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Matthew Simon brings 27 years of broadcast journalism experience to his role as assistant news director at Alaska's News Source and Gray Television. An IRE finalist, national Murrow Award recipient, and regional EMMY® winner, Simon has worked across markets nationwide in nearly every newsroom role.

Since returning to KTUU-Channel 2 and KYES-Channel 5 in August 2023, Simon leads Alaska's premier television news outlets with a compassionate management approach that prioritizes both journalistic excellence and team wellbeing. This marks his return to KTUU, where he previously served as an investigative reporter/supervising producer, completing a full-circle journey after more than a decade working across the Lower 48.

Simon's recent work includes managing Hurricane Ian coverage at WFTX-TV and establishing an investigative unit that earned recognition from the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists. At WHIO-TV in Dayton, Ohio, he oversaw investigations that led to changes in Ohio law regarding how child protection agencies share information.

During his earlier Alaska tenure, Simon covered significant state events including former Gov. Sarah Palin's administration and vice presidential nomination, Mt. Redoubt's volcanic eruption, and political corruption trials. His community involvement included developing KTVA's "Cancer Connection" program, where he shared his personal cancer experience with Anchorage School District students.

Simon holds dear journalism's founding principle of serving as a government watchdog. Approaching every story with the highest ethical standards, he focuses on government waste, holding people in power accountable, giving voice to those who lack one, and uncovering personal stories behind broader trends. His work results in honest, relevant and compelling enterprise stories backed by extensive documentation across all platforms.

Trained to think with a documented mindset, Simon brings expertise in data mining, FOIA requests, and Computer Assisted Reporting to his investigative work. This relentless pursuit of truth, combined with his University of Missouri School of Journalism education, drives his commitment to mentoring emerging journalists while delivering community-centered journalism that creates meaningful change.

Born in Gillette, Wyoming, Matthew moved to Birmingham, Alabama when he was two. He grew up in the Birmingham suburb Mountain Brook.

Matthew Simon's Education

University of Missouri-Columbia

Bachelor of Journalism/History Minor, Broadcast Journalism, Modern American History

2000 – 2004

Activities and Societies: MUTV News- Primary Anchor/investigative Reporter for campus television station

Matthew Simon's Experience

2023-Current, KTUU/KYES-TV, Anchorage, Alaska DMA

Assistant News Director

Collaborate with the news director to supervise approximately 50 direct reports in producing digital-first content for a statewide Alaska audience, including 30 hours of weekly broadcast news for NBC/CBS affiliates and managing the newsroom staff of the Fairbanks sister station, KTVF-TV. Responsibilities include overseeing daily news operations and coverage of breaking news and severe weather, supervising investigative and political reporting, serving as the lead decision-maker for editorial choices and legal reviews, copy editing and approving digital and broadcast scripts, planning and executing major special projects such as election coverage, and hiring, retaining, and developing talent through daily coaching and regular feedback.

2021-2023, WFTX-TV, Ft.Myers-Naples, Florida DMA

Assistant News Director

Assistant News Director for E.W. Scripps’ Ft. Myers-Cape Coral- Naples, Florida (Market 46) Fox affiliate, WFTX-TV. Work in partnership with the news director overseeing a staff of approximately 40-50 content creators producing 50 hours of news per week plus digital/streaming content. Direct reports include general assignment and investigative news reporters/multimedia journalists and content planner. Responsibilities include: overseeing daily and long-term content planning & execution, including major breaking news/severe weather events; script approval & editorial decisions; hiring and coaching reporting staff to grow skill sets based on weekly feedback sessions. Specifically use my prior 20 years of investigative/general assignment reporting experience to coach MMJs on human experiential-NPPA style storytelling and daily investigative techniques. Accomplishments include overseeing planning and continuing Hurricane Ian coverage execution and 30 minute special; Launching an investigative unit/hiring an investigative reporter and creating an overall more competitive, market leading news product. Also started, and currently lead, monthly statewide meeting between Scripps’ FL investigative/special projects teams.

