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Bree Smith (American Meteorologist)
Bree Smith is still married — and that answer connects to a story that encompasses acting in New York City, Emmy-winning meteorology across three states, federal litigation against a major television network, and legislative testimony before the Tennessee state legislature. Born Bree Sunshine Smith on December 28, 1981, in Denver, Colorado, she marked her 44th birthday in December 2025 — a milestone that coincided with her debut at WSMV4 in Nashville, a professional chapter that followed nine years at NewsChannel 5. Her path did not begin in weather. After completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 2004, she spent three years as a professional stage and film actress in New York City.
The 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons redirected her path entirely. She enrolled in meteorology studies at Florida State University, transferred to Florida International University, and graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology in May 2010. Her broadcast career began at WVLA-TV in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she held the role of weekend meteorologist and traffic reporter. In 2011, she relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, and joined KSDK-TV, where she covered tornadoes, winter storms, and the historic New Year’s flooding of 2016 across five years. In January 2016, she transitioned to WTVF NewsChannel 5 in Nashville, Tennessee, where she earned Emmy recognition and held accreditations from both the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association across a nine-year tenure.
In January 2025, her contract at NewsChannel 5 ended. In March 2025, she testified before the Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee regarding deepfake harassment. The Tennessee legislature passed the Preventing Deepfake Images Act in April 2025 — legislation she publicly supported. In December 2025, she filed a federal lawsuit against NewsChannel 5 and parent company Scripps Media, alleging gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation. In January 2026, she joined WSMV4 in Nashville as part of the First Alert Weather Team. Third-party estimates place her net worth at over one million dollars, built across a fifteen-year broadcast career in Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee, supplemented by income from her published children’s weather book and public advocacy work. This article covers her marriage to chef Curt Friedrichs, their two sons, her full career timeline, the deepfake harassment, the ongoing federal lawsuit, and her move to WSMV4.
| Full Name | Bree Sunshine Smith (professional name); Bree Smith Friedrichs (legal name) |
| Date of Birth | December 28, 1981 |
| Place of Birth | Denver, Colorado, United States |
| Raised In | Danville, California, United States (reported) |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White / European-American |
| Profession | Meteorologist, Broadcast Weather Anchor, Author, Public Advocate |
| Employer | WSMV4, Nashville, Tennessee (NBC affiliate, Gray Media) — joined January 2026 |
| Education | BFA in Theatre Performance, Southern Methodist University, Dallas (2004); BS in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Florida International University, Miami — Graduated with Honors (2010) |
| Career Start | WVLA-TV, Baton Rouge, Louisiana — Weekend Meteorologist and Traffic Reporter (2010) |
| Current Role | Meteorologist — WSMV4 First Alert Weather Team, Nashville, Tennessee |
| Notable Coverage | Historic New Year’s Eve Flooding, St. Louis (January 2016); Multiple Tornado Outbreaks, Missouri and Tennessee; Severe Winter Storms; TODAY Show Weather Segment with Al Roker (2015) |
| Notable Advocacy | Tennessee Preventing Deepfake Images Act (HB 1299/SB 1346) — Testified March 2025; legislation passed April 2025 |
| Marital Status | Married to Curt Friedrichs (professional chef) — September 2010 |
| Children | Cole Friedrichs (born August 27, 2013); Brooks Friedrichs (born December 2017) |
| Father | Stuart Smith (deceased — died of overdose, early 1990s) |
| Stepfather | John Eblen (reported) |
| Awards | Emmy Award (Broadcast Meteorology); Weathercast Certificate of Merit — Missouri Broadcasters Association (2015, reported) |
| Accreditations | American Meteorological Society (AMS); National Weather Association (NWA) |
| Published Work | First fact-based weather book designed for toddlers (includes 8 QR-code weather experiments) |
| Estimated Net Worth | $1 million or above (estimated; not officially confirmed) |
| Estimated Salary | $95,000 – $185,000 annually (industry estimate; not officially confirmed) |
| Residence | Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
Who is Bree Smith?
