Breaking the Code
There’s an unofficial dress code for women in local news: form-fitting dresses, smooth hair, sleek makeup. As a green reporter, Jana Shortal thought looking the part was the only route to landing the stories she desperately wanted to tell. For 15 years, she felt like she wore a costume to work. She maxed out credits cards in order to achieve the look, but it wasn’t the only facade she put up. With the help and friendship of hairstylist Kim Erickson, Jana found the way to her own style—and eventually her own show. Today, Jana hosts "Breaking the News" on Minneapolis’s KARE 11, and she’s garnered attention around the country for bringing her true self and style to the airwaves.