There’s nothing our revered Emmy award-winning anchor Amy Wood has loved more over the 30-plus years at 7NEWS, than connecting with you.
Amy currently anchors the 4 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. newscasts, along with 7NEWS at noon. She spent 27 years anchoring the late news, and solo anchored the ten pm news for nearly 15 years, plus a decade on 7 News at 7.
Amy’s award-winning, interactive anchoring was honored in 2016 by the South Carolina Broadcaster’s Association, naming Amy, Anchor of the Year. SCBA gave her the same award previously in 2012 and she was nominated again in 2014 by the Radio and Television and Digital News Association of the Carolinas.
She’s also a fan favorite, winning back-to-back reporter and personality honors in the media category in the Best of Spartanburg competition.
Amy brings you Podcasts on ten platforms, a new E-Blog called The UPbeat that she produces in her spare time, and a “TVAmy News Nugget” mini newscast on her YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram Live. Her Instagram work was just featured in the new book, 15 Seconds of Fame.
Amy spent 13 years streaming live behind scenes, one of the first in the nation to use Facebook Live, as she now continues to do including special live stream conversations from home.
Amy frequently speaks in the community, about the power of social media and how to get your story told in this digital age, along with serving as Master of Ceremonies, debate moderator, and panel discussion leader for numerous community events.
In 2008, when Amy created CW Live Chat, one of the nation’s first live chats during a newscast the industry noticed.
RTDNA Communicator Magazine, Broadcasting and Cable Magazine, and the book, “Live Local Broken News: The Re-Engineering of Local TV”, featured Amy’s pioneering interactive work. Business Black Box Magazine selected Amy as one of six Trailblazers.
Amy’s been giving viewers a voice since 1995, using – at the time – revolutionary email, in her Reality Check reports.
Amy believes in the transformative power of social media relationships and says it’s a critical tool in the journalist’s toolbox. Amy has been honored to teach and speak about her innovative work at the Poynter Institute, The Reynolds Journalism Institute at Mizzou, and the Paley Center for Media in New York City.
For more than three decades, Amy’s been bringing you award-winning stories on WSPA-TV.
Her heart-wrenching special report on domestic violence: “South Carolina’s Shame,” was honored with a first-place Associated Press Award in series reporting.
Amy has a special place for adoption in her heart, as an adopted child. Her “Amy’s Kids” stories about foster children waiting to be adopted, led the South Carolina Council on Adoptable Children, to name Amy Adoption “Advocate of the Year” in 2007.
Amy’s dedication to the local community led the South Carolina Jaycees to name Amy the state Distinguished Community Service Award winner in 1999. She continues to work with dozens of local charities and events every year.
She is now a Rotarian in the city of Greenville and a fellow from the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leaders Initiative, Spring 2020 class.
During the initial war with Iraq, she brought viewers exclusive “On The Frontline” coverage, using the internet to connect with a commander Stephen Twitty from Chesnee, S.C.
One of the most memorable stories of Amy’s career was the Charleston Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting. Amy broke the story during her newscast on the CW at 10 and days later anchored 7NEWS’ heartbreaking funeral coverage.
Amy also guided viewers through the morning of September 11, 2001, with local wall-to-wall coverage and a helpline.
And Amy anchored our Emmy Award-winning coverage on Susan Smith, the mother who drowned her sons, including the difficult duty of anchoring the boy’s funeral.
Amy grew up in the New York metropolitan area, and started her career, covering blizzards and breaking news in Western Minnesota at KSAX-TV, a sister station to KSTP.
Faith and family are number one in Amy’s life. Carolina Crusaders, the documentary she reported and produced on a mission trip to Russia, won a first-place award from the Associated Press.
She loves being your neighbor, and looks forward to connecting with you online!
Read more about Amy’s Interactive Work:
Staying Connected with Amy Wood
Paley Center for Media Innovation Speaker
Reynold’s Journalism Institute Panelist
Top Fearless Women on the Internet
How Social Should A Newscast Be?
Social Media Doesn’t Stop When Amy Wood Goes On Air Live
