Janel Forte

About

I’m a general assignment reporter and anchor for WFAA, the ABC affiliate in Dallas, focusing on transportation, business and growth in and around North Texas. Before coming to DFW, I worked as NewsNation's Atlanta-based correspondent. The start up cable news network hired me in March 2021 to launch its ATL bureau. In this role I led a small team focused on telling national stories - specifically in the Southeast - but let’s be honest, this gig took us all over the country. I've covered supply chain issues in California, union votes in Alabama, police shootings in Wisconsin and North Carolina, school shootings in Texas, bad weather in Mississippi, and everything in between. I spent 6 weeks in Brunswick, GA covering the state trial of the three men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery, then went back to cover the sentencing and the federal trial. I was the go-to for airline stories, frequently reporting from Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International - the country's busiest airport. I also spearheaded our coverage of COVID-19 developments from the CDC. Before NewsNation - I was a morning reporter at CBS affiliate KHOU-TV in Houston. There, I was the go-to for big, breaking stories in the overnight/morning hours. I was the first reporter on air after the Santa Fe HS shooting. My live shots and interviews were aired on CBS News and KHOU later earned an Edward R. Murrow Award for our coverage of the tragedy. I also led our coverage of the Watson Grinding explosion in 2020, contributing to another Murrow award for our station. I was one of the only local reporters invited to the private funeral for George Floyd, giving our viewers an inside look at the somber service. I also led morning show continued coverage of the 2018 Austin serial bomber, the funerals for both President George HW Bush and first lady Barbara Bush, and many others. I made my way to H-town after spending 2+ years doing it all at WLOX-TV as the weekend morning anchor and Jackson County bureau chief. There I was a part of weather go-teams dispatched to cover Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Nate for the Raycom News Network. I've also won an AP Award for anchoring severe weather coverage. I am a proud alumna of Cornell University, where I studied Communication and Sociology and was a member of the D1 volleyball team. I then followed my passion for news and pursued a master's of science in journalism from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism.