Just like most of us, Maggie O’Mara hits the snooze button multiple times when it’s time to get up for work. Unlike most of us, O’Mara’s alarm clock starts ringing at 2:30 a.m.
O’Mara is one of the news anchors on KTVB’s “Wake Up Idaho” morning newscast, which airs weekdays from 5 -7 a.m.
“I get to work by about 4 a.m.,” she said. “As soon as I walk in the door, I go blow dry my hair, because I certainly don't want to do that at home and wake up my kids at 3:00 in the morning! Then, I go sit down and I read through the two-hour show.”
After meeting with producers and understanding what’s going on with the weather and big news stories of the day, O’Mara heads over to the dressing room.
“We have no makeup artists or hair people,” she said. “We do it all ourselves.”
Then it’s on to anchor the show, packed with news from local, national, and international sources.
“Of course, we pop in a little fun here and there to keep people entertained in the morning, and then our meteorologist Rachel Garceau handles the weather,” O’Mara said.
Following the show, the crew does cut-ins, which are short news updates that air during “TODAY.” O’Mara also spends the morning posting about news on her social media accounts (Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok) and interacting with viewers.
At 9:37, it’s off to the morning meeting.
“Yes, we do meet on the sevens at Channel 7,” she said.
The morning meeting helps determine what O’Mara and the rest of the KTVB team will do for the rest of the day. O’Mara focuses on good news in the community and she has a weekly franchise called “7’s Hero.”
“I may shoot a ‘7’s Hero’ in the morning with one of our photojournalists. It’s where I feature a local hero or someone making a big difference. We go out together in the community, whether it be a school or someone's home or wherever we're going that day. We interview people and get the story. By the time I'm done shooting that, my eight hours are up. It's time to go get my kids. And honestly, then that's when my day really starts.”
O’Mara is mom to five children, four boys and a girl ranging from 5 to 13.
“I pick up my 5-year-old from preschool around noon, bring him home, and try to catch a little nap after lunch before we pick up everybody else. Then they all start coming home from school and it's time to unpack backpacks and lunch boxes. Before I know it, it's dinner time. Then it's bath time. Then it's story time. Then I tuck those kids in, and it's my bedtime, finally.”
For O’Mara, that can range anywhere from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Then the alarm goes off at 2:30 a.m., and the cycle starts again.
“I don’t sleep a lot,” she said with a laugh. “I may have been a little too ambitious in life and career.”
O’Mara does have a great support system at home and at work.
“My husband, James, does the morning routine, which is so awesome. So, I don't have to worry. I'm here at work and he's got it under control. He's got it down to a science, getting everyone up and out the door. We are a great team and he’s my biggest fan for sure.”
O’Mara’s co-anchor, Idaho native Justin Corr, is also a major part of her life. He joined the “Wake Up Idaho” team in 2022, but he’s worked for KTVB before.
“I call him my ‘work husband’ because I’m with him so much. You see your co-anchor more than your own husband sometimes. Your relationship with them is so important. Justin is just incredible to work with. I've known him for 20 years. I'm really thrilled to work with him again.”
O’Mara started her KTVB news career in 2000. She graduated from Gonzaga University in Spokane with a major in Broadcast Communications. But she said news wasn’t always her dream.
“I kind of discovered it in college,” she said. “I was in the theater program and somebody from the Gonzaga campus newspaper came to me and said, ‘Would you like to write an article about some of the things the theater is doing?’ Once I started doing that, I started taking writing classes and then broadcasting classes. One thing led to another, I fell in love with it, and I realized my future might be in news. It just kind of worked out for me.”
‘Worked out’ has meant multiple Idaho Press Club awards, Emmy awards, and other accolades throughout the Treasure Valley community.
“A recent award I was so honored to receive was called the Inspire Excellence Award from Ball Ventures Ahlquist’s nonprofit,” O’Mara said. “I was really thrilled to receive that because it's about people making a difference in the community they serve. I really want to help people through my storytelling.”
O’Mara’s workdays can vary widely. Some are focused on murder trials and tragedies. Others are sprinkled with memorable moments like getting French kissed by a very enthusiastic camel on live television.
“Yes, that happened. No offense to Clyde the Camel because he's adorable, but it was the grossest thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Each day is a new adventure, but on any weekday morning, O’Mara is ready to greet her morning viewers and help them start the day.
“I just love morning TV,” she said. “A lot of people ask me why I don't want to be on a different show or move to a more normal schedule. At this stage of my life, it’s just ideal to be on the morning show. It fits my personality, but it also allows me to be a mom. It’s so important to me that I'm home with my kids as much as I can be, and this works. I just love what I do. I feel so blessed to do it, and I hope to do it for a lot longer.”
