The REAL Polarbear's Blog

A screenshot of the actual website.   Notice the text in the red box.

LINK:  Barbara West: WFTV

For the past 16 years, I have served as health reporter and anchor for WFTV's news at noon and 5:30.

 I have covered stories of people, politics and medical breakthroughs. My work has taken me across the country and around the world. From Washington, D.C. I covered the inauguration of President Bush and the impeachment of President Clinton.

 When Hillary Clinton attempted to reform our health care system, I traveled to Canada to examine the Canadian national health care system as a possible model for the U.S.

 From the heart of Ukraine, I was the only Western reporter to broadcast from inside the nuclear reactor building at Chernobyl on the 10th anniversary of the nuclear disaster there. I also uncovered the long term toll in increased incidence of cancer that the disaster had on the surrounding population.

 Before relocating to Florida, I worked as the principal assistant to Peter Jennings during his years as the anchor for ABC's World News Tonite in London. I helped Peter cover such stories as the Royal Wedding of Charles and Diana and the hostage crisis in Iran where 52 Americans were imprisoned by their captors for more than 400 days.

 I was given the 2002 Summit Award for community service by the Central Florida Women's Resource Center and was voted Best Health Reporter in an Orlando Sentinel newspaper poll. I also received an Emmy award for my reporting on women fighting breast cancer.

 My work with Channel 9 and the Central Florida Fire Chiefs Association helped raise nearly 2.5 million dollars for the September 11th Fund which went directly to the families of the firefighters, police and Port Authority officers who lost their lives in the disaster. The City of New York Fire Chief noted it was the largest single contribution from any city or region in the country, including New York and L.A.

I have been active in helping the Central Florida Blood Bank raise blood donations. The twice-a-year blood drives here at the Channel 9 studios have helped raise an estimated 50 thousand units of blood.

Prior to working in television news, I was an assistant professor at the University of Vermont and represented Vermont in the Miss America Pageant. I hold a Master's Degree from the University of Vermont.

 I am married to Wade West, an international media consultant to politicians, professionals and organizations. Together we often serve as auctioneers at various fundraising events throughout the state. Also Note: Wade West is also a Republican donor. West donated $250 to the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE. He gave $500 to Will McBride a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Florida. As well as $500 to John Mica and $1,000 to Richard Keller both GOP congressional candidates in Florida.