producing for Press Pass, SMU-TV’s Spotlight on Sports airing twice monthly.
In 2019, I began writing and reporting for The Daily Update, actively using Avid iNews, writing in AP Style, shooting video with a Sony NX5U Camera, and editing video with Adobe Premiere.
How It All Began…
I first discovered my passion for being in front of the camera in 2009 when I began doing television and radio commercials for my dad’s business. The commercials were largely recognized in the East Texas area and remembered for my tagline, “go by and see my daddy…”
It was in high school when my dad took me to a local news station in Tyler, where I got to watch a LIVE broadcast show on set for the first time. At that moment, I knew I wanted to be a news anchor. I am thankful my dad helped me find my passion early on and that I am able to work in the great state of Texas where I first fell in love with journalism.
For More Information…
For more information, check out my résumé or LinkedIn. To see my latest work, you can go to the FOX 7 website. Also, feel free to contact me.