Melissa is an Emmy-Winning journalist, thrilled to be home working for WNEP- the station she grew up watching! As a Luzerne County native, Melissa returned to her roots, joining the Newswatch 16 team in July 2023. Melissa is a jack of all trades, working as an investigative reporter with the Action 16 Investigates team. She is also a reporter for the station and spends some time on the anchor desk.
Prior to returning to NEPA, Melissa worked as an Emmy-Winning anchor & investigative reporter with Spectrum News in Albany, NY. She spent five years in the Capitol Region waking up before the sun, as a weekend morning anchor. There, Melissa spearheaded several investigative reports, including one credited with changing laws at both state and federal levels. Melissa got her start as a reporter with WTAJ, in Altoona, Pennsylvania. She began her career in New York, as a news producer at WRGB-TV, the country’s first television station. Melissa’s passion for journalism flourished during her time at Temple University, where she majored in journalism. She was a part of the student run television station, TUTV. Go Owls!
Melissa grew up calling the Wilkes-Barre area home. She’s a proud Hanover Area graduate. Before her days in news, she first started storytelling on the stage. Growing up, Melissa was highly involved in local theatre, singing, and music. She’s a classically trained vocalist and pianist. When she’s not working, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband, Kurt, her family and her friends. On Sundays, you can always find Melissa cheering on Philly sports teams, especially her Philadelphia Eagles. Go Birds!
If you have a story or want to say hello, don’t hesitate to reach out to her at Melissa.Steininger@wnep.com
You can also follow Melissa on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/msteiningertv/ and Twitter @MelissaSteinTV
