From Diagonal to Des Moines

When he worked his first broadcast, a high school girls basketball game during his junior year at Diagonal, Skyler Stamps wasn’t expecting much to come from it.

Today, waking up before the crack of dawn into a full suit and tie, he sets off from his morning meetings ready to tell a story for the whole state of Iowa to see. Broadcast on WHO 13 news, Iowa’s NBC affiliate station, Stamps has worked on stories all across the state.

How did it happen? Even Stamps isn’t sure.

“I always thought I was going to be a history teacher,” Stamps said. “I thought I’d be spending my life in a classroom. It’s been a whirlwind. Until I got to college, I never touched a camera or filmed a story. It wasn’t until WHO that I went on a live newscast from the field without a teleprompter. If I set my mind to something, I know I can do it.”

Now a morning news reporter, Stamps works the morning shift Wednesday through Sunday, 3 to 11 a.m. He gets to sleep in during the weekends, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Stamps was on WHO even earlier than his first year at the station in 2025. When his science teacher Taylor Bentley won the Golden Apple award, Stamps was the one who nominated her. The headline read, "Teacher at Iowa’s Smallest School District Recognized with Golden Apple Award."

During his time at school, Stamps kept himself active in the broadcast world, mostly in sports. From reaching all-state in radio news announcing in high school speech and his time working on KSIB broadcasts during the COVID pandemic, Stamps said he felt a knack for what he was doing.

“I figured I might as well use my gift,” Stamps said.

Within two weeks of attending Northwest Missouri State University, Stamps was the sole sports reporter for KWNT TV. He expanded his role into news reporting, hosting segments and making a name for himself.

After graduating, he found a position at WHO, and the rest is history. From reporting in the field to the occasional surprise anchor position, Iowans across the state wake up and watch the stories Stamp reports.

“I like having my focus in Southwest Iowa with our morning shift,” Stamps said. “Those feel-good small town Iowa stories, I get to shine a light on things that don’t get as much attention on the statewide spotlight.”

That focus on Southwest Iowa has kept Stamps motivated throughout his work. From Diagonal to Des Moines, he hasn’t forgotten his roots.

“I love my hometown of Diagonal,” Stamps said. “I love Southwest Iowa, hearing the support from people I knew well when I was still in Diagonal, hearing all of them have positive comments from what I’m doing, and that what I’m doing matters.”

Stamps hopes his story can inspire others like him.

“No matter if you are a small rural kid raised on a farm, you can go to the city and be on TV for a living,” Stamps said. “I had no media experience before I decided on a career in media. You can do whatever you set your mind to.”