Hunter is a digital desk producer and reporter at 5 On Your Side in St. Louis, Missouri. They typically write articles focused on the environment, climate and infrastructure throughout the St. Louis area.
A native of Troy, Illinois, Hunter was a digital reporter for KSDK’s sister-station 12News before moving back home. They joined 12News in January 2020, writing articles focused on Arizona's water crisis, infrastructure, and history. Their coverage of a water cutoff to hundreds of homes in central Arizona was Emmy-nominated, and their work on the Southwest U.S. ongoing water shortage as a whole earned them a spot on a Colorado River Water Users Association panel where media members spoke on the difficulties of covering the crisis.
Before arriving at 12News, Hunter reported on Brexit and Artificial Intelligence in Brussels at the regulatory wire service MLex, wrote and produced content on global free speech issues for the online and NPR-member station program Global Journalist, and was the multimedia editor for Vox Magazine in Columbia, Missouri.
Hunter saw first-hand what digital platforms contributed to both the Ferguson protests over the death of Mike Brown and the Concerned Student 1950 protests at the University of Missouri. Convinced that digital was the way journalism must head with a local-first perspective, Hunter decided to major in Convergence Journalism and eventually graduated with a bachelor's from the Reynolds Journalism Institute.
When not writing articles, Hunter enjoys hiking with their two dogs, checking out the best and most unknown food spots around St. Louis, and playing video games with their partner for life, Jess.
You can reach Hunter via email at hbassler@ksdk.com.