Bree Smith is an Emmy Award-winning American meteorologist currently serving on the First Alert Weather Team at WSMV4 in Nashville, Tennessee. Born Bree Sunshine Smith on December 28, 1981, in Denver, Colorado, she is married to professional chef Curt Friedrichs and is a published author and advocate for anti-deepfake legislation.
Early Life and Education
Bree Smith was born Bree Sunshine Smith on December 28, 1981, in Denver, Colorado. Her early years unfolded in Danville, California — a town in the San Francisco Bay Area — where she was raised during childhood and adolescence. This detail appears in secondary biographical records and has not been confirmed through primary sources.
Her father, Stuart Smith, struggled with alcoholism and died of an overdose when Bree was approximately ten years old, placing that loss in the early 1990s. Her mother remarried following Stuart Smith’s death. Her stepfather, John Eblen, held a close role in her upbringing — a bond that extended into her adult years, per reported biographical records. Her mother’s name has not been made public in any available documentation.
In adult life, Bree chose to speak publicly about her father’s death during National Recovery Month — a documented decision to address the impact of addiction on families through her public platform. Her mother’s name and any information about siblings have not been disclosed in public records.
Education
Bree’s secondary education took place at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, California, per secondary biographical sources — a detail that has not been confirmed through primary records. In August 2000, she enrolled at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where her coursework concentrated in Theatre Performance. That program concluded with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree awarded in May 2004. In 2003, she completed a program in Classical Theatre at the British American Dramatic Academy — a detail that appears in secondary records and has not been independently confirmed.
Her academic path shifted substantially in the years that followed her 2004 graduation. From 2004 through 2007, she held professional roles as a stage and film actress in New York City. Two consecutive Atlantic hurricane seasons — 2004 and 2005 — documented in meteorological records as among the most destructive on record, marked a turning point in her academic direction. In August 2007, she enrolled at Florida State University in Tallahassee to pursue formal meteorology training. In 2008, she transferred to Florida International University in Miami. Her coursework in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology at Florida International University concluded with a Bachelor of Science degree awarded with honors in May 2010.
During her enrollment at Florida International University, she completed an internship at WPLG-TV in Florida between May and August 2009. A second internship at WDSU-NBC in New Orleans preceded her May 2010 graduation. Both internship entries appear in secondary biographical records and have not been verified through primary documentation.
Career
Early Career — Acting in New York City
Bree Smith’s professional career did not begin in broadcast meteorology. After completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in May 2004, she relocated to New York City, where she held roles as a professional stage and film actress from 2004 through 2007. Her acting work encompassed both stage productions and film projects during those three years.
The 2004 and 2005 Atlantic hurricane seasons — among the most destructive on record in documented meteorological history — marked a turning point in her professional direction. Those consecutive seasons prompted her to leave the acting field and return to formal academic study in atmospheric science.
Meteorology Beginnings — Baton Rouge and Florida
In August 2007, she enrolled at Florida State University in Tallahassee to begin meteorology coursework. In 2008, she transferred her enrollment to Florida International University in Miami, where her program concentrated in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology. Her degree at Florida International University — a Bachelor of Science — concluded in May 2010, awarded with honors.
Following that graduation, she and her husband relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana. Her first on-air broadcast role began at WVLA-TV in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where her assigned responsibilities covered weekend meteorology duties and traffic reporting. She also held the fill-in position for weekday morning and evening broadcasts at that station, covering live weather and traffic segments across multiple time slots.
KSDK-TV, St. Louis (2011–2016)
In 2011, she relocated to St. Louis, Missouri — the hometown of her husband, Curt Friedrichs — and joined KSDK-TV as weekend meteorologist. Her five-year assignment at that station, from 2011 through January 2016, encompassed coverage of tornado events, winter storm systems, and the historic New Year’s Eve flooding that struck the St. Louis region in early January 2016.
