For Tricia Macke, television was never simply a place to build a public profile. It became a way to remain connected to the community where she grew up, telling stories about the people and places she knew long before she became one of Cincinnati’s most recognizable news anchors.
Macke has spent more than three decades at FOX19 NOW, an extraordinary stretch in a business where anchors frequently change stations, cities, and even careers. She joined WXIX when its local news operation launched in 1993 and eventually became the longtime face of its evening newscasts. As of 2026, FOX19 identifies her as its longest-tenured news anchor in Cincinnati.
Her longevity, however, is only part of the story. Macke’s career has crossed breaking news, international reporting, political interviews, community features, veterans’ stories, and deeply personal local reporting. What ties those chapters together is a consistent emphasis on Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, the region she has continued to call home.
The Ambition That Started Long Before Television
Macke’s connection to the Cincinnati area began in Newport, Kentucky, where she was born and raised. She graduated from Newport Central Catholic in 1987 before attending Northern Kentucky University, graduating in 1992.
By the time she entered professional broadcasting, she was already developing the determination that would define her career. Her early years were anything but a straight path to a television anchor desk.
In 1989, Macke began her journalism career as a producer at 700 WLW Radio. She later worked as a reporter and producer at Storer Cable, followed by a period as a news anchor and producer at WCKY Radio.
The early work mattered because it gave her experience across different sides of broadcasting. Television may eventually have become her best-known medium, but radio and production taught her the mechanics of news before she became the person viewers saw delivering it.
There was another unusual chapter, too. In 1993, while establishing herself in journalism, Macke was also working as a model. A 2018 profile by WVXU recalled that she was balancing three jobs at the time, including WCKY, freelance reporting for Channel 19, and modeling work that helped pay her bills.
That period offers an important glimpse into what came before the polished anchor desk. Her career was built through overlapping jobs and practical experience rather than overnight visibility.
The Beginning of a Remarkable FOX19 Run
Macke’s defining professional opportunity arrived in 1993.
WXIX-TV launched its local news operation on October 18 of that year, and Macke joined the organization around its debut. FOX19 later described her as one of the station’s first hires, while a 2018 anniversary report identified her as the only remaining original member of the station’s news team at the time.
She initially worked as a freelance reporter before moving into a full-time role. In 1995, she began anchoring the weekend edition of the FOX19 Ten O’Clock News. Three years later, she became co-host of “19 in the Morning,” demonstrating that her abilities extended beyond evening news.
Then came the role that would become synonymous with her name.
In 1999, Macke became the co-anchor of the station’s nightly Ten O’Clock News. More than two decades later, she remains closely associated with that broadcast. FOX19 has described her as the face of its 10 p.m. news for much of the station’s history.
That kind of continuity is unusual in local television. Newsrooms change ownership, anchors move to competing stations, programs are reformatted, and viewing habits evolve. Macke stayed.
From Reporter to Veteran Anchor
The anchor desk could easily have become the endpoint of Macke’s career. Instead, reporting remained central to her work.
FOX19’s current biography notes that her assignments have taken her outside the United States, including reporting from Bosnia, Germany, and Israel. She has also interviewed prominent political figures, including Donald Trump and Mike Pence, as well as senators, governors, athletes, and celebrities.
Her reporting has also included major national stories. FOX19 cites her coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial among the significant events she covered during her career.
But Macke’s journalism has never depended solely on the scale of a story.
Some of her most meaningful work has involved people whose names were unlikely to dominate national headlines. Her reporting on Anna Reno, an eight-year-old girl battling cystic fibrosis, is one example. Macke documented Anna’s experience and continued following the family’s story after Anna died in 2009.
That kind of reporting illustrates the difference between being a familiar television personality and being a journalist with a long memory. A breaking story may last for a day. A reporter’s relationship with the people inside that story can last for years.
The Stories That Defined Her Journalism
Macke’s career has repeatedly moved between large-scale events and intensely local reporting.
One of the clearest recent examples came after the February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. FOX19 says Macke led coverage of the continuing impact on residents, including reporting focused on health concerns in the community.
Her work has also increasingly included stories centered on veterans.
FOX19’s “A Salute to Heroes” franchise has given Macke a platform to tell stories about veterans, their service, and the challenges they face after returning to civilian life. Recent examples include reporting on Honor Flight efforts, veterans of the once-classified Army Security Agency, and World War II veterans.
The emphasis is significant because it reflects a broader characteristic of Macke’s reporting: she frequently approaches public issues through individual lives.
Rather than treating a topic simply as a headline, her work often asks what that headline means to the person standing in front of the camera.
Why Tricia Macke Has Remained Relevant
Macke’s career has survived several generations of television news.
She was already working in broadcasting before social media became part of journalism. She built her reputation when viewers primarily received local news through scheduled television broadcasts, yet she has remained part of the newsroom as audiences increasingly consume news online and on demand.
FOX19 currently lists her as an anchor across multiple evening newscasts, including the 4, 5, 6, 10, and 11 p.m. broadcasts.
Her professional recognition has also continued. FOX19 reported that Macke received the Silver Circle Award from the Ohio Valley Emmy chapter in July 2025. The honor recognizes television professionals with at least 25 years in the industry who have made significant contributions to television and their communities.
