Do you start your day with the local news? If you're like me, you catch up on the latest in North Alabama every morning while getting ready for the workday — and you're probably already familiar with my next guest.

Joining us today is Melissa Riopka, co-host and anchor for WHNT 19 News this Morning. We had the exciting opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes glance at her story as a mom and journalist.

In this episode, we talked about:

• The (very) early morning routine of a news anchor...including a 1:30 AM alarm!
• What a typical day in the life looks like at a broadcast news station
• How the impact of social media and technology has changed journalism
• Why the local news matters to communities — and how it differs from national news
• Melissa's all-time favorite interview from the last 20 years