Joel Brown

Joel Brown

joel brown

Once in a while, there is a rare, but lucky student who knows what they want to do from an early age and pursues it wholeheartedly. Joel Brown is that rare person, having worked in broadcasting early on in his education. A member of the class of 1997, Brown was a founding student of North Penn Television (NPTV), and helped to shape the program into what it is today. Brown could be found on practically every broadcast, from anchoring news to covering sporting events. He spent countless hours behind the camera at concerts, school board meetings, and every other opportunity he could get. 


Reflecting on his time at North Penn, Brown had a memory that stood out as his favorite. During his senior year, the school began a “Diversity Week” celebration to highlight diversity within the schools. “As a member of the North Penn African American Awareness Club, it felt like a real moment of unity for us,” said Brown. “I remember us, for what felt like the first time, uniting as a group of young Black students in this predominantly white school to really showcase our culture and what it means to be us. We did it in front of the whole school and it was an important moment.”


After graduating from North Penn, Brown attended Howard University, studying Broadcast Journalism and Education. He worked as an anchor and reporter for WHUT, the university’s television station. During his time at Howard, he received the 2000 Ed Bradley Award for Excellence in Student Journalism from the Radio-Television News Directors Association.


Following graduation, Joel Brown joined KETK-TV as an anchor and reporter in Tyler, Texas. He co-anchored the station’s 5 pm newscast and was assigned the education beat. He was the recipient of the 2004 Outstanding News Series Award for the Texas State Teachers Association. Additionally, Brown produced and anchored the station’s 10 pm weekend newscast. 


In 2004, Brown joined WSVN-TV in Miami as a reporter and fill-in anchor. His “break-out” story came in 2005, when he covered the minute-by-minute details of the Terri Schiavo “right to die” case. He also covered the 2005 hurricane season, which is one of the busiest on record, including Hurricane Katrina. 


Following his time in Miami, Joel became the Washington D.C. correspondent for CBS Newspath in 2007. Newspath is CBS’s 24-hour news service to their affiliate stations and clients, including the world’s largest satellite news gathering service. He spent almost four years with Newspath, covering politics from the White House and Capitol Hill. He also traveled across the United States following national news stories, including weeks on the road reporting on the historic 2008 presidential election. Brown reported live at Kennedy Space Center to report on the final launch of NASA’s space shuttle program. 


Joel Brown currently works for ABC affiliate WTVD-11 in Raleigh, North Carolina where he anchors ABC 11 Eyewitness News. He won a 2017 Associated Press Broadcast News Award for Breaking News Coverage, and was nominated for an Emmy award the same year. In 2021, Brown was awarded the “Voice in the Community” award by television viewers in Raleigh, North Carolina.


In addition to his experience as a reporter, Brown has volunteered with the Community of Hope Mentorship program in Washington D.C. During his time there, he helped mentor children experiencing poverty and homelessness, providing support and a path to overcome challenges. Brown also, along with his family, began a mentorship program called “True Men” in Fayetteville, North Carolina to help at-risk boys. 


Joel Brown began his career right at North Penn, working with NPTV in local broadcasts. He currently resides in North Carolina where he has risen to the top of a competitive field in journalism. His family remains local to the North Penn community.