These Female Broadcast Journalists Kick Major Ass

After 24-year-old broadcast journalist Alison Parker was killed by a shooter in the middle of a live TV report in Roanoke, Virginia, Wednesday, people have taken to social media and news outlets to mourn and remember the young reporter. Colleagues commented that Parker was a "rock star" with a "radiant" personality, according to CNN. Parker's life ended all too soon, but her friends and family have commented on her drive and love of her short but successful career. In honor of Parker and her love of journalism, let's take a look at some other badass female journos who tell invaluable and life-changing stories across news channels every day. There are several names of groundbreaking female broadcast journalists you don't know but should — the below are just a sampling.

Well-known broadcast personalities haven't just blazed trails on their own — they've influenced each other over the years. When one woman sees another making history onscreen, the rest is history. Barbara Walters has earned her spot as the inspirational woman for broadcast personalities everywhere, and her model career was the spark for Oprah Winfrey's knockout international stardom, according to an interview with ABC News.

The four women below have surely provided inspiration to each other as they make a difference with their careers. Here's hoping for many, many more young journalistic hopefuls follow in their and Parker's brave and passionate footsteps.

Tamron Hall

Hall has pretty much done everything when it comes to broadcast reporting. Now the anchor for MSNBC's NewsNation, her career began in Bryan, Texas, where she started out as a general news reporter but rose through the ranks pretty fast, according to her bio on MSNBC.com. Earning an Emmy nod for her consumer report segment "The Bottom Line," she had a successful career at WFLD News in Chicago, where she interviewed then-Sen. Barack Obama before he announced his run for the presidency. But the seasoned reporter is also attuned to important social issues. Hall has spoken out about her own sister's 2004 murder and abusive relationship, which motivates her to fight against domestic violence. Hall's voice and her work deserve high praise — the broadcast world has certainly benefited from her presence.

Stephanie Gosk

When it comes to the list of broadcast journalists to watch, Gosk should definitely be on it. Named as an NBC News correspondent in September 2006, Gosk has been a contributor to NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams, Today, and MSNBC, according to NBC Universal Media Village. But her work exceeds the stateside newsroom. From 2001-2003, she was a producer for ABC News and traveled to Iraq to produce, shoot, and report pieces for Good Morning America and World News Tonight. Gosk and her partner, Today correspondent Jenna Wolfe, have also arguably helped increase visibility for the LGBTQ community through their presence in the broadcast world.

Jane Pauley

This journalist's career is one that has spanned the decades, but she's got the chops to keep with the times. A graduate of Indiana University, Pauley has done the Hoosier community proud in her professional life. According to the university's website, she returns to her alma mater often and recently led the pilot episode of the alumni association's webinar series. In 1976, Pauley joined Today as a co-anchor with Tom Brokaw and, later, Bryant Gumbel. But she didn't sit in the co-anchor's chair too long. She started her own weekly NBC series, Real Life With Jane Pauley, which then became Dateline. Although she's earned a name for herself and some serious hardware (she won an Emmy and an American Woman in Television and Radio Award), Pauley has also been up front about her personal struggles with bipolar disorder. She shared her story in her 2004 book, Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue, and thus put a relatable name and face to a disease that many face.

Noor Tagouri

This all-star is fairly new to the broadcast scene, but that's certainly not why she's the final broadcasting badass on this list. If anyone can make a lasting impression, it's Tagouri. The young journalist has spoken out about her goal to become the first news anchor to wear a hijab, or headscarf. After graduating at age 21 from the University of Maryland with a journalism degree, Tagouri started the campaign #LetNoorShine, with the mission to prove that, no matter what, a journalist should be allowed to do her work. This pioneer is certainly going to make important strides as a reporter — it's journalists like Tagouri who will keep Alison Parker's memory alive.