“Breakfast with Bob” and “Dr.Mike” are some segments you might recognize from a popular morning show. For Fox 29’s 8am and 9am hours of Good Day Philadelphia, Liana Daywalt is the heart of this operation. 

Having a lot of responsibilities in her job as a producer, Daywalt, the daughter of North Penn High School teacher Sue Daywalt,  had to gain a lot of experience prior to Fox 29. Her experience started in high school, but not as a producer, as a speaker on the morning announcements.

“I wouldn’t say going into high school I always knew what I wanted to do, but that’s definitely where I figured it out. I grew up around sports and always had a great love for them. I grew up playing volleyball and softball, and in high school, I was the baseball manager. In my junior year, one of my teachers wanted to add a sports segment to the morning announcements. Knowing my love for sports, Father Casey asked me if I was interested, and I jumped at the opportunity. That is where my dream to one day be a sports broadcaster really started,” Daywalt explained.

After her morning announcements debut, Daywalt moved on to bigger things at Temple University. There, she tried out being on air and producing.

“During freshman year I found TUTV and joined Owl Sports Update, a student-run organization framed after Sportscenter. I did that all 4 years of college and did almost every job there was. From camera operator, and graphics designer to a reporter and eventually anchor. In my senior year, I stepped out of my comfort zone to get involved in Temple Update which was the news program. Both of those programs offered me so much hands-on experience and that is what I credit for being so prepared to enter the working world.”

Post-Temple, Daywalt finally made a decision in her career path to start producing.

“I didn’t decide to follow the producer path until after college. I did some producing while at Temple but much of my focus was on the air. Post-graduation, as I was applying to jobs and not having great success right away, one of my professors, Matt Fine, sent me a producer job posting suggesting I go for it. Realizing it would be a foot in the door if nothing else, I went for it and got the job. That was at the NBC affiliate, WJAC in Johnstown, PA,” Daywalt said.

Having to move all the way out to Johnstown, PA was a hard time in Daywalt’s life in the workforce. Being a family-oriented woman, it was difficult to move.

“I am very close with my family, so the hardest part of my career so far was having to move away from family, friends, and my boyfriend (now husband) to start a whole life by myself 3 hours away. What made it more difficult was I was working overnight from 10pm to 6am. I eventually got used to it and made great friends that also worked at the station that were away from their families. After my first year, my now husband (then boyfriend) moved to be with me and made it feel more like home. But having to focus solely on work the first year I was there definitely made me hone my skills and really take off from there,” Daywalt said.

When Daywalt was finished with her experience in Johnstown at NBC, she was offered her current position at Fox 29 as the producer of the 8am. and 9am Good Day Philidelphia segments. She had many highlights from her time in the city and is at her happiest.

“I would say I am happiest right now in my career. I am working in my hometown market on the best morning show in the city,” Daywalt exclaimed.

In order to become the happiest and most successful in her career, she had to work hard. Daywalt stressed that in order to get into this career, you need to want it completely and start early.

“My best advice for someone looking to get into the broadcasting field is to get involved as soon as you can. When you’re looking at colleges, pick one that has a great communications/journalism department as well as a TV studio where you can get your hands dirty. I truly credit all my involvement through college for where I am in my career. Another piece of advice, find mentors and use them! Lean on them to look over your reels, or when it comes to looking for internships or job listings,” Daywalt said.