Actions

Tony Marsala

Posted at 10:23 PM, Feb 17, 2014
and last updated 2016-02-08 09:20:00-05

Tony Marsala joined the ABC2 News team in 2004 as a photojournalist. Before coming to Baltimore he worked at Fox 43 in York, Pennsylvania, where he grew up.

When and why did you join WMAR?

I was hiking in the Grand Canyon in August of 2004 and I got a text message from a friend who worked here (and is now my boss) alerting me to an opening for a photographer position.  On September 10, 2004 I came into the station in the morning to fill out my paperwork, that night I worked at my previous station in Harrisburg, and on September 11 I started working for ABC2 News.
 
Where else have you worked and what was your oddest job?
 
Do you count lawn mowing for the entire neighborhood?  If that's the case I've been working since age 10!  I worked as a bus boy for my friend's parents restaurants from age 12-16.  On my 16th birthday my dad took me to Weis Markets, and I worked there through college doing everything from cashier to deli.  I supplemented my Weis income over the summers and winters by working for the maintenance crew at Dallastown High School in York.  I graduated, worked at Fox 43 in Harrisburg for 4 years and then one day I went hiking (see above).  I guess my oddest job was cleaning out the grease traps in all the school cafeterias, it smelled so bad we used to take off our shirts and wrap them around our heads!
 
What are you most proud of when it comes to your work?
 
I take so much pride in so much of my work that it's hard to isolate one aspect, whether it's creative editing or beautiful photography or graphic design, I give it all I've got.  That being said, at the end of the day the one thing I strive for the most is to make every story memorable.  Every person who stands in front of my camera is trusting me with their story and I pride myself on telling that story fairly and unforgettably.
 
Interesting fact(s) about your personal life?
 
My goal in life was to mooch off my parents and do nothing, I always laugh at how I aimed so low and still missed!
 
Favorite local hangouts?
 
I live in York, and therefore my first spots to hang out are Lake Redman and Rocky Ridge parks.  But it's hard to deny the beauty of the Loch Raven trails or the NCR trail.  When I'm hungry I do Trinacrea on the west side or DiPasquale's when I'm east.
 
All-time favorite movie and song? Why?
 
My tastes change like the weather!  I guess Moonstruck has to be a lasting favorite because I spent so many nights laughing out loud with my dad over it.  My current all time favorite song is Jimmy Dreams from Jimmy Buffett, it's mellow and pleasant and so much like me.  
 
What were you like as a kid?
 
When my brother and I would fight, we'd get sent to our room.  We shared a room, so looking back on it I'm not sure why that stopped us from fighting, but it did.  My brother would scream and yell and throw his pillow and I would lay on the bed and watch him.  After a few minutes mom would let me out for being good.  I guess what I'm saying is that I was a patient kid who took it all in and dealt with everything calmly...even my teachers liked me!!  Also, I was bigger than other kids my age so I always had to protect some of my friends from bullies.