A Phoenix TV pioneer: Mary Jo West shares story of breaking barriers
Mary Jo West: Looking back at a remarkable career | Video Vault
For the people who have trailblazed before us, we give thanks for Mary Jo West: the first female anchor woman in Phoenix -- and she has quite the story. FOX 10's Syleste Rodriguez reports.
PHOENIX - As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we're giving thanks to a Valley legend: Mary Jo West, the first female anchor in Phoenix television news.
West, who became a groundbreaking figure in Arizona journalism in the 1970s, returned to FOX 10 to reflect on her career and the path she paved for women in broadcasting.
The backstory:
West began her career at KAET Channel 8, Phoenix’s PBS station, before being approached by Channel 10 — then a CBS affiliate — in 1976. At just 24 years old, she auditioned for the anchor position, but the experience came with challenges.
"One of the anchormen walked off midway through the audition," West recalled. "He slammed his script down and said, ‘I am not going to audition with any woman.’"
Despite that moment, she continued and ultimately won the job.
Bill Close and Mary Jo West on the KOOL-TV news set (file)
West anchored alongside longtime newsman Bill Close for years, covering topics that were rarely discussed on television at the time, including rape and domestic violence. She produced one of the first in-depth series on sexual assault in Phoenix and was the first journalist allowed inside Florence prison to interview convicted rapists.
"There was a high incidence of rape in Phoenix," she said. "I felt like we had to see if there was anything we could do to stop it." One interview left a lasting impact on her: "A rapist told me it had nothing to do with sex. It was all about anger."
Her work spanned major political conventions, high-profile interviews — including one with Walter Cronkite — and the early evolution of live TV technology. She later left Phoenix for CNN and New York before returning home for another stint in local news.
A life-changing assignment came when West produced a documentary on Mother Teresa. Through that relationship, she and her husband later adopted a daughter from one of Mother Teresa’s orphanages in Honduras.
Today, West brings that same compassion to Sky Harbor International Airport, where she volunteers at the information desk. "When people go to the airport, they’re under great stress," she said. "Some days I feel like I’m a social worker."
Returning to FOX 10 stirred strong emotions. "It brings back such amazing joy," she said. "The memories are incredible — the horrible stories and the big moments — and the opportunity Channel 10 gave this woman in the late ’70s, early ’80s, to get out there."
West says she remains grateful for the life her career created — and for the newsroom that started it all.