Chris Jansing is a renowned American television journalist. She is the anchorwoman for Chris Jansing Reports on MSNBC. Previously, she was the host for Jansing and Company and an NBC News Senior White House Correspondent.
Early Life
Christine Ann Kapotasy was born on January 30, 1957, into a Roman Catholic, Hungarian-Slovak family of Joseph and Tilly Kapotasy. Her father was a factory worker, and her mother was a baker. She was the youngest of twelve children.
Chris Jansing, MSNBC Anchorwoman
Education
Chris graduated from high school in 1974. She then went on to Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, to pursue a major in political science. However, after working at Otterbein's college radio house, she switched her major to broadcast journalism.
Career
Chris started her career as an intern in the local news in Columbus, Ohio, before accepting a job at a radio station in New York. After completing a short stint at the radio station, she started working as a general assignment reporter at WNYT television. She spent 17 years at WNYT, rising through the ranks to become a weekend anchor and then a co-anchor.
Chris received a New York Emmy award at WNYT for her coverage of the Atlanta Olympics bombing of 1996. In June 1998, she joined NBC News, and over the years, anchored and reported for MSNBC, filled in for and anchored shows such as The Today Show, The Sunday version of NBC Nightly News, Jansing and Company, etc.
Chris Jansing covered presidential elections
In 2014, she became NBC's Senior White House Correspondent, and in 2017, was announced as the Senior National Correspondent for MSNBC as a breaking news anchor. Chris has also participated in several notable television series, such as Access Hollywood (1996-present), MSNBC Live (1996-present), The Ethical Edge (2005-2008).
Chris has covered 11 presidential cycles beginning with the 1980 convention.
She is also the recipient of the "Best Person" award by The New York State Broadcasters Association for her report on hunger in New York State. In July 2016, she became an inductee of the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame.
Chris has received numerous community service awards, especially because of her work with children's charities. She shared in an interview that her motivation to work stems from the desire to make her parents, family, and friends proud of the work she does. Also, since she is Catholic, she believes in making the most of the gifts she's been given.
Controversy
In January 2015, Chris was part of a controversy because of a statement she made about President Obama. Appearing on The Reid Report Tuesday, Chris said the President's trip to Africa would factor into his legacy because of "the fact that he's from Kenya, and the fact that when he was elected there were expectations on the African continent that he would do great things for them."
She later corrected this mistake, explaining that she meant Obama's father is from Kenya.
Personal Life
In 1982, Chris married Robert Jansing, an analytical chemist and scientist. However, the two got divorced later. In 1998, despite the divorce, Chris began using her married name 'Jansing' professionally, citing ease of pronunciation as the reason.
Chris prefers to keep her personal life private due to which there is no public information about her relationship or the reasons for divorce. It also seems like she did not have any children from her marriage to Robert Jansing.
Chris Jansing is known for her political takes
Chris has a beautiful physique measuring 36-28-38 inches and weighs 132 lbs/60kg. She is 5'6" (168 meters) tall. Her prominent features include brown eyes and blonde hair.
During her free time, Chris enjoys preparing desserts. She told Rachel's English in an interview that her favorite American word is "JOY."
Chris's exact salary isn't known. But as a Senior National Correspondent at MSNBC, it should range between $50,000 and $200,000. Her net worth is estimated to be $4 million.
Challenges
During the Covid-19 pandemic, three of Chris' family members were hospitalized due to the infection. In August 2020, she shared a tweet about losing Aunt Margie to Covid.
Chris Jansing's Twitter post during Covid-19
During her January 2021 appearance on NBC News Now, she shared her Covid experience and how her brother, Jim, who has special needs struggled with being isolated at the hospital for six days.
Chris also shared that her sister, Janice, had to be rushed to a hospital, where she spent several days on a ventilator, and when she regained her ability to breathe, she said, "I've been to hell and back."
MSNBC also shared a video on their YouTube channel showcasing how Chris Jansing's family surprised her with a socially-distanced reunion in Ohio.
Reports and Interviews
In a report on men and mass shootings, Chris reported that 94% of all mass shootings are committed by men including most of the recent deadliest shootings and only one of the top 10 deadliest shootings in modern US history involved a woman.
Then, following the Uvalde shooting, Chris remarked, "Right now, Congress has a choice. Following a mass shooting, a choice that reveals whether they believe guns are the problem or the solution."
She has never hidden her distaste for gun violence, and is often seen conducting interviews with families of victims of gun violence and lawmakers to discuss laws that can help protect against gun violence.
For example, she had an interview with US senator, Martin Heinrich, on December 8, 2023. They talked about the GOSAFE Act, which aims to regulate the internal mechanisms of semi-automatic firearms and make them less lethal without having to ban them outrightly.
Chris Jansing reported on many issues
In an interview with TVNEWSER, Chris recounted how she was able to talk her way into getting a credential for the Democratic National Convention in New York City, even though she didn't know much about how to apply for one. Besides, she shares how women's rights activist, Bella Abzug, was the first person to make her think deeply of the potential power of women in politics, when she met her at the age of 23.
On the topic of how the evolution of social media has changed the coverage for presidential elections, she opines that previously as a radio presenter, she had hourly deadlines, but now due to social media, real-time reporting and analysis is the new thing. So, one has to work on minute-by-minute deadlines.
Chris didn't fail to mention that the speed and ease of social media isn't still a substitute for live reporting, ground interviews, and storytelling.
Some of Chris's reports include Undecided Ohio voters looking for 'character' in the first presidential debate, No telling how much damage Trump can do to himself on witness stand, Solar eclipse crosses into the US, 2020 Presidential Elections, January 6th Hearings, Hopes for the new Pope, September 11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina, etc.