In 2015, she appeared on the nationally broadcast TODAY program alongside Al Roker to deliver a weather segment — a documented addition to her broadcast record. That same year, she received an appointment as a Featured Contributor for the TODAY Parenting Team. Also in 2015, the Missouri Broadcasters Association awarded her a Weathercast Certificate of Merit — a detail present in secondary biographical records that has not been confirmed through primary documentation.
NewsChannel 5, Nashville — Nine Years (2016–2025)
In January 2016, Bree Smith joined WTVF NewsChannel 5 in Nashville, Tennessee — the CBS affiliate operated by Scripps Media — as a meteorologist on the Storm 5 Weather team, beginning a nine-year tenure at that station. During her time at NewsChannel 5, she earned an Emmy Award for broadcast work — a credential confirmed in her official employer biography at WSMV4. She held accreditations from both the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association throughout her Nashville assignment.
Her work at NewsChannel 5 extended beyond on-air forecasting. She authored the first fact-based weather book designed specifically for toddlers — a published title that incorporated eight weather experiments accessible through embedded QR codes. She also delivered weather-related coursework through Vanderbilt University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
In January 2019, she took a temporary leave of absence from NewsChannel 5 following surgery. The nature of the procedure involved has not been disclosed in any available public documentation. She returned to her on-air role at the station following her recovery.
Deepfake Harassment and Departure from NewsChannel 5
In October 2024, Bree Smith received emails that contained sexually suggestive AI-generated images in which her face had been edited onto other individuals’ bodies. She reported the matter to station management. According to court documents filed in December 2025, a station manager responded by stating that “the laws have not caught up with the technology” and advised her not to allow the situation to affect her mentally. No formal station-level legal intervention followed that complaint.
The deepfake incident arose within a broader pattern of workplace conduct allegations that had accumulated across her nine years at NewsChannel 5. Court documents named Henry Rothenberg — a colleague who joined the station in January 2016 and who she held managerial responsibility over at a subsequent point in her tenure — as the individual whose conduct formed the basis of the harassment allegations. The same court documents alleged that female employees at the station faced unequal appearance standards, including mandatory sessions with a style consultant that male employees did not attend.
Bree Smith’s contract at NewsChannel 5 ended on January 10, 2025. NewsChannel 5 publicly characterized the conclusion of her tenure as the result of unsuccessful contract negotiations.
Federal Lawsuit Against NewsChannel 5
On December 29, 2025, Bree Smith Friedrichs filed a federal civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. The defendants named in the filing were NewsChannel 5 and its parent company, Scripps Media. The legal claims encompassed gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and workplace retaliation. Her attorneys of record were John Spragens and David Kieley.
The complaint alleged that Henry Rothenberg subjected her and other female colleagues to sexist verbal conduct over multiple years, and that station management failed to take corrective action following her internal complaints. The filing further alleged that management retaliated against her after those complaints were submitted. The station’s handling of the deepfake harassment — specifically the dismissive response documented in October 2024 — was identified in the filing as a contributing factor in her decision not to renew her contract.
NewsChannel 5 and Scripps Media disputed the allegations. The station released a public statement describing its workplace environment as positive and asserting that concerns Bree Smith raised had been investigated thoroughly. No verdict had been reached in the case through January 2026. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and punitive damages.
Advocacy — Preventing Deepfake Images Act
Following her January 2025 departure from NewsChannel 5, Bree Smith pursued public advocacy for Tennessee state legislation targeting non-consensual AI-generated imagery. In March 2025, she testified before the Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee, presenting her direct experience as a target of deepfake content.
In her testimony, she stated: “These accounts used fake pictures that showed my face on someone else’s semi-nude body. They also made fake videos that used my face and my name to try to convince people it was the real me.” She told lawmakers that the experience produced “a very dark depression” and added: “Having my face, my reputation and my identity distorted into something so vile and vulnerable traumatized me and my family.” The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted seven to zero to advance the bill following her testimony.
