Tina Cosby grew up with a sister and three brothers in a hardworking Madison, Indiana family.
Unlike many of her Hall of Fame peers, she liked writing, but planned to go into the medical field, not broadcasting.
She only enrolled in a journalism class at Indiana University because, being late to registration, it was the last elective left.
Tina’s professors made journalism so fascinating, that she soon tired of her medical trajectory.
A long-shot summer internship application to Louisville’s WAVE-TV landed her a job the summer after her junior year.
The internship gave her resume fodder for her post graduation trip with friends to Atlanta — and she dropped off tapes along the way in Bowling Green, Nashville and Chattanooga.
The Chattanooga ABC affiliate offered Tina a job in 1981.
Two years later, WISH-TV in Indianapolis came calling, which led to a 30-year career as reporter, anchor and ultimately community affairs director at the Indianapolis station.
As “Community Affairs Director” for “Radio One Indy,” she currently produces and hosts a two-hour, afternoon issues-based talk show: “Community Connection with Tina Cosby.”
Tina says journalism chose her and gave her an up-close look at the best and the worst of people. She has chosen to focus on the good news of humanity.
Cosby is the first African-American female to anchor a weekday newscast in Indianapolis, but she said she was just going to work and didn’t think in the moment about breaking race or gender barriers.
In addition to Indiana University, she is also a graduate of the Diversity Leadership Academy of Indianapolis, and the FBI Citizens Academy.
She has received Emmy Awards, Awards from the National Association of Black Journalists and the Society of Professional Journalists.
A fan of all Indy sports teams, she would far prefer to golf.
Tina says she knows way more about ball game strategies than she should — a nod to growing up with brothers.
She has an adult son and daughter, and one grandson.
