A Change of Pace
Emmy-winning TV journalist Linda Candelo trades big city living for the Queen City
Story by Glenda Sanders , Photos by Daniel Ethridge
After living in New York , Puerto Rico , Miami and California ’ s Silicon Valley , Meridian seems off the beaten path for longtime Telemundo and Univision TV journalist Linda Candelo .
But the charming and amiable Candelo has embraced her new home in the Queen City since she and her husband , Joseph Rossini , moved here more than five years ago . She has worked to support efforts to rejuvenate downtown Meridian and promote the local arts , music and festival scene .
The big-city transplant sees a great deal of potential in Meridian ’ s much smaller , historic downtown .
“ This town has so much potential , and this could be better than New Orleans ,” she said . “ It has the vibe of New Orleans , you know that best part of New Orleans , the food , the jazz , the music , the blues …. everything cultural this place can have it .”
For her , life in Meridian is like a world apart from the one she was living in fast-paced Silicon Valley , where she worked as a news reporter for a local American Spanish-language Telemundo TV station , picking up three Emmy nominations for her work .
Born in Colombia , Candelo grew up in Pradera , where she lived until she was 17 . Desiring to become a doctor , she began her medical studies at Universidad Libre in Cali , Colombia , but decided to leave school during her fourth year and move to the United States to be closer to her family .
“ My plan was not to be a journalist . My plan was to be a plastic surgeon ,” she recalled . “ So I did four years in medical school , and , at some point , I was just like I want to be closer to my mom . My mom was here , my brother , my sister were here . I just said whatever I can achieve in Columbia I can achieve anywhere else .”
Arriving in the States around 2000 , she was unable to pick up where she left off in medical school . So , she immediately enrolled in college to take classes , including English as a second language . She obtained an associate ’ s degree in biology , but since her medical school credit from Colombia would not transfer , she eventually switched majors to broadcast journalism , earning her bachelor ’ s degree from Kean University in New Jersey and a master ’ s degree from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania . She completed internships with American Spanish-language television network Univision .
In October 2006 , Candelo started her first official job as a news reporter at English language TV station WFMZ-TV in Allentown , Pennsylvania . Part of a small staff , she quickly gained lots of experience . Originally planning to stay two years , she ended up staying four due to the 2008 financial crisis and worries about the labor market .
She then went to work for Univision in New York , its second largest market in the nation , working for both the local and national news segments .
“ I started my experience with Univision with the national show ‘ Despierta America !,’ which means ‘ Wake Up America !,’ like ‘ The Today Show ’ morning show ,” she said .
After growing tired of New York , she moved to Puerto Rico for a change , which is where she met Rossini , who was working www . meridianstar . com
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