‘Idol’ Segundo exits KHON to be KITV weather anchor
COURTESY KITV4
Jordan Segundo:
The exact date for his debut at KITV has yet to be set, but it will be around midmonth
Jordan Segundo has been hired by KITV and will make his on-air debut as a weather anchor and reporter later this month.
“I’m so excited. It’s going to be a great year,” Segundo told TheBuzz.
In 2003 Segundo was a top 32 finalist on “American Idol,” the first singer from Hawaii to get that far. He worked his last day at KHON-TV on Dec. 30 after nearly 12 years as a contributor to the station, whether as its “American Idol” analyst in a segment called “Idol Chat” or “doing stories that the younger generation would relate to,” he said.
More recently Segundo, 30, also has been a weekly host for the “808 Update” segment on “Living808,” a weekday morning lifestyle show on KHON.
KHON originally approached Segundo right after “American Idol” “and had me do stories,” he said.
“That’s where the passion started. I love television, being on the news, and being in the newsroom,” he said, so he decided to go back to school and get a degree in journalism from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, from which he will graduate in May. He already has an associate degree from Honolulu Community College.
His participation in “Idol” had Segundo performing across the nation in concerts and events with many big stars. He also had a principal role on “Hawaii Five-0” and in several TV commercials.
He called his departure from KHON “bittersweet” given that the last season of “Idol,” the show that made Segundo practically a household name in his home state, is just getting underway.
However, the KITV position “came up as I was finishing my last year at UH, and I felt that it was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” he said.
“Jordan has grown tremendously in the last several years,” said KITV News Director Chuck Parker in a statement. “We are extremely happy that he will be joining the KITV team for the next phase of his career.”
At KITV Segundo will serve primarily as weekend weather anchor on Saturday and Sunday mornings, joining anchor Moanikeala Nabarro on “Good Morning Hawaii.” The broadcast is the state’s only weekend morning news show. He also will be reporting three days a week, with a beat, or area of coverage, that is “still in development,” he said.
KITV’s new owner, California-based SJL Broadcast Management, has upgraded the station’s technology, including the implementation of high-definition broadcast equipment and acquisition of new weather-tracking equipment.
Segundo is training for the role with colleagues and fellow weather anchors Pete Caggiano, a meteorologist, and certified broadcast meteorologist Paul Drewes to prepare for his debut, which will come on a Saturday, likely around midmonth, he said. The exact date has yet to be set.
Active outdoors, Segundo would regularly answer relatives’ calls asking about weather conditions to see whether their plans still could go forward.
His appreciation for weather information increased during the past hurricane season, adding to his excitement for the new gig.
“I was always on the Internet, using apps, tracking (hurricanes) on my own, so to do it on the air is bringing all my interests into one,” he said. His new role will allow him to share his information with a statewide audience, versus one relative on the phone.
Segundo still enjoys performing and has sung the national anthem at UH sporting events and “Hawaii Pono‘i” at a Pro Bowl game, and “luckily … I still will be able to pursue that passion.”
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Reach Erika Engle at 529-4303, erika@staradvertiser.com, or on Twitter as @erikaengle.
18 responses to “‘Idol’ Segundo exits KHON to be KITV weather anchor”
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Handsome guy. My puppies are drooling at the computer screen.
Put your puppies back in your pants brother.
Yes. Puppies? Plural is right on. More than one puppy?
hey!
Sounds like he found greener grass on the other side.
Jordan is a great guy, who does a lot of volunteer work for the community. Congratulations!
Volunteer work? Really? When I worked at Moanalua Middle school back in 2005/2006 and we wanted him to come and talk to our kids about reading he wanted to charge the school a fee to come. I think it was $300. I don’t consider that volunteering. I’ve never liked the guy since.
agree..I know him and he is a genuinely good guy. I wish him the best of luck in his career.
Maybe they can make him sing the weather report. 🙂
I’m glad KHON hired Diane Ako. I really like her personality and style.
I remember a few weeks after she started at KHON, Ron commented on a story she had reported on the day before and she didn’t remember that story! It got kind of boring watching KHON morning news. I now enjoy watching Hawaii News Now on KGMB. The Sunrise Team is the best, including the people behind the camera!
UGHH this kid needs to get aaall the way over himself. there’s already too many self agrandizing news people on the air as it is, and he counts for double. take a narcissistic pretty boy wanna be singer and transform him into a meteorologist in a week, thats just great. Bye KITV
Kid? My wife says that I look just as attractive as he is when I was his age. She is still staring at this picture above.
Have you checked his qualifications? Do you know he didn’t graduate with a meteorology background? Don’t judge the kid on looks, that just screams jealousy on your part. Be happy for the kid rather than tear him down. Do you even know him personally?
Um, just a “wild guess” he hasnt been slaving over surface charts and swell models models the last 10 years? C’maan. Jealous, HA! that’s a good one. I’ll just have to watch my weather reports from all the beauty pageant queens and baton twirlers then.
That’s pretty much what it is now. Like it or not, televised media is a looks-based industry. Go to any of the major cities and there aren’t many ugly people doing the news. Sex sells unfortunately.
True but few of the TV weather people out here are meteorologists. News out here is more entertainment.
PROOF not that we really needed it.. but you don’t need to know squat about the weather.. as long as you a pretty face you can stand up and say.
Leeward sunshine and chance of showers in the mountains.