Jackson, TN – Jackson native and USJ alum, Shayla Reaves, will be featured in the premiere episode of Spotlight 11 on West TN PBS WLJT-TV 11.
The new hour-long program debuts on New Year’s Eve at 6 p.m., and will find out about Reaves’ childhood in Jackson, including what influenced her television news career and the story behind her new book about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Spotlight 11 meets up with famous people from West Tennessee and Shayla is the perfect person to kick-off this new program,” says the host and West TN PBS General Manager & CEO Peter Noll, “Shayla’s story is inspiring and will be one viewers will enjoy watching.”
The first episode of Spotlight 11 will also feature Reave’s mother, Linda Reaves of Jackson, who shares what Reaves was like as a young child. WLJT also speaks with Jean Norville, Reave’s 7th and 8th grade English teacher. Reave’s book Echo in the Distance, is dedicated to Norville.
WLJT sat down with Reaves at her alma mater, University School of Jackson. During the interview Reaves is shown her graduation class photo and meets up with her former teachers.
Reaves is currently an anchor and reporter at WCCO TV in Minneapolis. Previously she worked at stations in Louisville, Kentucky, Columbus, Ohio, Tampa, Florida and Greenville, North Carolina. Reaves also interned at Jackson’s WBBJ Television.
WLJT-TV will be airing Spotlight 11 featuring Reaves on Channels 11.1 and 11.3 throughout January and will be streaming the program on the PBS App and westtnpbs.org.
(PHOTO: Shayla Reaves, right, with Jean Norville)