The Tennessee Senate passed the Preventing Deepfake Images Act — designated HB 1299 and SB 1346 — on April 15, 2025. The Tennessee House passed the same legislation on April 21, 2025. The bill was introduced by Representative William Lamberth and Senator Jeff Yarbro. The law established civil and criminal remedies for individuals whose likenesses appeared in non-consensual intimate AI-generated depictions — allowing civil suits against creators and classifying non-consensual disclosure of such material as a felony offense.
WSMV4, Nashville — New Role
On January 5, 2026 — one week after the filing of her federal lawsuit against NewsChannel 5 — Bree Smith announced her professional affiliation with WSMV4, the NBC affiliate in Nashville owned by Gray Media. The announcement reached the public on January 6, 2026. Her on-air debut at WSMV4 took place during the week of January 12, 2026, as part of the station’s First Alert Weather Team. Her broadcast responsibilities at WSMV4 encompassed appearances on afternoon and evening newscasts as well as digital platform coverage.
WSMV4 General Manager and Regional Vice President Jasmine Hardin released a statement on January 6, 2026, which read: “We are thrilled to add Bree to the First Alert Weather team. Bree’s authenticity and relatability make her a favorite with viewers.”
Bree Smith Net Worth and Salary
Bree Smith’s estimated net worth falls in the range of one million dollars or above, based on third-party biographical estimates compiled from publicly available information. No official financial disclosure has been made by Bree Smith or any affiliated party. These figures are estimates based on publicly available information and carry no verified confirmation from primary sources.
The estimate reflects a broadcast career that spanned more than fifteen years across three states — Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee — and included on-air positions at WVLA-TV in Baton Rouge, KSDK-TV in St. Louis, WTVF NewsChannel 5 in Nashville, and WSMV4 in Nashville. Her television career alone, measured across multiple major and mid-major markets from 2010 through 2026, forms the primary documented basis for third-party net worth calculations.
Her financial profile encompasses income streams beyond television. She authored a published children’s book — the first fact-based weather title designed for toddlers — which incorporated eight weather-related experiments accessible through embedded QR codes. In addition to that published work, she delivered coursework through Vanderbilt University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and participated in public advocacy work connected to Tennessee’s Preventing Deepfake Images Act, passed in April 2025. Community event appearances, including documented service as an emcee for charitable events across Middle Tennessee, represent additional documented activity outside her primary broadcast role.
Salary
No official salary figure for Bree Smith has been disclosed through any primary or institutional source. Third-party estimates for Emmy Award-winning meteorologists holding principal on-air roles in top-50 United States media markets place annual compensation in a broad range between approximately $95,000 and $185,000. Nashville, Tennessee — where Bree Smith held her principal broadcast roles at both NewsChannel 5 and WSMV4 — ranked among the top-30 media markets in the United States during her tenure there. These figures are estimates based on publicly available industry data and do not constitute confirmed compensation for Bree Smith specifically.
Her nine-year tenure at NewsChannel 5, combined with her Emmy Award credential and dual professional accreditations from the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association, place her professional profile at a level consistent with the upper range of publicly reported estimates for her market category. That said, no verified salary figure exists in any court filing, public record, or official employer documentation reviewed in the preparation of this article.
Personal Life and Family
Bree Smith married professional chef Curt Friedrichs in September 2010, and that marriage remained intact through 2026, with no public record of separation, divorce, or legal dissolution filed under her name or any documented phonetic variant of it.
Marriage to Curt Friedrichs
Bree Smith’s husband, Curt Friedrichs, holds professional training and employment as a chef. He was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. The two established their relationship in 2006 — a period that preceded Bree’s completion of her meteorology degree at Florida International University in May 2010. Their wedding took place in September 2010. That date was confirmed through a public anniversary post Bree shared on September 20, 2012, marking their second wedding anniversary. Some secondary biographical records list 2006 as a marriage year — that figure appears to reflect the beginning of their relationship rather than the date of their formal wedding.
The family’s residential history followed Bree’s broadcast career across three cities. After Bree’s May 2010 graduation, the couple relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana, where she began her first on-air position at WVLA-TV in Baton Rouge. In 2011, they relocated again — this time to St. Louis, the city where Curt grew up — when Bree joined KSDK-TV. In January 2016, a third relocation brought the family to Nashville, Tennessee, where Bree’s tenure at NewsChannel 5 began. The family’s Nashville residence continued through her 2026 appointment to WSMV4.
