Arizona native Collin Harmon has joined Hawaii News Now as primary sports anchor, and will debut Monday.
“After doing a national search, we believe him to be the best young talent we saw out there,” said Rick Blangiardi, Hawaii News Now’s general manager.
Harmon most recently was a sports anchor and reporter at KVAL-TV in Eugene, Ore., where he spent two years covering Hawaii football phenomenon Marcus Mariota during his rise to the Heisman.
How important was it to HNN that Harmon was so familiar with Mariota?
“Our decision didn’t really hinge on that,” Blangiardi said with a chuckle. But from Harmon’s extensive coverage of University of Oregon football specifically and athletics in general, “we thought would be a good fit for everything we do covering the the University of Hawaii,” he said.
It is usually cliche to say that someone has a career in their DNA, but Harmon is related to late Heisman Trophy winner NFL star and sports announcer Tom Harmon.
“Barely,” he said. “Down the family tree.”
“My dad’s dad’s cousin was Tom Harmon,” the younger Harmon said. That also means his father’s second cousin is actor (and former college football player) Mark Harmon, star of “NCIS” on CBS-TV (which airs locally on Hawaii News Now’s KGMB-TV).
But back to broadcast journalism.
Prior to KVAL, he served as sports director at KFBB-TV, the ABC affiliate in Great Falls, Mont., and earned a broadcast journalism degree at the University of Colorado. He also spent a year in the sports department at KDVR-TV in Denver and served on the on-air staff at the university’s radio and television stations along the way.
Harmon joins Hawaii News Now sports department colleagues Taryn Hatcher and Francesca Weems, succeeding Mark Carpenter, who left in June. Harmon will anchor all shows Sunday through Thursday, said Mark Platte, Hawaii News Now news director, while Hatcher will anchor Friday and Saturday shows, and Weems will do fill-in anchor work and all three will report from the field.
Harmon “will be on the road for UH football road games, so the others will be filling in” on the anchor desk, Platte said.
This means that what sports writer and Honolulu Star-Advertiser colleague Dave Reardon reported in his “Quick Reads” blog in June can be affirmed.
As primary sports anchor, it would stand to reason that Harmon also would host any long-form show focused on local sports, such as a program featuring, say, a football coach.
“That’s a question better suited for the bosses,” he said.
Harmon enjoys hockey, baseball and volleyball, and served as captain of his high school’s volleyball team, leading it to an Arizona state championship.
He also enjoys golf and surfing.
“One of my best friends grew up here,” Harmon said, and he has been a frequent isle visitor. “I’ve kind of gotten a taste of isle surf, around Diamond Head. It’s just beautiful” and the people are friendly, he said.
While not personally at fault, your columnist apologized for the recent hot streak.
“This is nothing,” he said. “I’m from Phoenix, Ariz., and I’m used to, at this time of year, sweating it out,” he said.
“This place is absolutely amazing. … What’s not to like?”
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