She became a part of the CNN family and eventually CNN Headline News. Her perky personality and attractive looks caused a poll on Playboy.com to vote her as Sexiest Newscaster. Meade won a regional Emmy Award for her efforts covering the 1995 collision between a school bus and a train in Fox River Grove, Illinois that killed seven and injured more than 24 teenagers. She was also nominated for a regional Emmy for her report on how to decrease chances of injury in survivable plane crashes. In 2002, Meade was recognized by Lycos as one of the top 20 most popular television news personalities in the broadcast news industry. She won Ashland University’s Young Alumnus Award for her achievements in broadcasting and served as the commencement speaker for the university’s 2005 graduation ceremonies. As an aspiring singer, Meade released a country music album in 2011 and a second one in 2013.