Bonnie Bernstein

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Bonnie Bernstein
Entrepreneur
Years active1992–present
Websitehttp://www.bonniebernstein.com

Bonnie Lynn Bernstein (born August 16, 1970) is an American sports journalist and media executive. She has been named one of the most accomplished female sportscasters in history by the American Sportscasters Association, spending nearly 20 years as a reporter and studio host at ESPN, ABC and CBS Sports, covering the NFL, NBA, MLB and college football and basketball.[1] Bernstein is currently the founder and CEO of Walk Swiftly Productions, a multimedia production company specializing in non-scripted sports and entertainment content.

Biography

Bernstein in July 2011

Early life and education

Bernstein was born in

magna cum laude with a degree in broadcast journalism. She was a four-time Academic All-America in gymnastics, receiving the Thomas M. Fields award for excellence in academics and athletics. Bernstein maintains close ties to her alma mater, serving on the Board of Visitors for the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland and the advisory board for the Povich Center for Sports Journalism.[2]

Early career

Bernstein spent three years climbing the local broadcast ladder, launching her career as the news and sports director at WXJN-FM radio in

KRNV-TV
.

ESPN

Bernstein first joined ESPN in 1995 as its Chicago Bureau Chief, where she covered

NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
.

CBS Sports

Bernstein joined

Upon signing with CBS/Westwood One Radio in 2001, Bernstein often pulled "double duty" during the

NFL season, covering a Sunday game for CBS and Monday Night Football
for radio.

In addition to her NFL and college basketball duties, Bernstein hosted the

.

Return to ESPN

In July 2006, Bernstein rejoined ESPN as the lead college football reporter for ESPN on ABC and the

College Football Live
.

Radio hosting

In September 2009, Bernstein was named co-host of

1050 ESPN Radio in New York. She also covered the New York Jets and hosted specialty programming during the 2009–10 NFL playoffs. In July 2010, Bernstein was given her own daily NFL show, New York Football Live, co-hosted by Jets linebacker Greg Buttle.[6]

Campus Insiders

In April 2013, Bernstein was named vice president of Content and Brand Development for Campus Insiders, a digital partnership between Silver Chalice Ventures, founded by

Her off-air responsibilities included creating original programming for the network, developing and securing new sponsor partnerships, and designing brand extensions that enhanced the reach of CI's digital and social platforms.

Walk Swiftly Productions

In January 2017, Bernstein founded Walk Swiftly Productions, where she also serves as CEO. Through WSP and her consultancy, Velvet Hammer Media, Bernstein collaborates with some of sports’ most prominent organizations, including the NCAA and the College Football Playoff (CFP). In 2019, ESPN's docuseries, GOOD GAME: UC Irvine, produced by WSP and executive produced by Bernstein, received the Tempest Award for "Best Esports-Themed Program;"[9], and CMT's Country on Campus received nominations for "Best Music Series" and "Best Sports and Recreation" series at the Cynopsis Short Form Video Awards.[10] Other notable WSP titles include the XFL’s signature series, “For the Love of Football" and the Audible Originals audio series, She Got Game.

Other broadcast work

Bernstein is the only female ever to solo fill-in host for the syndicated radio and TV program,

FOX News Channel
, to discuss prominent sports stories.

Outside endeavors

Bernstein's philanthropic efforts focus on two areas: deep vein thrombosis awareness and youth health and wellness. Bernstein has served as the co-national spokesperson for the Coalition to Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis, raising awareness about the blood disorder she was diagnosed with in 2006. In 2010, she co-chaired the coalition supporting congressional passage of the National Foundation on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, which raises private funds for childhood obesity initiatives. From 2012-15, Bernstein was a media strategist and national ambassador for ING KiDS ROCK, one of the nation's largest school-based running programs. Bernstein currently servies as a Celebrity Ambassador for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Co-Chair of the Advisory Board for Every Kid Sports, a nonprofit that provide grants to cover youth sports league registration fees for children in underserved communities (link).

Notes and references

  1. ^ "ASA Names 'Top 15 Women Sportscasters,' Visser Voted No 1". American Sportscasters Online.
  2. University of Maryland. Archived from the original
    on 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2012-03-13.
  3. ^ "CBS Sports Team: Bonnie Bernstein". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2012-03-13.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ CBS Sports TV Team, Bonnie Bernstein, Reporter, "CBS Sports TV Team". Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  5. ^ Real Life: DVT: Vein Pain Alert, "Real Life". Archived from the original on 2013-03-25. Retrieved 2013-01-28.
  6. ^ "1050 ESPN New York. About Our Hosts: Bonnie Bernstein and Greg Buttle". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  7. ^ Ourand, John (April 2, 2013). "Bonnie Bernstein Joins Campus Insiders In On-Camera, Exec Roles". SportsBusiness Daily. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  8. ^ "Bonnie Bernstein Named On-Air Host, Content and Branding Executive for Campus Insiders". Business Wire. April 2, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  9. ^ "2019 Winners Announced". Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  10. ^ "2019 Short Form Video Festival". Cynopsis Media. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  11. ^ Edwards, Devon (July 24, 2012). "O'Brien on Dan Patrick Show: I'm Proud To Be Coaching This Football Program". Black Shoe Diaries. Retrieved December 4, 2018.

External links