Curt Friedrichs has maintained a limited public presence throughout the duration of the marriage. He has not held any public-facing role connected to Bree’s broadcast work or advocacy activity. Bree has noted in documented public posts that Curt handles cooking responsibilities at home — consistent with his professional background.
One claim that circulated in online biographical records has been explicitly and repeatedly debunked across multiple documented sources: Bree Smith was never married to, or romantically connected to, former professional baseball player David Freese. David Freese married Mairin O’Leary in 2016. Bree Smith’s only documented marriage is to Curt Friedrichs, formalized in September 2010.
Children
Bree Smith and Curt Friedrichs became parents to two sons. Their first child, Cole Friedrichs, was born on August 27, 2013. Their second son, Brooks Friedrichs — referred to informally as “Brooksy” in Bree’s documented public posts — was born in December 2017. Bree shared the news of Brooks’s arrival through her public social media presence at the time, noting that his long, narrow feet had been active throughout the pregnancy.
Both sons were raised in Nashville, Tennessee. When Bree addressed her departure from NewsChannel 5 publicly in January 2025, she stated that she looked forward to leaning into her “mom hat” — a direct quote from her public farewell statement — and spending additional time with her boys in Nashville.
Cole turned eleven years old on August 27, 2024, as documented through a family photograph Bree shared publicly on that date. Brooks reached his seventh year in December 2024.
Family, Personal Interests, and Public Advocacy
Bree Smith chose to speak publicly about the death of her father, Stuart Smith, who struggled with alcoholism and died of an overdose when she was approximately ten years old — placing that loss in the early 1990s. She disclosed this personal history in the context of National Recovery Month, a documented public health observance. That disclosure was a voluntary decision made through her public platform and is documented in biographical records.
The Smith-Friedrichs household also included three cats at the time of her WSMV4 biography, published in 2026. An earlier NewsChannel 5 biography documented one cat by the name of Jack — indicating the household’s pet count grew across her Nashville years.
Bree identified outdoor activity as a personal interest in her official employer biography. She described Middle Tennessee as her home in both her NewsChannel 5 and WSMV4 biographical statements — a characterization she maintained across two separate employer profiles spanning more than a decade.
The deepfake harassment she experienced in 2024, documented in detail in court filings and her March 2025 legislative testimony, affected her family directly. In that testimony, she stated: “Having my face, my reputation and my identity distorted into something so vile and vulnerable traumatized me and my family.” The full account of that experience and the legislative outcome it produced appears in the Career section of this article.
Published Work and Advocacy
Bree Smith authored a fact-based weather book designed for toddlers — a publication documented as the first of its category to address meteorological concepts for that age group through a scientific framework. The book incorporates eight weather experiments, each accessible at no cost or at low cost through QR codes embedded within the publication. The experiments translate atmospheric science concepts into age-appropriate activities, combining factual meteorological content with a format structured for early childhood engagement.
No publication date for the book has been confirmed in any public record reviewed for this entry. The title and publisher have not been made available through Smith’s official biographical disclosures.
Legislative Advocacy — Preventing Deepfake Images Act
Smith’s advocacy work in the Tennessee state legislature constitutes a documented part of her public record extending through 2025. In October 2024, impersonator accounts began distributing AI-generated images that placed Smith’s likeness onto explicit content and used those materials in sextortion schemes directed at her viewers. Smith tracked the impersonator accounts personally and documented 24 new accounts appearing within a single week during the active period of that targeting.
On March 27, 2025, Smith delivered testimony before the Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee in support of the Preventing Deepfake Images Act, a bill introduced by Nashville Democratic Representative Jason Powell. Her testimony addressed the documented scope of the impersonator activity and its effect on viewer trust and her professional record. The subcommittee voted 7–0 on that date to advance the bill to the House Judiciary Committee for further consideration.
