By Hannah Osborne
The Georgia Association of Broadcasters is pleased to introduce Dawn Baker to its Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
As a child, Dawn Baker dreamed of becoming a pediatrician. In the 8th grade, Baker’s mother allowed her to work as a ‘candy striper’ at the local hospital in Savannah, GA.
“I never realized how tough it would be,” Baker says. “I never prayed so much for people who I had no connection to.”
Two patients that Baker cared for that summer passed away. She also cared for a baby diagnosed with Fetal-Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), who the parents had abandoned. Baker’s job was to spend an hour a day holding the child.
“When you’re young and dream of being a doctor, you think that every story will be a success and have a good outcome,” she says.
Her experience at the hospital that summer left her back at the drawing board. At the school counseling center, Baker decided to take a career assessment test that matched you to a career based on your skills.
“I always liked to write, I was good in English and I love people,” Baker says.
She was matched with the role of ‘reporter.’ Baker remembers that in that time, there were very few women working in the newsroom. She looked up to the likes of Barbara Walters, Carol Simpson and Lesley Stahl.
“I started to write for the school newspaper. I thought to myself, ‘Wow. I get to ask people all these questions and they’re going to answer them!’” Baker says. “I had the responsibility of telling their story.”
From that point on, Baker had the journalism bug and was willing to make whatever sacrifice necessary to see her dream come true.
After graduating high school, she went on to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C.
“We did not have a lot of money, so I knew I had to keep my grades up. I submitted hundreds of essays to get the money to attend Howard University,” Baker says.
The scholarship money she received outside of the university supported her education through her full first year and part of her second year. To complete her education, Baker’s mother took out loans.
“My mom was a single mom and made tremendous sacrifices for me. I had a great village through my aunt and uncle, my grandparents and my mother. She made me believe that whatever I wanted to do, I could do,” she says.
Baker enjoyed her time at Howard, but knew that without extra funds, she had to graduate on time.
“I had incredible professors,” Baker says. “All of my professors had been network reporters at some point, so the knowledge they brought beyond the books and beyond the lesson plan were invaluable.”
Baker’s professors taught their students that having a darker complexion, during a time when camera quality was subpar, meant staying away from bright skies, white walls and not wearing bright colors.
They also coached their students to not be afraid of entering a newsroom and while they were there to make connections.
“They told us to find someone we wanted to be like. I made sure that I introduced myself to everybody,” she says. “In the two newsrooms I’ve been in, I had someone that I felt I could give a script to for feedback or have them look at a video so I could make it to the next level.” 
One of the people Baker found and sought to be like is Savannah legend Doug Weathers (GAB HOF ‘22). Baker found not only a mentor in Weathers, but a friend, who is now 94, and Baker still sees and speaks to on a regular basis.
Leading up to graduation, Baker used her work-study check to mail her resume tapes across the country. On the drive back to Savannah after graduation, Baker and her mother made a stop in Wilmington, NC for an interview at a television station.
“I got an offer from the station in Wilmington and a station in Macon, GA. I decided to go to Wilmington because I didn’t realize at the time that making an extra $500 didn’t count if the station was further from home,” Baker jokes.
Three days after taking her last final, Baker had secured her first role as a general assignment reporter. Within seven days of walking across the stage and receiving her degree, Baker started her first job in the industry.
“The first day on the job was amazing, and frightening,” she says.
As a recent graduate, she expected to have a training period. However, the night before she started, there had been a fatal fire. Baker was given the assignment to speak to the fire department about how fires could be prevented in the future.
“That day I sat with my head down on my desk because I was so nervous about my first debut. And I survived it,” Baker says. “We had a great news director who talked to all of us daily about what we did right, what we should improve and how to start forward thinking in terms of follow-ups.”
Baker spent a year in Wilmington as a general assignment reporter, also having an opportunity to fill in on the morning show. Then, her grandmother became ill.
Baker’s mother, who was still working as a teacher, wanted to move her grandmother in to take care of her. Despite her aspirations to report in front of the white house or covering the news at her alma mater, Baker moved home to Savannah help.
“That was the one time I disobeyed my mom, and I think it paid off.”
She remembers this time, living with her mother and grandmother, as the “best time of my life.” For two and a half years, Baker and her mother took care of her grandmother as she transitioned.
“It was rewarding to be there for my grandmother,” Baker says.
Baker was grateful to be home in Savannah at WTOC because her grandparents were able to watch her on television every day.
She joined WTOC in 1989 as a general assignment reporter, and unlike Wilmington, now had to shoot her own video. For five years she was covering the court beat and the education beat. Then, she became the weekend anchor, reporting 3 days a week and anchoring on the weekends.
“Then, WTOC made the transition to co-anchoring shows, so I was promoted to co-anchor the 11 o’clock newscast,” Baker says.
