Megan Alexander has carried a strong faith in Jesus with her from her youth. But when she entered the television news field, she wanted to be certain that she’d be known first as an excellent reporter. Then came her first role on a morning show in San Antonio, Texas. And a situation that quickly made her realize – she had to decide the person she was going to be.
“Well, nothing like live television and being thrust into the spotlight to make you decide who you’re going to be! Because there are no do overs. It’s live. You’re who you are.”
“Going into this industry I really thought I would read the teleprompter. I would prepare my notes. You know, I would just do my report and do it well. I was on a show very similar to like a Good Morning America in San Antonio, Texas. Very off the cuff. They wanted us to give our opinions. They wanted us to sort of be lighthearted and in the moment and natural, and, you know, you realize that if faith is a part of your life, and you’re trying to live out your faith in all aspects of your life, it’s naturally going to come out. There were a couple of moments for me where I needed to decide: was I going to be the same person on camera as well as off?“
A time for choosing came in a surprising way.
“There was a moment where one of my co-hosts talked about being single live on a television show, and I thought she had a steady boyfriend. I’d met him! After the show that day when we were off the air, I said, ‘Hey are you still seeing him?’ And she said, ‘Yeah I’m very much with him, but on air I’m single. I want to appear available.'”
“I had a boyfriend, and my boss encouraged us as as females to appear single on the show. He thought that was better. That’s where you need to say, OK. Now how does my faith fit into this? Because I believed that I needed to be the same person on and off camera, and that was a decision I had to make.”
It wasn’t always easy to speak up for her beliefs, but she also discovered that when she did she gained respect.
“There were a few other times. Commenting on a story. Giving my opinion where, you know, you sort of feel like maybe it won’t be as interesting to stick up for your faith and your values, but – as I write about in the book – I did share my opinion. I was true to my faith, and I soon learned from e-mails I got from viewers that I wasn’t alone!”
“There are more people that feel the same way than you realize, but that’s a leap of faith you need to take. You need to decide in those moments who you’re going to be, and that’s easier said than done, but I wanted to write about it. So people would get a practical look at what it looks like.”
Megan Alexander is a national correspondent for the top rated, longest-running syndicated television news magazine, Inside Edition. She spent the past two seasons as a correspondent for CBS’s Thursday Night Football. Her new book – offering a fascinating look at the intersection of her faith and career – is .
On the Road with Megan Alexander