In May 2025, the Preventing Deepfake Images Act passed the Tennessee Senate and advanced to Governor Bill Lee for signature. The legislation established the right of affected individuals to file civil suits against those who create or distribute nonconsensual AI-generated images, and introduced felony-level consequences for distribution carried out with intent to cause harm or damage to reputation.
Community Engagement
Across her broadcast career in St. Louis, Missouri, and Nashville, Tennessee, Smith served as master of ceremonies for charitable events on multiple documented occasions.
Her participation in local non-profit activities in both markets forms part of her publicly stated professional profile. No specific event names, organizations, or dates for individual appearances have been made available through public records.
Career Timeline
| Year(s) | Role | Station / Organization | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 – 2007 | Professional Stage and Film Actress | Various productions | New York City, New York |
| May – August 2009 | Broadcast Intern | WPLG-TV | Florida (reported; unconfirmed) |
| 2009 – 2010 | Broadcast Intern | WDSU-NBC | New Orleans, Louisiana (reported; unconfirmed) |
| 2010 – 2011 | Weekend Meteorologist and Traffic Reporter; Weekday Fill-In | WVLA-TV | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| 2011 – January 2016 | Weekend Meteorologist | KSDK-TV | St. Louis, Missouri |
| 2015 | Weather Segment Contributor | TODAY Show (NBC) | National (with Al Roker) |
| 2015 | Featured Contributor — TODAY Parenting Team | TODAY / NBC | National |
| January 2016 – January 2025 | Principal Evening Meteorologist — Storm 5 Weather Team | WTVF NewsChannel 5 (CBS affiliate, Scripps Media) | Nashville, Tennessee |
| March 2025 | Legislative Witness — Deepfake Testimony | Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee | Nashville, Tennessee |
| April 2025 | Public Advocate — Preventing Deepfake Images Act | Tennessee State Legislature | Nashville, Tennessee |
| January 2026 – present | Meteorologist — First Alert Weather Team | WSMV4 (NBC affiliate, Gray Media) | Nashville, Tennessee |
Awards and Accreditations
| Year | Award / Recognition | Awarding Body | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Weathercast Certificate of Merit | Missouri Broadcasters Association | Won (reported; secondary sources) |
| 2016 – 2025 tenure | Emmy Award — Broadcast Meteorology | National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences | Won (confirmed — WSMV4 official biography) |
| Active | Accreditation — American Meteorological Society (AMS) | American Meteorological Society | Accredited (confirmed) |
| Active | Accreditation — National Weather Association (NWA) | National Weather Association | Accredited (confirmed) |
| April 2025 | Legislative Advocacy — Preventing Deepfake Images Act (HB 1299 / SB 1346) | Tennessee State Legislature | Passed — both chambers (confirmed) |
Key Life Milestones
| Date | Milestone |
| December 28, 1981 | Born in Denver, Colorado |
| May 2004 | Graduated Southern Methodist University — BFA Theatre Performance |
| 2004–2007 | Worked as professional stage and film actress in New York City |
| August 2007 | Enrolled at Florida State University — meteorology studies began |
| May 2010 | Graduated Florida International University — BS Meteorology, with honors |
| 2010 | Married Curt Friedrichs |
| 2010 | First on-air role — WVLA-TV, Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| 2011 | Joined KSDK-TV, St. Louis, Missouri |
| 2015 | Appeared on NBC TODAY show alongside Al Roker |
| 2015 | Weathercast Certificate of Merit — Missouri Broadcasters Association |
| January 2016 | Joined WTVF NewsChannel 5, Nashville, Tennessee |
| August 27, 2013 | Son Cole Friedrichs born |
| December 11, 2017 | Son Brooks Friedrichs born |
| January 2019 | Underwent surgery; took temporary leave; returned to full broadcast duties |
| October 2024 | Deepfake sextortion targeting of her likeness began |
| January 10, 2025 | Departed WTVF NewsChannel 5 — contract concluded |
| March 27, 2025 | Testified before Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee — deepfake legislation |
| May 2025 | Preventing Deepfake Images Act passed Tennessee Senate |
| December 29, 2025 | Filed federal lawsuit against WTVF / E.W. Scripps Company |
| January 5, 2026 | Signed contract with Gray Media — joined WSMV4 Nashville |
FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Bree Smith
Key questions answered about the Emmy-winning Nashville meteorologist and her personal and professional life
Bree Smith and Curt Friedrichs established their relationship in 2006 and formalized their marriage in September 2010 — a date confirmed through a public second anniversary post shared on September 20, 2012. The family of four, including sons Cole and Brooks, maintained their residence in Nashville, Tennessee across the years of Bree's career at both NewsChannel 5 and WSMV4.
