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TV Central: One on One Podcast
Monika Kos (9News Afternoon Perth)
She’s one of the most trusted names in Western Australian media — a journalist whose credibility, warmth, and professionalism have made her a familiar presence in homes across WA for more than three decades.
From her radio beginnings at Perth’s 6PR in the late 1980s to her rise as the long-serving face of Today Tonight on Channel 7, Monika Kos has built a career defined by integrity, compassion, and genuine connection with her audience.
A graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Monika stepped into television as a cadet journalist with Channel 7 Perth in 1990. She quickly became a nightly fixture in WA’s media landscape, fronting Today Tonight for over 20 years — a rare feat of longevity in an ever-changing industry.
In 2019, she briefly joined 10 News First before moving to 9 News Perth in 2020, where she now anchors the 9 News Afternoon at 4 p.m. With the bulletin gaining momentum and viewers in recent months, Monika remains at the forefront of local journalism, continuing to inform, connect, and engage her audience with her signature style.
Now, she’s taking her storytelling to a new platform — joining us for a candid conversation on TV Central: One on One.
In this episode, you’ll hear Monika talk about:
- What first sparked her passion for journalism and broadcasting
- Her early days at WAAPA and how it shaped her career
- The story behind her very first live broadcast
- The mentors who guided her along the way
- What it really meant to front Today Tonight for more than two decades
- The tough decision to leave the program and take on new challenges
- How current affairs shaped her as a journalist
- The biggest changes she’s witnessed in newsrooms over the years
- Common misconceptions about newsreaders
- How she prepares for a live bulletin
- Breaking news moments that were especially challenging
- The stories and events that have stayed with her
- When personal and professional worlds collide
- Her most challenging career moment — and how she overcame it
- Why she made the move to 9 News and how the transition has been
- The growing success of 9 News Perth’s 4pm bulletin
- The evolution of the 4pm news and how it differs from the 6pm bulletin
- What it means to be a trusted face in WA homes
- How she balances public life with personal privacy
- Her hopes for the future — and whether there are still unfulfilled dreams
- How she switches off from the demands of the news cycle
- One word that sums up her career
- And a few fun rapid-fire questions to finish
Monika Kos — journalist, trailblazer, and proud West Aussie — shares her story with honesty, humour, and heart.
This is TV Central: One on One with Monika Kos.
For all the latest television news, streaming info, cinema movie reviews, ratings, and podcasts, head to www.tvcentral.com.au
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