Kathryn Mobley is an award-winning broadcast journalist, crafting stories for more than 30 years.
Starting at WYSO in 2022, she covers local government, and has led our political reporting through each election. She also covers our region's universities, school districts and education topics.
In this WYSO Weekend interview, she talks about her reporting and introduces us to her "road dog" Odie.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Jerry Kenney: Kathryn, you cover politics and education for the station, and you've been here a while, so we are a little delayed in getting to speak with you and getting to talk a little bit more about who you are, maybe even outside the studios. And I will say, we just heard a little shaking/jingle in the background. We have another guest in studio with us.
Mobley: Yes, and that guest is Odysseus Darius, more commonly known as Odie. He is my black lab. He's nine years old and he has been literally at my hip since he was about four or five months old.
Kenney: Aw, he's awfully, awfully cute. And I hope you don't mind me bringing this up, but he recently participated in some damage that was done as you were getting ready to take him out for a walk.
Mobley: Yes, well, actually we were, it was on a Friday. I had just finished my shift. I had hosted here at WYSO, came home. It was a beautiful summer evening, and we were out walking. We were almost home, and I thought he was, well, he was about to run across the street. I was trying to grab his leash. It whipped around my finger, my ring finger on my right hand and broke it. So it was like crunch. Yes, a big ouch. But I've had surgery. I now have three screws. I'm now bionic. I have a bionic finger. And I'm now on the road to recovery. So it's OK.
Kenney: Yeah, you're doing some therapy.
Mobley: A lot of therapy, yes, and you know, he ran off, I was in pain, but then he trotted back and came and sat next to me like, "OK mommy, now what are we going to do?"
Kenney: Aren't you proud of what I've done?
Mobley: That's right, that's right.
Kenney: So let's talk a little bit about your time here at WYSO because really you hit the ground running several years ago and you're still going at it, especially with the frequency of election seasons that we all have to go through. Tell us a little about your time at WYSO, and you’re still happy to be with us?
Mobley: I am thrilled to be with you, you know, it is truly an honor when you can wake up every morning even if you're tired, even if only had four hours of sleep, which recently happened to me, and enjoy and look forward to your next project, your next story. So yes, I very much am enjoying my season here with WYSO, and I hope it is a very long and illustrious season. I came to WYSO after working in North Carolina for several years. I've worked in television, in radio. I actually started in radio at Central State when I first graduated from my graduate program. But I've work in TV, I've worked on web, I've done public relations, so I've bounced around a little bit in all forms of media. At the bottom line, I was putting out stories, interacting with people, and creating opportunities for people to share their stories on various platforms.
Kenney: Yeah. So you've worked in television. Radio's a little different. Certainly the dress code is different.
Mobley: Let me tell you, yes, although I will share a secret. Before they started with the glass-top anchor desks, there were times, especially in the summertime when I worked in smaller stations and the air conditioning was a little iffy, when the anchors had shorts on and flip-flops because it was just so hot.
Kenney: But a nice blouse?
Mobley: But a nice blouse and jacket, yes. And I'm talking about the men and the women on both sides. Yeah, one of the most interesting TV stories I did, I actually was working here at WKEF. This was a long, long time ago, but it was during a time when the drought had hit Ohio. And it was really bad. And I was out in the middle of a cornfield in the Toledo area and doing a live shot, and my producer said in my ear, "Kathryn, you're sweating. Can you just look a little drier?" It's 102 degrees out here. I'll see what I can do about it. So I worked that in to explain so viewers would understand why I was literally melting on screen. But I enjoy radio. Radio is a great challenge, because we don't have the advantage of video to convey whatever we're talking about. We really have got to reach deep into a vast vocabulary to pull up words that not only will describe whatever it is we're talking about or the scene we may be in, but also so our listeners will be able to plug in very quickly. Radio also gives me and other reporters, such as yourself, an opportunity to use a lot of natural sound and get right there in the moment. So that's something I really enjoy doing.
Kenney: What are some of your favorite stories that you've covered in the past?
Mobley: That's hard. I did a wonderful story about a year, year and a half ago with an international gospel group and I enjoyed working on that one because I was able to integrate music into the storytelling. Also they worked with a high schooler from a local high school who played the kettle drum. So it was wonderful to be able to interview her, bring in some of her comments and her drumming. That was a neat one.
And then also, I had the opportunity to work on a piece where a woman who was in her mid-90s, pardon me, she was in a mid-80s, she rented an apartment. Part of the rent included having heat, but when we were having a horribly cold winter about a year and a half ago, she and nine other residents in this building had no heat and so to be able to share that story, and fortunately I was able to also speak with the landlord so I was able to give his side, too. I always think about I'm not trying to nail anyone to the wall, I want to present both sides, or actually as many angles to a story as possible because it's not always just two sides to a story as many angles to give as many individuals or or concerned entities an opportunity to express their viewpoints. That way we all get a lot smarter together because we learn aspects we just did not know about.
Kenney: Correct me if I'm wrong, you won an award for investigative piece for that story.
Mobley: Yes, yes, I did. And I'm, I'm very glad, I am very proud. But again, the awards do not motivate me at all, although I was pleased the selection committee saw that piece of work as an opportunity to, No. 1, elevate and as an example of sterling journalism and, and quality journalism, which is what all of us here at WYSO strive.
Kenney: Kathryn, I see Odie has been very, very patient with us as we've sat here and talked. He's looking out the glass studio doors and I think you've promised him a walk in the park.
Mobley: I have promised him a walk in the park. He is truly my road dog. He will jump, ever since he was four months old, he has been riding in cars, going with me everywhere, so yes, he's looking at me right now. He knows when I'm talking about him. So yes, we're going to hit the trail and enjoy this wonderful weather.
Kenney: Kathryn Mobley, WYSO's politics and education reporter. Thank you so much. It's great to hear a little bit more about you.
Mobley: Thank you, Jerry.
