Robyne Robinson
Encyclopedia
Robyne Robinson is an award-winning American
television journalist and entrepreneur
. She ran as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota in 2010.
in 1979.
Robyne began her professional career tracking news for WNDU-TV in South Bend, Indiana
. Later, she served as Military Affairs reporter for WVEC-TV in the Hampton
-Norfolk
area of Virginia
. The Texas Association of Broadcasters honored her while working at WFAA-TV in Dallas
. At WFAA-TV she covered local politics, education and public affairs. While serving as the weekend anchor at WMAR-TV in Baltimore, she was awarded the Gannett-Paul Miller Fellowship for reporting Washington politics.
For 20 years she was a reporter and then news anchor/co-anchor for Fox affiliate KMSP in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. She was the first African-American anchor in the state of Minnesota and has worked with KMSP-TV
since 1995, when KMSP was independent Minnesota 9.
On May 11, 2010, Robinson announced that she would leave KMSP and broadcasting. Her last day was May 26, 2010. On May 27, 2010, it was announced that Robinson would serve as the running mate
of Matt Entenza, a DFL candidate in the August 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial primary. She had not previously been a candidate for elective office.
Robinson founded Exhibit, a non-profit arts collective that helped fund the creation of the Independent Feature Project/Minneapolis Producers’ Fellowship, and has raised thousands of dollars for the Lupus Foundation by creating Voce, multimedia art and music events for and by women that raised Lupus education and awareness.
Robinson is also a jewelry designer and owner of Rox. Her company sells jewelry in stores throughout the Minneapolis area, as well as Chicago and New York. Her jewelry has been worn by artists such as Madonna
, Nicollette Sheridan
, and Paula Abdul
. Her creations are also displayed at the Walker Art Center
in Minneapolis and have been featured on the Tyra Banks Show as well as several national publications.
of Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza. Robinson said she had not made up her mind yet, but that she was seriously considering it, as "any time you are potentially called to public service you need to think heavily about it.” On May 27, 2010, the Entenza campaign announced that Robinson had accepted the offer. Robinson and Fox 9 were criticized for allowing Robinson to remain on air despite the offer, and also for not mentioning the offer during their newscast.
Robinson is the second Fox 9 News anchor to seek statewide office. Former U.S. Senator Rod Grams
worked as an anchor for the station before entering politics. The campaign ended on August 10, with Matt Entenza conceding as results started to come in.
, an anchor on ABC's Good Morning America
, and Fox 32's (Chicago) Robin Robinson
. She also dated Robin Robinson's ex-husband Terry Brantley.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television journalist and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. She ran as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota in 2010.
Biography
Robyne L. Robinson was born in Chicago as the younger of two daughters born to schoolteachers. She attended local area schools, graduating from Morgan Park AcademyMorgan Park Academy
Morgan Park Academy is a coeducational, college preparatory, independent Pre-Kindergarten-12th grade day school located in the Morgan Park neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1863, Morgan Park Academy was formerly known as Mt...
in 1979.
Robyne began her professional career tracking news for WNDU-TV in South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
. Later, she served as Military Affairs reporter for WVEC-TV in the Hampton
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
-Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
area of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The Texas Association of Broadcasters honored her while working at WFAA-TV in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. At WFAA-TV she covered local politics, education and public affairs. While serving as the weekend anchor at WMAR-TV in Baltimore, she was awarded the Gannett-Paul Miller Fellowship for reporting Washington politics.
For 20 years she was a reporter and then news anchor/co-anchor for Fox affiliate KMSP in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. She was the first African-American anchor in the state of Minnesota and has worked with KMSP-TV
KMSP-TV
KMSP-TV, channel 9, is the Fox-owned-and-operated television station serving the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota designated market area, owned in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WFTC...
since 1995, when KMSP was independent Minnesota 9.
On May 11, 2010, Robinson announced that she would leave KMSP and broadcasting. Her last day was May 26, 2010. On May 27, 2010, it was announced that Robinson would serve as the running mate
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
of Matt Entenza, a DFL candidate in the August 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial primary. She had not previously been a candidate for elective office.
Other activities
In addition to her work in front of the camera, Robinson is closely involved in several non-profit organizations in the Twin Cities area. She is on the board of the Outsider Art Center, a non-profit organization for disabled, folk and self-taught artists. Robinson is an honorary board member for the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota and sits on the Advisory Board for The Soap Factory/No Name Gallery, a non-profit contemporary arts center affiliated with the Walker Art Center, one of the world’s most prestigious contemporary art museums.Robinson founded Exhibit, a non-profit arts collective that helped fund the creation of the Independent Feature Project/Minneapolis Producers’ Fellowship, and has raised thousands of dollars for the Lupus Foundation by creating Voce, multimedia art and music events for and by women that raised Lupus education and awareness.
Robinson is also a jewelry designer and owner of Rox. Her company sells jewelry in stores throughout the Minneapolis area, as well as Chicago and New York. Her jewelry has been worn by artists such as Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Nicollette Sheridan
Nicollette Sheridan
Nicollette Sheridan is an English film and television actress. She is best known for her roles as Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives and as Paige Matheson on Knots Landing.-Early life:...
, and Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
. Her creations are also displayed at the Walker Art Center
Walker Art Center
The Walker Art Center is a contemporary art center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is considered one of the nation's "big five" museums for modern art along with the Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Hirshhorn...
in Minneapolis and have been featured on the Tyra Banks Show as well as several national publications.
Awards and recognition
- Hubert H. Humphrey Public Policy Fellow at the University of Minnesota
- 2005 Upper Midwest Emmy for Best Anchor
- Edward R. Murrow Award
- St. Paul Companies' Pan-African Council Legacy Award
- Media Allies Award, Minnesota Council of Non-Profits
- Minneapolis NAACP Television Industry Award
Lieutenant Governor Run
On May 24, 2010, Robinson said in an interview that she had been asked to serve as the running mateRunning mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
of Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza. Robinson said she had not made up her mind yet, but that she was seriously considering it, as "any time you are potentially called to public service you need to think heavily about it.” On May 27, 2010, the Entenza campaign announced that Robinson had accepted the offer. Robinson and Fox 9 were criticized for allowing Robinson to remain on air despite the offer, and also for not mentioning the offer during their newscast.
Robinson is the second Fox 9 News anchor to seek statewide office. Former U.S. Senator Rod Grams
Rod Grams
Rodney Dwight "Rod" Grams served the state of Minnesota in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.- Early life :...
worked as an anchor for the station before entering politics. The campaign ended on August 10, with Matt Entenza conceding as results started to come in.
Trivia
Robyne is sometimes confused with Robin RobertsRobin Roberts (newscaster)
Robin René Roberts is an American television broadcaster. Roberts is the co-anchor of ABC's morning show Good Morning America-Early life:...
, an anchor on ABC's Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, and Fox 32's (Chicago) Robin Robinson
Robin Robinson
Robin Carolle Robinson , known professionally as Robin Robinson, is a longtime Chicago television news anchor who is currently one of the two principal news anchors at WFLD-TV in Chicago...
. She also dated Robin Robinson's ex-husband Terry Brantley.