Frances Rivera

{{Short description|Filipino-American journalist and television news anchor}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Frances Rivera

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| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1970}}

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| occupation = Journalist

| alma_mater = University of the Philippines Diliman

| spouse = Stuart FraassSoroff, Jonathan, [http://www.improper.com/columns/a-land-noir-noir-away1/ "A Land Noir, Noir Away"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406080057/http://www.improper.com/columns/a-land-noir-noir-away1/ |date=April 6, 2011 }}, The Improper Bostonian, 2010

| children = Tessa (daughter)
Laz Conrad River (son)

}}

Frances Rivera (born 1970Diaz, Johnny, [http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2007/12/17/woman_of_the_hours/ "Woman of the hours: Channel 7 anchor Frances Rivera is proud of her Filipino heritage and her career. She's also proud to call Boston home"], Boston Globe, December 17, 2007. "At 37, Rivera is the youngest main female anchor in Boston."[http://www.boston.com/yourlife/fashion/gallery/2007/2007_most_stylish?pg=15 "The 25 Most Sylish Bostonians 2007"], The Boston Globe, 2007.) is a Filipino-American journalist and television news anchor appearing on the overnight news program, Early Today on NBC. For ten years, until August 2011, she was a television reporter and anchor for Boston's NBC affiliate, WHDH. She then joined WPIX in New York City as a morning news anchor. In February 2014, she joined NBC News and MSNBC where she served as co-anchor with Thomas Roberts on MSNBC Live.[http://www.newenglandone.com/news/national/item/910-frances-rivera-joins-thomas-roberts-on-msnbc-live.html "Frances Rivera Joins Thomas Roberts on 'MSNBC Live'"], New England One, March 3, 2015 In 2017, she became co-anchor of Early Today.

Career

After graduation from college, Rivera returned to the United States to work at CBS Morning News in New York City. She worked at CBS affiliate KWTV in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and NBC affiliate KFDX in Wichita Falls, Texas. She also worked off camera in New York City for CBS News' The Morning Show and covered the 1996 Presidential campaign. Rivera was also a co-host and reporter for the PBS show Asian America.

= Boston 2001-2011 =

In 2001, Rivera joined WHDH in Boston and in 2006, was promoted to the news anchor chair.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2011-08-09 |title=UP alumna newest news anchor in New York |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/dispatch/228861/up-alumna-newest-news-anchor-in-new-york/story/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201073648/https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/dispatch/228861/up-alumna-newest-news-anchor-in-new-york/story/ |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=2025-02-01 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}}

= Move to New York 2011 =

In July 2011, it was reported that due to personal and family reasons, Rivera would leave WHDH in August 2011 for a New York TV job.[http://www.bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/media/view.bg?articleid=1351669 Frances Rivera leaving Channel 7 for N.Y. local TV job], Jessica Heslam, Boston Herald, July 13, 2011Diaz, Johnny, [http://www.boston.com/Boston/businessupdates/2011/07/frances-rivera-leave-channel-anchor-team/aieYdXG56LwDjPTpoZ31mO/index.html "Frances Rivera to leave Channel 7 anchor team"], The Boston Globe, July 13, 2011 Her last broadcast in Boston was Thursday, August 18, 2011.[http://www.facebook.com/pages/Frances-Rivera/100627796656644 Frances Rivera's Facebook page] - entry for Monday, August 15, 2011 She left to join the WPIX Pix11 Morning News in New York CityHuff, Richard, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120609140149/http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-07-15/entertainment/29792389_1_coanchor-anchor-desk-laurie-dhue "Local TV anchors switch it up, with Frances Rivera joining WPIX/Ch.11; Michelle Imperato heads to LA"], New York Daily News, Friday, July 15, 2011 and began broadcasting there on Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 6:14 a.m. covering Hurricane Irene.Knox, Merrill, [http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/its-official-frances-rivera-joins-nycs-wpix_b19059 "It’s Official: Frances Rivera Joins NYC’s WPIX"], TV Spy, from a WPIX press release, August 22, 2011 2:35 PM[http://www.wpix.com/about/newsteam/wpix-frances-rivera-20110830,0,2368611.story "Profile: Frances Rivera"], WPIX Morning News team.

On August 6, 2013, Rivera accepted a buyout from WPIX and left the station at the end of that month. On her Facebook page, she stated, "Never been into on-air goodbyes, so for my last week at work, I insist on a no fuss, genuine one right here: Much love and goodbye for now!"{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/OfficialFrancesRivera |title=Frances Rivera |publisher=Facebook |access-date=2017-01-08}}{{cite web|url=http://tunedinnyc.com/2013/08/06/breaking-frances-rivera-accepts-buyout-from-wpix/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130817105750/http://tunedinnyc.com/2013/08/06/breaking-frances-rivera-accepts-buyout-from-wpix/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 17, 2013 |title=Breaking: Frances Rivera Accepts Buyout from WPIX | Tuned In |website=Tunedinnyc.com |date=2013-08-06 |access-date=2017-01-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dcrtv.com/nyc.html |title=dcrtv |website=Dcrtv.com |access-date=2017-01-08}}

In 2014, she became a co-anchor at MSNBC.

Since 2017, she has been the co-anchor of Early Today. [https://www.mediaite.com/tv/award-winning-journalist-phillip-mena-heading-to-msnbc-for-anchor-gig ABC News’ Phillip Mena Heading to MSNBC for Anchor Gig]

Personal life

Rivera was born in the Philippines. When she was three years old, she and her family, including her two brothers Andre and Marc, moved from the Philippines to Austin, Texas. Sometime afterward, they moved and settled in Dallas. She was sent by her family to finish her studies in the Philippines which she did, receiving her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

In 2003, Rivera married Stuart Fraass, a Boston mortgage broker,[http://bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view/20100322spreading_the_news "Spreading the news"], The Boston Herald, Monday, March 22, 2010 and in 2010, they had their first child, a daughter named Tessa.[http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12002057349641/7-s-frances-rivera-welcomes-baby-girl-to-the-world/ "7's Frances Rivera Welcomes Baby Girl To The World"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101101170331/http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12002057349641/7-s-frances-rivera-welcomes-baby-girl-to-the-world |date=2010-11-01 }}, WHDH-TV story, 2010. In fall 2012, she gave birth to their second child, a son named Laz Conrad River.Pekerman, Pamela, [http://pamelapekerman.blogspot.com/2013/01/frances-rivera-interview-stylish-mom.html "Frances Rivera Interview, Stylish Mom, PIX11 Anchor, & MILF Mom Is Looking Fabulous"], Wednesday, January 30, 2013