Kent Shocknek
| Kent Shocknek | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Kent Schoknecht December 2 Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California (B.A.) |
| Occupation | Broadcaster, actor |
Kent Shocknek is an American television newsman. Because of the length of his career, the duration of his broadcasts, and breaking news events, by the time of his retirement from news, he is credited with having logged more hours anchoring newscasts than anyone else in Los Angeles. The city has designated a day in his honor (below). Before anchoring prime-time newscasts on CBS-TV owned stations CBS2 and KCAL9, Shocknek was Southern California's first and longest-running television news morning news anchor. Starting with his tenure at CBS News, he also has been sought out to appear in dozens of feature films and television dramas - typically as a newscaster or commentator - giving rise to a popular second career that continues currently. On radio, Shocknek has narrated a daily commentary in Los Angeles, and has hosted a nationally syndicated entertainment program. TV viewers and magazine readers also recognize him as a reporter and authority on automotive issues.
Born Kent Schoknecht in Berkeley, California, he simplified the on-air spelling of his name upon arrival to Los Angeles television. After working at the Long Beach Press Telegram while attending the University of Southern California, Shocknek's first TV reporting job was in Sioux City, Iowa (KCAU-TV), followed by a three-year stint as anchor and Space Shuttle reporter in Orlando, Florida (WFTV).
In 1986, Shocknek anchored the start-up of L.A.'s first TV morning news program, "Today in L.A." on KNBC-TV. Over the years, he broadcast—often single-handedly—such marathon events as the Los Angeles riots, O.J. Simpson murder trial, and natural disasters, including earthquakes that more than once shook his studio while he was on the air.
Shocknek first made national news headlines anchoring the 1986 launch and explosion of Space Shuttle Challenger; and a strong aftershock to the deadly 5.9 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake. The threat of falling studio lights forced Shocknek to take cover under his set's anchor desk for several seconds as he continued reporting about the ground- and studio movement.
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