Marc Istook wakes up early. Like really early. For the three-time Emmy-winning anchor of Daybreak, the Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA's morning news show, a loud alarm clock and strong cup of coffee come with the job. And while waking up before some folks have gone to bed might sound like a nightmare, for Marc it’s a dream. One that’s the culmination of a career spanning more than 20 years.
You name it - Marc has done it. News. Sports. Entertainment. Even weather. In the studio. Live in the field. From red carpets to Super Bowl sidelines, for outlets like NFL Network, CNN, BBC, Yahoo!, TV Guide Network, ABC.com, Food Network, DirecTV and more. From Los Angeles to New York, Monte Carlo to Tokyo, this globetrotting broadcast journalist and TV host brings a wealth of experience and a relatable, energetic approach to all of his work.
A native Texan, Marc's love for journalism began early. His first big "get" was at age 14, nabbing an interview with music legend Billy Joel for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. In high school he stayed busy shooting and editing videos, using a rudimentary setup between his family's VHS decks. As a Radio/TV/Film and journalism student at Texas Christian University, he honed his chops interviewing legends like MLB Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, interning at WFAA, and hosting radio shows on the school's station, KTCU.
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His professional career began behind the scenes at ESPN, producing graphics for various sports broadcasts. His first job on camera was at KTEN, the NBC affiliate in Denison, TX, where Marc started as the weekend sportscaster before being promoted to main anchor of the 6 and 10 pm newscasts. His love for sports eventually led him back to the sports desk, and as KTEN's Sports Director Marc's work was recognized by the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters and Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters.
In 2001 Marc moved west to Los Angeles, where he continued covering local news and sports before hosting his first national network show, "Gotta Get It" for the Food Network. His work there was seen by the TV Guide Network, which soon hired him as a correspondent for the launch of the daily entertainment news show, "Hollywood 411." His assignments ranged from movie premieres to set visits to hosting red carpet award shows for the Oscars, Emmys and more. After TV Guide Marc stayed busy juggling a variety of hosting and anchoring work, including movie premieres for Yahoo!, a reality show for the Speed Channel, programming for ABC.com, entertainment reporting for CNN, tech news for the BBC, and the FOX syndicated comedic game show ‘Punchline!' He spent 5 years in-house covering sports for the NFL Network, hosting shows like NFL Now, NFL GameDay Live and NFL Fantasy Live, among others. In the summer of 2019, Texas called him home as he made the move full circle, back to the Lone Star State and to WFAA, the station he watched as a kid and interned at in college.
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When he's not working or chasing around his 3 kids, Marc is an avid cook, runner, photographer and fan of TCU Football.