Curt Friedrichs has maintained a limited public presence throughout their marriage. He and Bree relocated together from New Orleans to St. Louis in 2011, then to Nashville in January 2016, following her broadcast career across three states. The couple has two sons — Cole Friedrichs, born August 27, 2013, and Brooks Friedrichs, born December 2017. Bree has noted publicly that Curt handles cooking responsibilities at home, consistent with his professional background.
She was born Bree Sunshine Smith in Denver, Colorado, and was raised in Danville, California, per secondary biographical records. She completed her first university degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in May 2004, and her second degree — a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology at Florida International University — in May 2010.
WSMV4 is the NBC affiliate in Nashville, Tennessee, owned by Gray Media. Bree Smith began on-air work at that station during the week of January 12, 2026, as part of the First Alert Weather Team. She brought more than fifteen years of broadcast meteorology experience to that role across markets in Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee.
Her appointment at WSMV4 was announced on January 6, 2026, one week after she filed a federal lawsuit against her former employer, NewsChannel 5. Her on-air debut at WSMV4 took place during the week of January 12, 2026. Her broadcast responsibilities encompass afternoon and evening newscasts as well as digital platform coverage.
In a federal lawsuit filed December 29, 2025, she alleged that colleague Henry Rothenberg subjected her and other female employees to sexist conduct over multiple years, and that station management failed to act on her complaints. When fake AI-generated images using her face appeared in October 2024 and management declined to pursue legal intervention, she stated in court documents that was the final factor in her decision not to renew her contract. NewsChannel 5 and parent company Scripps Media disputed the allegations publicly.
In March 2025, she testified before the Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee regarding her deepfake experience. The Tennessee legislature passed the Preventing Deepfake Images Act — HB 1299 and SB 1346 — in April 2025 following her advocacy. Her federal lawsuit against NewsChannel 5 and Scripps Media, filed December 29, 2025, remained active through January 2026 with no verdict reached.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, named colleague Henry Rothenberg as the individual whose conduct formed the basis of the harassment allegations. The complaint also alleged that female employees faced unequal appearance standards not applied to male employees. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and punitive damages. Attorneys of record were John Spragens and David Kieley. NewsChannel 5 disputed the allegations and described its workplace as positive. No verdict had been reached through January 2026.
Her documented income sources include her television career across stations in Baton Rouge, St. Louis, and Nashville from 2010 through 2026; a published children's weather book incorporating eight QR-code weather experiments; coursework delivered through Vanderbilt University's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute; and public appearances and charitable emcee engagements across Middle Tennessee. These figures are estimates based on publicly available information.
Specific broadcast times are subject to change per the station's programming schedule. For the most current and accurate air times, WSMV4's official programming information represents the authoritative source.
Both sons were raised in Nashville, Tennessee. When Bree announced her departure from NewsChannel 5 in January 2025, she publicly stated she looked forward to leaning into her "mom hat" and spending additional time with her boys. Cole turned eleven on August 27, 2024, and Brooks reached age seven in December 2024.
She later returned to academic study and enrolled at Florida State University in August 2007 to pursue meteorology, before transferring to Florida International University in Miami. At Florida International University, she completed a Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology in May 2010, graduating with honors. She also completed internships at WPLG-TV in Florida and WDSU-NBC in New Orleans during that period, per secondary biographical records.
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