Mike McDaniel is a true small town Southerner from South Louisiana. He covers the Mississippi State Capitol, politics and statewide stories.
Before joining WLBT in March of 2011, he spent three and a half years working at WDAM in Hattiesburg, MS as a weekend anchor and investigative reporter.
Before that he spent a year just across the Mississippi River at KNOE in Monroe, LA getting his start as a general assignment reporter.
Throughout his career, Mike has been recognized with more than 30 Associated Press Awards for his reporting on a wide range of stories from uncovering abuse within a Mississippi juvenile detention center to documenting the release of prisoners cleared by DNA evidence.
Mike was even selected as the Howard Lett Newsperson of the Year, an award named after a pioneer in Mississippi broadcast journalism.
Mike got his degree in mass communication and broadcast journalism in 2006 from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. As a LSU alum (GEAUX TIGERS), Mike appreciates a good tailgating party and anything purple and gold.
When not digging up stories at the state capitol or covering hurricanes on the Gulf Coast, you can find Mike out running on the Natchez Trace or relaxing at the nearest beach.
Feel free to email him with any story ideas or just to say hello.
WLBT 3 - Fox 40
