ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø

Landed The Job

March 4, 2025

Award-winning journalist Stephanie Bertini always dreamed of living in New York City. Ms. Bertini graduated from the Journalism diploma program at ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø Polytechnic in 2007. She worked her way up in Canada and the U.S. before becoming a reporter at Fox 5 New York in 2022. She’s earned a number of honours for her work and her series Migrants in America: In Their Own Words was nominated for a New York Emmy Award in 2024. In addition to her reporting, Ms. Bertini teaches, sits on journalism-related boards and is passionate about giving back to the industry.

She spoke to us about ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø, her career and some of her noteworthy stories.

Throughout the program, I learned about the newsgathering process. I was putting together TV stories, anchoring … anything you would do in the industry, from a performance or editorial perspective, I was exposed to at ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø.

My former TV professor Barb Caines helped me understand what I needed from a skill set standpoint and what I needed to apply to an on-air job, which was crucial and covered storytelling, the demo reel and resume. We’ve kept in touch and I spoke to her class this past September. It was such a joy for me!

I took on several internships and volunteer opportunities. I had an internship with TVO and I worked in wardrobe at Global for Entertainment Tonight Canada. At Rogers Television in York Region, I did everything from rolling a teleprompter to floor directing and eventually an on-air gig. It all helped me stack my resume while at ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø.

By the fall, after I graduated, I was working my first job as a reporter in Sudbury for CTV News Northern Ontario. I got to cover a lot and did everything from hosting entertainment and the weather to news anchoring. I proved that I was versatile. I believe my ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø experience helped me succeed in that first job. But my goal was always to work in New York City and so I started to network in the U.S.

I did a story called Police Threat about the Mexican cartels making their way into small American police departments, which won a regional and then a national Edward R. Murrow Award. And my piece Poverty Through the Eyes of a Child took me to a school district with students from families with great economic challenges and that also won a regional Murrow Award. I won several awards,Ìýbut more importantlyÌýtheÌýstories I told at KRGV-TV inÌýtheÌýRio Grande Valley, Texas were instrumental in shaping my perspective on life and my career.

I believe hard work, passion and grit are some of the ingredients required to make it in this business. I work early morning shifts and late nights. Working weekends and missing holidays is part of the gig. Over the years, I’ve also taken on different on-air roles, but reporting has always been my first love and through that lens I have seen people at extreme highs and lows.

I love what I do – weaving together words, sounds and pictures and disseminating them to the masses. Working in New York City is a dream come true. I am honoured to be part of a great news team while covering a remarkable city.

I did my master’s in journalism at the University of Miami because I wanted to teach and give back. I started working as an adjunct professor in 2021 at Barry University in Miami. I have a goal to teach a course at ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø because it would really bring everything full circle.

In addition to teaching, I sit on the board of directors for the Radio Television Digital News Association, judge journalism and broadcasting competitions and mentor young reporters. These are just a few of the ways I’m intentional about giving back. I have been given chances, mentored and helped along the way and now I am doing my part to pass that on.

Whatever it is that you want to do, I say believe in your dream, but also be willing to put in the time, the effort and the years. For me, at ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø, my dream gained motion.

Responses have been edited for length and clarity.