Jane Wells
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Jane Wells (born March 31, 1961) is a
CNBC CNBC is an American List of business news channels, business news channel owned by the NBCUniversal News Group, a unit of Comcast's NBCUniversal. The network broadcasts live business news and analysis programming during the morning, Day ...
special correspondent, based in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, where she covers stories about funny business, strange successes and other special assignments. Wells writes offbeat stories for CNBC.com and serves as a contributor for radio stations. One recent story was about a 34-year-old Portland woman who got paid for cuddling people and a college student who invented a special beer shelf that made him a millionaire. She has worked for CNBC for more than 20 years, including earlier stints covering retail, agriculture and defense as well as news about the California economy, West Coast real estate and Las Vegas trends. Wells came from CNBC's "Upfront Tonight" where she was senior correspondent.


Career

Wells was a correspondent for the
Fox News Channel The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American multinational conservative news and political commentary television channel and website based in New York City, U.S. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is ow ...
and Los Angeles reporter for NBC's flagship television station, WNBC,
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. She then joined CNBC in 1996, where she provided special coverage of the
O. J. Simpson Orenthal James Simpson (July 9, 1947 – April 10, 2024), also known by his nickname "the Juice", was an American professional American football, football player, actor, and media personality who played in the National Football League (NFL) ...
civil case for "Rivera Live" starring
Geraldo Rivera Geraldo Rivera (born Gerald Rivera; July 4, 1943) is an American journalist, attorney, author, and political commentator who worked at the Fox News Channel from 2001 to 2023. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Geraldo'' from 1987 to 1998. He g ...
. Her career includes reporter positions with KTTV, Los Angeles; WTVJ, Miami; and, KOB, Albuquerque. She has also taken part in several international reports for
CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
. Wells started as a news writer for KTLA in Los Angeles. In 1989, while working for KTTV she ventured into the infamous Watts' Imperial Courts housing project to uncover the story of gangs threatening local residents. She and her cameraman narrowly escaped after they were threatened by a gun-toting gang member. The experience was broadcast to give others a sense of the daily struggles of residents living in inner-city public housing projects. Wells once said her most fascinating assignment was covering the death of Mother Teresa. After the Roman Catholic nun's death, she recalls visiting a leper colony in India. Wells is perhaps best known for having a bit part in the cultural event of the late 1990s, the "Seinfeld" finale. She plays an on-scene reporter holding a conversation with Rivera regarding the "Seinfeld Four," making a reference to another of the rumors regarding the ending of Seinfeld. Wells says, "There's no love lost with that group. There seems to be some friction between Jerry Seinfeld and Elaine Benes. The rumor is that they once dated and that it ended badly." Rivera responds, "Maybe this trial will end up bringing them closer together. Maybe they'll end up getting married." Wells continues to receive residual checks for that role on
Seinfeld ''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It ...
to this day. Wells has a bachelor's degrees in broadcast journalism and philosophy. She graduated with honors from the
University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...
. After college, she married and had two children with her husband where they currently live in Los Angeles, California.


Awards

Wells has received honors, including a 1992
Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...
and a DuPont Award for live coverage of the
Rodney King Rodney Glen King (April 2, 1965June 17, 2012) was a Black American victim of police brutality. On March 3, 1991, he was severely beaten by Police officer, officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) during his arrest after a high spe ...
trial. She earned a
Los Angeles Emmy Award The Los Angeles Emmy Awards are presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) in recognition of excellence in the local programming of the Greater Los Angeles area. They are the only regional Emmys presented directly by the ATAS; ...
for her investigative reporting in 1992, as well. She has received
UPI United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ce ...
, Press Club and
Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
for feature reporting. Wells has received three Florida Emmy Awards for news reporting. For team reporting, she received the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award.


References


External links


Jane Wells bio - CNBC.comJane Wells blog - Funny Business
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wells, Jane 1961 births American television journalists People from Los Angeles County, California Living people University of Southern California alumni American women television journalists CNBC people Peabody Award winners USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism alumni Journalists from California 21st-century American women