I'm so happy to be back in the Lone Star State. El Paso is a great place to live and I’m thrilled to be here and to be part of the NewsChannel 9 team. I was born in Nicaragua and lived in several Central American countries before my family settled in Miami. I’ve been all over the world. But, I’ve found a new home here in the Borderland.
I come to the Sun City from the Sunshine State. For the past year, I worked as a freelance reporter at WSVN, the Fox station in Miami. It’s one of the most fast-paced newsrooms in the country. I had a chance to work with and learn from some of the most talented people in the business. I covered everything from hurricanes and immigration to cats stuck in drains. I loved the big city. But Texas was calling…….
I previously spent two years anchoring and reporting at KLTV, the ABC affiliate in Tyler, Texas. You could say it was there that I developed a love for this fabulous state. Before that, I was a morning/noon anchor at KPAX, the CBS affiliate in Missoula, Montana. I was learning the ropes and paying my dues. All of it – preparing me for what I’m doing now at NewsChannel 9.
I believe there’s something special happening here at NewsChannel 9. This station has a long history in the community and I’m excited to be a part of it. I consider it a privilege to communicate the news to our viewers week nights at 5, 6 an 10 p.m. I hope you’ll watch and see the good work our team is doing.
But do more than watch! I'm always looking for story ideas. You can contact me at oraliaortega@ktsm.com. I also love meeting new people so if you see me around, don't be shy about saying hello.
Thanks for writing in. To answer your statement about our purpose in publishing their names and pictures..... have you not noticed that anyone who is accused of committing a crime (robbery, assault, so on and so forth) gets their picture and name posted on television and in the newspaper? The media does not choose whose picture and name is posted based on the crime they commit. A crime is a crime. We simply post the facts.
The reason the customers weren't in our report is because the customers were undercover officers. Had the officers taken in customers, I would have certainly interviewed the customers as well. But this particular operation focused solely on prostitutes.
As far as you saying the only reason I put them on was because they were transvestites, that's not the case. On the night that we were allowed to go with the undercover officers, it just so happened that everyone taken in that night was a transvestite.
And this was not labeled as a "breaking story". It was labeled "Only On 9".