When Brendan Brown entered Florida A&M University’s School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (FAMU SJGC) as a student, he imagined a future in sports media. But one class — and one professor — changed everything. After taking a reporting and writing course and getting involved with the school’s Capitol News Bureau with retired Professor Doug Blackburn, Brown discovered a new calling: community news and telling the stories of everyday people whose voices or needs often go unheard.
“That class changed me as a storyteller,” he said. “It pushed me toward deeper reporting and local news.”
His first internship as a student at WFSU Public Media solidified that shift. Covering the legislative session, protests and community issues taught him how policy affects real people, and how essential local journalists are in connecting those dots. He learned to navigate the Capitol, interview impacted residents and translate complex issues into stories that matter.
“I like being a voice for the people,” he said. “They count on us to get the answers and accountability they can’t get themselves,” said the 2024 broadcast journalism graduate and Tallahassee native.
He added, “To me, local news reporting is all about getting the people involved, because they make the story at the end of the day.”
Brown’s commitment to being that voice and getting people involved is what led him to KPLC‑TV in Lake Charles, Louisiana, just a few months after graduating, to serve as a multimedia journalist. It was a move that required an open mind as he explored new territory, but it led him to reporting one of the most impactful stories of his early career — one that earned him the inaugural Gary Scroggs Community Champion Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana earlier this year. When the local chapter struggled to recruit volunteers, he took the initiative to highlight their needs.
As someone who grew up an only child and relied on mentors himself, the story resonated deeply.
“I believe in mentorship,” he said. “Everyone needs someone who’s been through it to help guide them.”
His reporting sparked more than 80 new volunteer signups — the largest surge the organization had ever seen during a campaign.
“Sometimes you don’t realize how big of a difference a story makes until the community tells you,” he said. “To already be awarded this early in my career is an honor I never imagined. Especially knowing my work is doing a great service to the community.”
The difference he’s making in the community was also recognized just weeks ago by the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters, which named him a 2026 “Multimedia Journalist of the Year.” The honor recognizes professionals who display the highest standards of reporting, community service and production creativity.
Within just the first few years of his professional career, Brendan Brown has been recognized in Louisiana for his community-based reporting.
Brendan credits SJGC faculty for preparing him to excel and the school’s experiential learning programs, including serving in student media as a reporter and lead sports editor for The FAMUAN.
“SJGC was my foundation,” he said. “I learned how to tell stories by going the extra mile and to dive deep to report beyond the surface, which are essential skills for becoming a well‑rounded journalist.”
Those lessons guide him through the toughest parts of the job, especially when covering tragedies or crime. He said he uses the skills he learned at FAMU SJGC to approach sensitive interviews and storytelling with empathy while maintaining journalistic objectivity and accuracy.
“You have to be sympathetic,” he said. “But you also have to do your job. It’s about finding the balance so the story still hits home.”
In an era of misinformation, Brown believes local journalists are more essential than ever.
“It’s on us to figure out what’s real and what’s not,” he said. “Social media isn’t always true — but we bring the facts.”
He sees local news as a partnership with the community, one built on trust, accountability and consistency.
“Reporters in the community matter so much right now because you can touch these people in the community in ways that AI can’t, social media can’t.”
Overall, Brown says there is one skill you need above all else to thrive as a local journalist: embracing your personality and authenticity to be the best storyteller.
“To the upcoming students trying to enter the industry: Continue to be true to yourself,” he said.
As the nation celebrates the inaugural Local News Day, Brendan Brown stands as a powerful example of what local journalism can be: compassionate, community‑centered and transformative.
Local News Day is a national day of action connecting communities with trusted local news. Our mission is simple: reconnect people to trusted local journalists and their outlets, empower newsrooms and their storytellers to grow, and spark a national movement that sustains local news for generations. Learn more at https://localnewsday.org. Follow and engage with more stories on social media using #LocalNewsDay #SJGCisLocal.
