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Mostly Cloudy Rockville Centre resident becomes director at News 12
Rockville Centre resident Rob Rivas was appointed the news director for News 12 on Feb. 28.
Rivas, 43, grew up in Oceanside, and brings with him a wealth of experience to the new position after spending many years in the newsroom for NBC News and MSNBC in the 2000s. While there, he said, he grew an affinity for working in the newsroom.
“The minute I was in the newsroom, I fell in love with the vibe,” he said. “It gives you sort of a front row seat to history in so many different ways. I enjoyed working in a collaborative atmosphere with people who are spread around the country — and in some cases, around the world. I enjoyed the complexity of finding out how to cover a story and the spontaneity of a workday.”
Rivas graduated from Oceanside High School in 1996 and went on to study political science and history at SUNY Buffalo. After working for the federal government in Washington, he switched gears and landed with NBC News. He then went on to work abroad for a consulting firm before landing the job at News 12 and returning to the newsroom.
In 2010, Rivas purchased a house in Rockville Centre with his wife, Karen Ma, who was his high school sweetheart, and the two have a son.
Rivas fondly recalled how excited he was when a News 12 crew came to Oceanside School No. 5 while he was attending elementary school there, and said that now things have come full circle for him. He added that he appreciated having the opportunity in his new role and that he believes that the company plays an important role in the community.
“It’s such a strong brand with great reporters and anchors and producers,” he said. “What I told the team is to just lean into the reporting and the aspects of the News 12 family that make us strong in the community, with a real emphasis on making sure we’re reporting on and covering the stories and issues that the people in our viewership area care about.”