Her co-anchor was none other than “the man, the myth, the legend,” Mike Manhattan, who had been on the channel since Baker was in the 8th grade. With only two years of professional experience under her belt, Baker felt unworthy to be anchoring on the desk with Manhattan.
“He said never say that about yourself. Anything you want to learn, I will teach you,” she says. The two went on to anchor together for 25 years.
Being on the anchor desk at 11, also meant that she was the nightside reporter.
“At that time, I was a one-man band. Sometimes I would be driving an hour for a story, rushing back to write and edit the story, and if I was lucky, get it on the air.”
Baker then became the 11pm and 5:30pm anchor, while still reporting; and eventually became the 5, 6, 7 and 11 o’clock anchor. In January 2025, WTOC relaunched their 3 o’clock newscast.
“I was very excited to finally get the chance to launch a show, and as the only anchor,” says Baker.
The new 3 o’clock newscast is called “Welcome to Our Community” and features longer form interviews with newsmakers or issues that are of concern to WTOC viewers.
Now on her 37th year with the station, Baker has created deep roots with not only WTOC, but the Savannah community as a whole.
“It was the best place to get stuck,” she says. “In order to be truly successful in a market, people have to trust that you’ll be there for them. Getting out in a community and volunteering, I don’t think anything beats that.”
Baker never lost the sense of compassion that first drew her to medicine and has used her role and opportunities to give back.
In 2006, Baker came across Dr. Eugene Nwosu, who had a nonprofit that went on medical missions called the Goodness & Mercy Foundation. Baker was approved to go on a mission to Ghana and document what she saw.
“The stories from that first trip, going to a developing nation, were so eye-opening. We were in the Konongo Village in Ghana and people were living out in the open because they couldn’t afford any kind of housing,” Baker says.
As a result of the documentary and series that she did, Baker was able to play a role in raising money and donations for the village.
“There’s so much that I took from those experiences. Suddenly, the potholes on the way to work didn’t seem so bad.”
Back in Savannah, Baker is involved with the Savannah community in numerous ways.
From hosting events and serving on boards, to volunteering and fundraising, Dawn Baker has dedicated herself to the Savannah community. 
In 2011, Baker was inspired by what she was witnessing in the newsroom and everywhere else to write a book, “Dawn’s Daughter.” In the book, she imagines that if she had a daughter, how would she help her to become successful. In 2015, Baker launched the “Dawn’s Daughter Leadership Academy,” for 9th through 12th grade girls. Through the academy, these girls learn the skills they need to become successful in their professional and personal lives.
In addition to the high school girls at the academy, Baker also tries to help young people entering the broadcasting industry.
“I tell them to learn as much as they possibly can and be open to learning every single day. I encourage them to seek a mentor, stay humble and ask for help. The way I see it, if they don’t succeed, I don’t succeed,” Baker says.
Baker made an impact on a national scale when she was famously part of the third phase of the Moderna COVID vaccine trials.
“My mom has always been my best friend; we’ve been inseparable,” she says. “When my doctor asked if I would want to be a part of the trial, it weighed heavily on my heart, because I didn’t want anything to happen to my mom.”
She ultimately decided to join and was told that she wouldn’t be able to tell anyone. When the day came, Baker thought she would be going to a doctor’s office, taking the shot and going on her way. On the way over, she found out that CNN would be there.
“My mom learned that I was in the vaccine trials because I was on CNN. I was the first person in the third phase of the Moderna vaccine trial.”
Word quickly spread and before she knew it, Baker was booked for a number of national interviews.
“Sometimes when you are following your heart, thinking you are doing the right thing, you can’t predict the fall out,” she says.
In the wake of taking part in the trial, Baker’s world had been turned around. Instead of reporting the story, she had become the story. Baker remembers the time as both humbling and scary.
“I can interview anyone about anything, but when you’re asking me questions about how I feel, it was very unnerving,” says Baker. “As things are posted about you, no matter how positive, it gives the masses something to tear your name down. You just have to trust heart.”
That year, those who took part in the trial were recognized as ‘CNN Heroes.’ Baker was humbled to be interviewed and take part in the program.
Through her more than 37 years of broadcasting, Baker has certainly earned her spot in the Class of 2026 GAB Hall of Fame.
As a broadcaster at WTOC, Baker led a series called “True Survivors,” highlighting people in the community who cheated death; covered a chemical plant explosion and subsequent days-long fires; President George W. Bush’s visit to Fort Stewart; Vice President Kamala Harris’s rally; and much, much more.
“I come in and try to follow the rules. I show up every day and try to be just as enthusiastic today as when I first started,” Baker says. “It has been an amazing ride. I can’t be much happier than I am right now.”
Dawn Baker will be inducted into the Georgia Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame alongside three peers on Friday, March 27th, 2026, at the Emory Conference Center and Hotel in Atlanta.
The evening will also honor six future broadcasters as recipients of the GAB E. Lanier Finch Scholarship.
