WILKES-BARRE — Paola Giangiacomo has been on the local TV broadcasting scene since 1999, when she was an anchor at WNEP-TV. For the last four years, she’s turned her attention to the subject of children at WBRE/WYOU, featuring “Paola’s Parenting Playbook.”

The Philadelphia native, a Pennsylvania State University graduate, started her 25-year broadcasting career in Monroe, Louisiana, as a weekend anchor/reporter for a small TV station before moving back north, accepting a job in Alpena, Michigan, and then Johnstown, PA, eventually landing the job at WNEP.

After spending over 13 years at WNEP, she did stints at FOX News Radio in New York City, operating the board at FOX News Headlines 24/7 on SiriusXM radio, as well as an anchor/reporter position at WFMZ in Allentown, and finally the host of WVIA-TV’s “Call the Doctor” medical show at the PBS network for several years.

The award-winning Giangiacomo took home a Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Award for her hosting role in the statewide series “Battling Opioids; A Community in Crisis” while at WVIA airing on all PBS stations across Pennsylvania.

Aside from her TV career, Giangiacomo managed to work as a Director of Media Relations for the Scranton Police Dept. where she launched “Cops and Kids” literacy program to create strong bonds between police officers and kids in the community.

After taking a break from broadcasting to marry and giving birth to two sons, she was ready to dip her toe into broadcasting once again.

“I met WBRE interim news director Steve Swicewood, and I told him about my background, and he suggested we talk, and he eventually offered me a parenting segment,” Giangiacomo recalled. “I wanted to do something part-time, and he said I should do something focused on kids and families and parenting, and that’s how it started.”

With a little brainstorming, the two came up with “Paola’s Parenting Playbook” based on her own experience as a parent.

“I really enjoy my job, and I come up with my own ideas based on being a parent, and I try to find doctors and experts,” Giangiacomo said. “I try to give tips along the way, and we’ve been lucky to win some Keystone Awards and a few Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Awards, and it’s starting to resonate with the community.”

“Paola’s Parenting Playbook” appears every Thursday beginning at 3 p.m. with Giangiacomo presenting a preview of the segment on PA Live. She then goes live on the 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. WBRE newscast as well as the WYOU newscast at 7 p.m. The segment re-airs on the weekend morning news.

“I have a tab online with “Paola’s Parenting Playbook” and it is part of WBRE/WYOU’s “Children First Initiative” and “Here’s to You Kid” promotions — it’s all about putting children first,” Giangiacomo added.

One highlight of Giangiacomo’s career was a 30-minute documentary on fentanyl in 2025 that was well-received.

On the horizon for her is a possible podcast or another documentary; “I feel like you need something to look forward to … you know, to keep a skip in your step.”

Giangiacomo said she welcomes receiving segment ideas from the viewers, so if you have an idea or a subject you’d like to see on “Paola’s Parenting Playbook,” you can reach her at pgiangiacomo@2822news.com.