Mark Douglas is an Emmy Award winning investigative journalist who joined WFLA News Channel 8 in 1995.
His career has taken him to locations as distant as Russia and diverse as the witness room of Florida’s death chamber.
Mark’s tenacious reporting has exposed foster care troubles, consumer fraud, triggered judicial reforms, revealed government waste, uncovered environmental pollution and helped put a number of criminals behind bars.
His peers have recognized Mark’s work with numerous state, regional and national journalism awards and publication in national journals for journalism ethics and investigative journalism. His You Paid for It segment earned the AP award for the best news franchise in Florida in 2017 and his investigation of bullying in Pasco County schools prompted reforms and resulted in an Emmy.
Mark is also an accomplished print reporter and still photographer and has written more than 350 newspaper stories for the Tampa Tribune where a number of his photos have appeared.
Mark’s journalism career began in 1976 after his graduation from Florida State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication. He earned a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri, School of Journalism four years later.
Mark served as an adjunct writing instructor at the University of Tampa, Department of Communication for 19 years starting in 1997. His passion for professional development has also prompted invitations as a speaker at national journalism conferences, regional seminars and other universities.
By the time he joined the ranks of WFLA, Mark had already spent 12 years in the Tampa Bay area as a senior reporter and bureau chief for WTSP-TV. He has also worked as a TV news anchor, producer, managing editor, assignment editor, production crew member, and radio announcer.
He is Past President of the Mid-Florida Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and serves in leadership roles at his church and other civic activities.
