Veronica Kennedy has always had an interest in the news. From when she was a kid, she found herself engrossed in current events, always wanting to know what’s going on.
As a middle schooler, Kennedy became engrossed in the 2000 Presidential Election, just fascinated by how it all came together. She went on to study broadcast journalism at Hofstra University, and little did she know that he early interest in politics would be a formative part of her career.
“My interest in [politics] in school, as well as just wanting to know what’s happening in the world and why things are happening in the world, I just always kind of gravitated towards that,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy currently works as a producer at PIX 11, where she focuses on “PIX on Politics,” a weekly show that zeroes in on local political stories affecting New York. Each day is different at PIX 11, particularly when producing the traditional news show, but when planning PIX on Politics, Kennedy works closely with anchor and managing editor Dan Mannarino to determine what stories will be highlighted on the show.
“We’re always thinking about who would be the best guest for our political show. It’s almost like cooking. You’ve got a bunch of things that you’re doing, you’re stirring something here — it’s keeping everything afloat while also thinking of new ideas as well,” said Kennedy.
With the current political landscape, there is no shortage of topics to discuss on the show. Under Kennedy’s leadership, the team is able to zero in on a potential topic and how it impacts the diverse communities in New York.
“There is a diversity of opinions and there’s a lot of national focus, too. So much of what the national conversation is immediately impacts our neighborhoods here. It’s exciting, and that’s why I feel like I’m drawn to it,” said Kennedy. “There’s so much to talk about, and you’re talking about anything from presidential decisions to city council bills. They’re impacting real change, and I think that I like seeing that in real-time.”
PIX on Politics, with Kennedy’s guidance, aims to present a balanced look at New York’s politics, allowing guests who have come on the show to speak for themselves and present a variety of voices. The team dives deep into the issues to present them in a fair and balanced manner.
Beyond focusing purely on the issues at hand, Kennedy and the PIX 11 team are looking to present solutions to their audience.
“We try to get as much information out there, hold people accountable, be like, ‘This is what we’re hearing.’ We need to be a voice, and, and let whoever we’re speaking with to answer,” said Kennedy. “We’re trying to cover all facets of an issue and then make it clear so people can form their own opinions, rather than us having any opinions of our own.”
Though it can be draining at times, Kennedy finds the time to unwind and be able to tackle the initiative time and time again because she recognizes how important it is to present these topics to the public.
“I have such a love for politics, but it can be draining. I feel very lucky in my position that I cover local politics. You need to see what’s happening nationally and internationally to know what is going to be impacted locally, but it definitely helps keeping it local and really thinking about community impact,” said Kennedy. “That helps me stay focused and keep my head on the right issues.”
Kennedy says that having women in the newsroom can help lend more unique voices to politics and news coverage in general.
“Especially when covering politics, I think that it is important to give everybody a chance to say their piece. I think it’s important that if you do disagree on anything, to listen as to why, because it might open your eyes to something. I’d like to understand where people are coming from and different perspectives,” said Kennedy.
That said, Kennedy says that newsrooms must bring more diverse perspectives, regardless of gender.
“We want to get the facts out there. There’s so much of perspective that lays in why a story is important to a certain community,” said Kennedy. “I certainly can bring my background and why I think the issues might be important to women, but I think that any sort of diversity in the newsroom is important.”
Kennedy says that though the political landscape may feel overwhelming at times, New Yorkers should pay attention to what is impacting their local communities.
“My advice for anyone that might be feeling overwhelmed about the current political climate is to think locally, think of issues that impact you and, how you can, whatever little steps that you want to take to make the change that you want to see,” said Kennedy.
“PIX on Politics” airs Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30 a.m.
