Samantha Cortese is an anchor for the KTLA 5 News at 4 p.m. and reporter for the KTLA 5 News at 10 and 11 p.m.
Samantha was hired by KTLA to create, host, and launch “5 Live,” KTLA’s digital-only newscast. Following 5 Live’s successful four-year run on KTLA+, KTLA launched a 4 p.m. newscast, which Samantha now anchors.
The Palm Desert native previously worked as the morning anchor at KGUN-TV in Tucson and an anchor/reporter at KESQ-TV and KPSP-TV in Palm Springs. She also worked as a morning news producer and web editor.
Samantha graduated Chapman University with a bachelor’s in fine arts in broadcast journalism. Samantha was a founder, producer and anchor for Chapman News, Orange County’s only local news broadcast. She started her career at KPSP while still attending Chapman University full time, making for quite the commute.
Samantha’s been nominated for an Emmy Award, won a Cecil B. DeMille Award for Best TV Show, and was nominated for the Mir Tukhi Award for Excellence in Journalism. Samantha was also awarded the first NPG Award for Social Media Excellence for her ability to engage viewers online.
Samantha is the host and producer for KTLA’s investigative true crime podcast “California Crime: The Disappearance of Jonathan and Audrey.” Listen here.
Samantha was a collegiate cheerleader and coach, and is a serious college football fan.
She loves spoiling her dog, a Lagotto Romagnolo named Cannoli.
You can follow Samantha on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
