Kenneth Burns is WHYY’s New Jersey reporter. He joined the station in 2018 as an anchor. He also contributed stories and won a 2020 Keystone Media Award for one of them.
Prior to WHYY, he covered city government and urban issues for WYPR in Baltimore, his first stop in public media. His coverage of the Freddie Gray police trials won a 2017 National Headliner Award. Burns began his career shortly after high school as an intern and later news assistant at WTOP in Washington, D.C. He would go on to work for several commercial broadcasting outlets as a reporter, anchor, and producer in the D.C. and Baltimore metro areas.
The native Marylander and recently adopted New Jerseyan is a graduate of Towson University and Anne Arundel Community College.
More from the Contributor
Murphy and Ciattarelli to face off in first debate in Newark
After trading barbs in news conferences and television ads, Democratic incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy and Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli will debate each other.
4 years ago
N.J. coronavirus update: State will pay $500 to people who return to the workforce
N.J. has launched a new program to incentivize job seekers and employers, in hopes of addressing the labor shortage.
4 years ago
Was your N.J. weed conviction expunged? The state’s court system wants you to find out
The New Jersey Courts are trying to alert people who benefitted from automatic expungement when the state’s new decriminalization law took effect in July.
4 years ago
New Jersey and federal officials answer questions on how to get relief from Ida
Gov. Phil Murphy said this month’s storms were the worst natural disaster to hit the Garden State since Superstorm Sandy.
4 years ago
N.J. officials encourage use of monoclonal antibodies as hospitalizations rise
N.J. officials said they won’t follow the lead of Florida and Texas, which established state-run clinics, but they encourage patients to consider the treatment.
4 years ago
Listen 1:55
N.J. coronavirus update: Pandemic continues to impact ‘strong start’ to new school year
So far, seven schools in New Jersey have reimplemented virtual instruction due to COVID outbreaks, and three of them remain remote.
4 years ago
Family of 10-year-old fatally shot at S. Jersey football game is suing the district, NJSIAA
The family of Micah “Dew” Tennant is suing the Pleasantville Board of Education and NJSIAA for not addressing the “dangerous condition” at the high school stadium.
4 years ago
N.J. coronavirus update: Murphy announces vaccine mandate for child care workers
Gov. Phil Murphy announced a new COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all child care workers and staff at those facilities. Here’s what you need to know.
4 years ago
Trenton art project hopes to share the potential and the full story of residents lost to violence
The Potential Project will use public art and a mobile app to honor people lost to homicide in New Jersey’s capital city through the eyes of the people closest to them.
4 years ago
Murphy promises expansion to universal pre-K in New Jersey
Gov. Phil Murphy says New Jersey will institute universal pre-kindergarten across the state for all 3- and 4-year-olds.
4 years ago
A federal judge is not going to stop the Garden State’s mask mandate for schools, at least for now. But the lawsuit against Gov. Phil Murphy’s order will move forward.
4 years ago
Burlington County NAACP surveying resident experiences with local police
The three NAACP chapters in Burlington County are documenting residents' experience with local police, and asking how they feel about possible alternatives.
4 years ago