Broadcaster of the Year Award Goes to Kristine Johnson

Emmy Award-winning CBS 2 news anchor, Kristine Johnson, was awarded the 2013 Allen B. DuMont Broadcaster of the Year Award at the Montclair State University Conference Center on December 11. The Broadcaster of the Year Award is presented to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field of broadcasting.

A veteran newscaster, Johnson worked for WPRI in Providence, R.I., and NBC and MSNBC in New York before joining CBS 2 in 2006. She currently co-anchors the 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. news and has anchored news coverage of major events such as Hurricane Sandy and the blizzard of 2013. She has also covered events such as the US Airways “Miracle on the Hudson” landing in 2009, breaking news coverage from ground zero after the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden and live broadcasts in Newtown, Conn., after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre and in Boston after the Boston Marathon bombings.

The versatile journalist has also guest co-hosted the daytime talk show The Talk and has played the role of a news anchor on episodes of the CBS hit prime time shows Person of Interest and Elementary.

After taping an interview at the DuMont Television Center with Associate Professor Marc Rosenweig for a special edition of the School of Communication and Media’s weekly show, Carpe Diem, Johnson spoke to, and took questions from, an audience of students and faculty at the University Conference Center.

“Find something that you are passionate about,” she advised the students. “Personally, I love asking questions, I love finding answers, I love telling stories and most of all, I love making a connection with the viewer.”

Johnson responded to a wide range of questions about the news industry, what it is like to be a broadcast journalist and how to best prepare for entering the profession. Encouraging the students to work hard, set goals and take advantage of every opportunity, Johnson shared her experiences and insider knowledge with them.

“Seize opportunities that come your way,” she advised. “But – this is important – when you notice that other opportunities are passing you by, don’t be afraid to nudge the person in charge. Remind them that you too are capable of taking on these bigger assignments.”

Since many of the students in the audience are aiming for a career in broadcasting, Johnson’s informed advice and answers to questions were much appreciated. So was her frank assessment of the industry as she helped prepare them for what is ahead: “It’s a tough business, I’m not going to lie to you,” she said. “It’s not for the thin-skinned.”

While acknowledging that it is a tough industry, Johnson also encouraged the students not to become discouraged early on in their careers. “I started out in a position that frankly, I didn’t love,” she told the students. “But I worked hard and took advantage of an opportunity that was presented to me and I always tried to remember, ‘this is not the end, this is the beginning.’ ”

Established in 1985, the Broadcaster of the Year Award has honored noted individuals in the field including CBS and YES Network sportscaster Ian Eagle, WNBC-TV sportscaster Bruce Beck and WABC-TV senior correspondent NJ Burkett, as well as Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes, Inside Edition anchor Deborah Norville and My9 News anchor Brenda Blackmon. The selection of candidates is based on recommendations by faculty and staff of the School of Communication and Media and the DuMont Television Center at Montclair State University.

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