N.J. Burkett
He has reported on everything from war and diplomacy to crime and politics; from aviation disasters to natural disasters, race relations and police misconduct.
On September 11, 2001, after the two jets struck the World Trade Center, N.J. and his photographer narrowly escaped the subsequent collapse of the South Tower. Their work was later seen on television news broadcasts across the nation and around the world and is on permanent exhibit at the Newseum in Washington, DC.
N.J. spent nearly three months covering the war in Iraq in 2003, and the military build-up that preceded it. He covered the terrorist bombings in Madrid (2004) and London (2005), as well as the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon (2006), the Israeli-Hamas War in Gaza (2009-10) as well as three Israeli national elections and the death of Palestinian leader, Yasir Arafat (2004). N.J. witnessed the historic Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip (2005) and chronicled the Palestinian popular uprising, known as the Intifadeh, in a series of overseas assignments from 2000-2004.
He was the only local New York television news correspondent to report from Japan after the historic 9.0 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident in 2011, and the first among his colleagues to report from Haiti after the earthquake there, in 2010.
In New York, N.J. has been one of WABC-TV's lead reporters for many of the region's biggest stories, from Superstorm Sandy to the crash of TWA Flight 800, the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School and landmark police misconduct trials. When a growing number of homeless New Yorkers complained that the city's municipal shelters were unsafe, N.J. went undercover for several weeks in the winter of 2001, disguised as a homeless man. He and an undercover photographer slept in New York's most notorious men's shelter.
N. J.'s work has been honored with several of the most prestigious awards in American television news. He is a two-time winner of the coveted Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association (formerly the RTNDA) and a four-time Emmy Award winner, including the Emmy for Outstanding On-Camera Achievement in 2003 and 2007. N.J. has received fifteen Emmy Nominations.
He shared the George Foster Peabody Award and the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award with his colleagues at ABC News for his reporting on the September 11th terrorist attacks. In 2008, he was presented with the Allen B. DuMont Broadcaster of the Year Award by Montclair State University for his "significant contributions to the field of broadcasting."
N.J. is the First Vice Chairman of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and a former Trustee and past President of the Academy's flagship chapter in New York.
His full name is Newton Jones Burkett. Before joining WABC-TV, N. J. was a correspondent for WFSB-TV, the CBS station in Hartford, CT., from 1986-1989. He holds a B.A. in Political Science and a Master's in International Affairs, both from Columbia University.
N.J's Stories
NYC property owners express anger and confusion over rollout of Mamdani's 'pied-à-terre tax'
Many NYC property owners are angry and confused after they received a notice from the city stating they may owe Mayor Mamdani's 'pied-à-terre tax.'
Mayor Mamdani on defensive over judicial appointments committee
Mayor Mamdani is pushing back against criticism over his choices on who will advise him on judicial appointments.
Community frustrated over Jewish representation noticeably missing from Mamdani's advisory committee
The mayor appointed a City Hall advisory committee to recommend judicial appointments, an 18-member panel that reflects the broad diversity of New York-except that it doesn't have a single Jewish member.
Mamdani grocery plan to offer 30% discounts on staples while avoiding competition with local stores
The Mamdani administration's city-owned grocery stores will cut prices by 30% on a core basket of basic items while selling other products at market rates.
Beloved sea turtle returns to the ocean at Coney Island after being nursed back to health
Carried like a conquering hero to the shores of Coney Island, a small but mighty sea turtle named Pancake was returned to the sea.
New York City council speaker blames Mamdani administration as Legionnaires' death toll rises to 5
Critics say the suspected cooling towers should have been disinfected immediately, before the test results were complete and that lives might have been saved.
Mayor Mamdani doubles down on threat to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
The mayor said the city would seek to uphold a warrant for Netanyahu's arrest issued nearly two years ago over the war in Gaza.
Beachgoers pack Point Pleasant Beach at the Jersey Shore on the 4th of July
Point Pleasant Beach was packed with families hitting the scorching sand with their kids, their coolers, their blankets and their beach chairs.
'Nobody worked these hours.' TWU accuses MTA of falsifying bus maintenance records
TWU accuses MTA of falsifying bus maintenance records
Board freezes rent on 1 and 2-year leases for NYC's 1 million rent-regulated apartments
For the first time in its history, New York's Rent Guidelines Board voted to freeze rents for both one-year and two-year leases for the city's one million rent-regulated apartments.