Alum Kristin Burnell Sits Down with Standup Comic Jay Leno
Reporter sees journalism as vital to democracy
Sacred Heart University alum Kristin Burnell ’19, MA ’21, recently garnered a rare opportunity for a new reporter: an interview with renowned comic Jay Leno.
Burnell started reporting breaking coverage in October 2021 for Western Mass News, which airs on Springfield area affiliate stations of ABC, CBS and Fox. Her big break came when the station’s team decided to reach out to comedian Jay Leno to request an interview while he was in town to perform at Springfield Symphony Hall. “I just happened to be lucky enough to be filling in as anchor that night, and they chose me to conduct the interview,” said Burnell.
She sat down with the former Tonight Show host an hour before he was due to go onstage. “He was great. I felt very comfortable. He’s grew up in Massachusetts, and he was very excited to be back,” she said.
For her interview, Burnell focused on Leno’s comeback tour, how he felt about being in his home state and how the comedy industry has changed over the years. The piece that aired can be seen on the Western Mass News website.
This assignment differed from her daily breaking stories. As a reporter, Burnell typically shoots two stories out in the field per day, scheduling and conducting interviews, recording b-roll (background video), writing the stories and sending them off to her news director for edits. She then records her voice-overs and gets ready for the 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. shows. “I’m constantly on the go,” she said. “I think that’s one of my favorite parts of this job: It’s different every day.”
Burnell, a Brookfield native, was drawn to Sacred Heart because of the campus and the close-knit community. “The media arts program was definitely a big part of my decision,” she said.
The media arts student was questioning her journalism path until she took a course with Joe Alicastro her senior year. “He made me change my mind,” she said. “He offers a lot of real-world experience, which made me feel much more comfortable going into the industry.” She continued her education at SHU after graduation to earn a master’s degree in journalism & media production.
“Journalism is a vital part of our society, although it seems many people don’t believe that anymore,” said Burnell. “My goal as a journalist is to present stories that are impactful for the community and help others realize that journalism helps democracy thrive.
“People get upset with ‘the media,’ but there’s a difference between the media and local journalism. I want to shift that perspective with my work as a journalist.”