2019-2021, WHIO-TV, Dayton, Ohio DMA

Executive Producer: Investigations & Special Projects

Serve as part of the newsroom’s senior leadership team, as #3 manager, for America’s #1 CBS affiliate. Responsibilities include strategic planning, major project execution, analytics analysis, hiring staff, coaching, retention and human resources issues. Manage a staff of approx. 50 newsroom employees and able to take over the newsroom in news director’s absence. Experience building creative and impactful newscasts, investigations, and special features with emphasis on breaking news, weather and special projects. Monitor and review content for quality control, ethical, and legal considerations, including libel, defamation, privacy, and FCC regulations. Skilled at generating compelling, original, human-centered content using National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) techniques. Identify stories with broad sweeps appeal and craft well-paced storytelling focusing on the human experience. Point person during major breaking news coverage, including a mass shooting and tornado outbreak, as well as content driven newscasts, specials topics like police reforms/race relations, back to school, election election coverage and producing documentary-style specials. Also serve as a newsroom coach, teaching the next generation investigative and storytelling skills. Repeatedly garner awards and achieve top ratings for special reports, investigations, documentaries, weather events, and breaking news. Establish department goals to promote the station’s brand.

2016-2019, WSAW/WZAW-TV, Wausau-Rhinelander DMA

Senior Investigative Reporter/ News Anchor

Senior investigative journalist for market's only investigative unit. One of the newsroom's senior staff members, focusing on breaking exclusive investigative stories. Also assist in coaching younger journalists and aid the news director in overseeing major event coverage.

2014-2015, WISC-TV, Madison, WI DMA

News Reporter/ Anchor

Primary enterprising, multi-platform evening storyteller/high-energy, personality driven ‘command’ anchor for Southern Wisconsin’s most-watched news station. Duties include daily live shot general assignment turns, with an investigative/government focus, fill-in anchoring on multiple newscasts & continuously contributing web/social media content. Storytelling style relies heavily on emotion & human experience, creative, conversational writing, while not relying on official sound bites.

2013 – 2014, Time Warner Cable News

Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville, NC DMA

News Reporter (Freelance)

Freelance video journalist for Time Warner Cable's 24-Hour news channel covering North Carolina's six county Sandhills region. Responsible for developing story ideas, cultivating sources, shooting, writing, reporting and editing daily television and website news stories. Coverage area includes: Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Raeford, Southern Pines, Aberdeen, Pinehurst, Dunn & Lumberton

2011-2012, KTUU-DT, Anchorage, AK DMA

Supervising Producer/Investigative Reporter

General assignment reporter, specializing in investigative story telling & promotable investigative pieces during sweeps. Three days a week were spent field reporting, consistently filling in for weekday producers & occasionally filled-in on the anchor desk. Also managed the newsroom on the weekends as a supervising producer & produced the early newscasts.

2005 – 2011, KTVA-TV, Anchorage, Alaska DMA

Weekend Anchor/Senior Reporter

Anchor/Producer, weekends
Responsible for planning coverage, producing/anchoring shows, managing staff of 5-8, editorial approval & website\social networking management

Senior Reporter, state legislature/politics
Primary live shot reporter
Produced numerous, exclusive stories
Covered 3 governors, including Sarah Palin's administration
Extensive knowledge of oil/natural gas tax policy & legislative process

Responsible for station’s Cancer Connection Program
Produced monthly cancer feature stories
Partnered with school district to put cancer education in health classes
Various community appearances to raise cancer awareness
Served on 3 cancer boards: Relay For Life, Alaska Men's Run, Alaska Men's Retreat

2004 – 2005, KAKE-TV, Wichita, Kansas DMA 

News Reporter

General assignment reporter enterprising stories & sources, and producing multiple day turn live shots & stories

May 2004 – October 2004, WSFA-TV, Montgomery, Alabama DMA

Reporter/Photojournalist

Generate, shoot, write, and edit general assignment stories

2000 – 2004, KOMU-TV, Columbia, Missouri DMA

Investigative Reporter/Weekend Anchor

Investigative/Consumer Reporter: August 2003 - May 2004
Enterprise reporter focusing on fraud, corruption, cover ups, consumer complaints, and information.

Co-launched a successful consumer/investigative unit that is still in operation today

General Assignment Reporter: August 2000 - August 2003
Generate, shoot, write, and edit general assignment stories

Anchor: December 2000 - May 2004
Anchor weekend newscasts/ morning news cut-ins
Fill-in for primary anchors

Producer: December 2000 - May 2004
Produce six, ten, and morning cut-ins and microwave/ satellite lives

1998 – 2000, WVTM-TV, Birmingham, Alabama DMA

Promotions department intern

Produce topicals, sweeps promotions, and community service announcements