FOX19 also identifies her as a multi-Emmy Award winner and recipient of an Associated Press Award for Excellence in Journalism.
In 2023, the station marked her 30th anniversary at FOX19, highlighting her interviews with Cincinnati figures such as Jerry Springer and Joe Morgan alongside her coverage of major regional stories.
The numbers tell part of the story. The more revealing fact is that Macke has remained interested in reporting even after becoming an established anchor.
Life Beyond the Anchor Desk
Macke’s professional identity is closely tied to Cincinnati, but her public life has also included substantial community involvement.
FOX19’s current biography identifies her as the mother of five children and says she has remained committed to Northern Kentucky despite opportunities to leave the region. It also notes her marriage to Chris, a local attorney and sports agent, which began in 1992.
Her community interests extend beyond journalism. FOX19 says she founded a basketball organization designed to help young athletes pursue college scholarships while emphasizing education and life skills. She has also coached basketball, supported animal rescue efforts, and participated in initiatives supporting veterans.
Earlier in her career, Macke served on the Northern Kentucky University Alumni Board and boards connected to St. Luke Hospital and cystic fibrosis advocacy, among other community activities.
Her connection to education has continued as well. Following her 2025 Silver Circle recognition, FOX19 reported that Macke mentors aspiring journalists through lectures at Northern Kentucky University and engagements with student journalism groups.
Tricia Macke’s Lasting Place in Cincinnati Media
There is something unusually local about Macke’s career.
Many television journalists measure success by how far their careers take them. Macke’s story is almost the reverse. Her professional significance has grown partly because she stayed close to home.
She grew up in the region, attended school there, began working in local media, joined a new television operation in 1993, and remained with that organization through decades of change.
In 2014, when FOX19 announced another contract extension, the station emphasized her consistency at the evening anchor desk. At the time, she had already spent more than 20 years at the station, a tenure the station characterized as rare among local on-air talent.
That longevity has given Macke something difficult for newer journalists to replicate: historical perspective.
She has watched Cincinnati change while reporting on those changes. She has interviewed politicians and public figures who later became part of history. She has returned to stories long after the initial headlines disappeared. And she has remained recognizable to generations of viewers.
Biography Snapshot
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Tricia Macke (@therealtriciamacke) |
| Profession | Television journalist and news anchor |
| Known for | FOX19 NOW, Cincinnati |
| Hometown | Newport, Kentucky |
| High school | Newport Central Catholic |
| College | Northern Kentucky University |
| College graduation | 1992 |
| FOX19 start | 1993 |
| Major anchor role | FOX19 evening newscasts |
| Industry recognition | Multiple Emmy Awards, AP Award, 2025 Silver Circle Award |
| Children | Five |
| Husband | Chris Macke |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Tricia Macke?
Tricia Macke is a Cincinnati television journalist and longtime FOX19 NOW anchor. She joined WXIX when its local news operation debuted in 1993 and has remained with the station ever since.
How long has Tricia Macke worked at FOX19?
Macke has worked at FOX19 since 1993. The station celebrated her 30th anniversary in 2023, and she received the Silver Circle Award in 2025 for her long career in television journalism.
Where did Tricia Macke go to college?
Macke attended Northern Kentucky University and graduated in 1992.
When did Tricia Macke begin working in broadcasting?
Her journalism career began in 1989 as a producer at 700 WLW Radio. She subsequently worked in cable and radio news before joining WXIX-TV in 1993.
What is Tricia Macke known for?
She is best known for her long tenure as a FOX19 NOW anchor and for reporting on major local, national, and international stories. Her work has included coverage from Israel, Bosnia, and Germany, as well as significant stories in the Cincinnati region.
Is Tricia Macke still working in Cincinnati television?
Yes. FOX19 currently lists Macke as a FOX19 NOW anchor and continues to publish reporting under her name.
Has Tricia Macke received journalism awards?
Yes. FOX19 identifies her as a multi-Emmy Award winner and recipient of an Associated Press Award for Excellence in Journalism. In July 2025, she was also inducted into the Ohio Valley Emmy chapter’s Silver Circle.
Why has Tricia Macke stayed in Cincinnati for so long?
Macke has repeatedly expressed a strong connection to Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Her career, family, community involvement, and professional identity have all remained closely tied to the region.
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Final Thoughts
Tricia Macke’s career is remarkable not because she spent decades trying to become famous, but because she built something more difficult to sustain: trust.
Her story began in Northern Kentucky, passed through radio, cable, freelance reporting and a demanding early career, and eventually settled into a remarkable relationship with one television station and one community.
The television industry around her has changed dramatically since 1993. The way people receive news has changed. Newsrooms have changed. Cincinnati itself has changed.
Macke stayed close enough to all of it to document that change.
That may ultimately be the most meaningful measure of her career. She has not simply been a person delivering Cincinnati’s news. For more than three decades, she has become part of the region’s media memory, returning night after night to tell viewers what happened, why it mattered, and whose life was changed by it.
And in an industry built around the next story, there is something powerful about a journalist who understands the value of remembering the last one.
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