Joe Parris is leaving news after a decade of award-winning journalism, political coverage and so-Idaho stories, including a goat escape and snowman delivery service.
BOISE, Idaho — After nearly a decade at KTVB Channel 7, anchor and reporter Joe Parris is leaving the industry for a new opportunity outside of news.
Joe joined KTVB in May 2016 after graduating from the University of Colorado. The up-and-coming journalist stepped into an early-morning role alongside Maggie O’Mara, Doug Petcash and his beloved mentor Larry Gebert, quickly learning the ins and outs of Idaho.
Early live reports covered breaking news, crime, weather and even the great Idaho goat escape of 2018 – Joe’s favorite story to this day and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award winner for storytelling through social media.
#Breaking – About 100 goats are on the loose right now in a #Boise neighborhood. They are going house to house eating everything in sight. Nobody has a clue where they came from…updates to follow pic.twitter.com/K0ghUwQEfk
— Joe Parris (@JoeParrisTV) August 3, 2018
In 2020, Joe helped introduce “The 208,” a first-of-its-kind newscast for the market capturing Gem State stories from a variety of angles. Joe, Brian Holmes and other 208 constants sought to differentiate it from traditional newscasts.
The original 208 team member continued as a daily reporter for the 5 p.m. show, following the Idaho Legislature, local elections and more. Joe earned a new title in early 2022 as chief political reporter at KTVB.
Joe was named Idaho Press Club Broadcast Reporter of the year in 2019, 2020 and 2021. He also proudly contributed to several Emmy Award winning newscasts at Idaho’s NewsChannel 7. He also continued KTVB tradition via Viewpoint on Sunday mornings.
Outside of the studio, Joe’s fiancé became his wife, and the political reporter became a parent. Joe and Haley – who met in the wild news world – welcomed a son to the family in November 2024.
The boys – alongside Border Collie best friend Bosco, the Parris’ pup – enjoy time in the Boise Foothills, exploring the Idaho outdoors and extended play time. Joe and Co. are also always up for a trip to Zoo Boise.
Joe will say goodbye to news and KTVB Channel 7 in early February. He plans to join the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office in a new role.
Joe Parris – 10 Years at KTVB
