Lauren Linder
Lauren Linder is a passionate, Emmy Award-winning journalist, who joined KDKA in December 2022. She wanted to report in Pittsburgh for a long time and is thrilled to do so at such a historic station as KDKA.
It's an honor for Lauren to inform people about what's happening in their community. She's dedicated to the craft of journalism, loves to dig into stories, hold officials accountable, and personalize her storytelling through the eyes of those most impacted. During her time in Pittsburgh, Lauren played a major role in reporting on the shooting death of Brackenridge Police Chief Justin McIntire and the East Palestine toxic train derailment, which earned her an Emmy in 2023.
Before moving to the Steel City, Lauren sharpened her reporting chops in different parts of the country, most recently, for WTNH-TV in her home state of Connecticut. Prior to returning to the East Coast, she reported for WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee, WI. There, Lauren led coverage on multiple stories of national interest, including the mass shooting at Molson Coors, the Kenosha police shooting of Jacob Blake, and the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 presidential election.
Lauren is proud of her award-winning, investigative work from her time in Milwaukee, that's sparking positive change. After months of analyzing documents, she revealed a loophole in Wisconsin's motor vehicle agency, which allowed a man to get a legal driver's license despite a record of drinking and driving. Her reporting influenced state lawmakers to draft legislation to close the gap.
Previously, Lauren worked as a reporter for WTEN-TV in Albany, NY. Stories spanned far and wide from city life in New York's Capital Region, up to Saratoga Springs and Lake George, and to the Berkshires in Massachusetts and Bennington County in Vermont. She was committed to uncovering a history of sexual misconduct at Emma Willard School, and seeking answers on the nationally-covered Christmas quadruple homicide in Troy. Lauren also broke the viral news of a young girl getting stuck on a cable ride at Six Flags.
She started her professional career as a multimedia journalist, producer and fill-in anchor for WSAW-TV and WZAW-TV in Wausau. There, Lauren reported on the investigation into the overprescribing of opioids at the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2016 presidential rallies and the Antigo High School prom shooting.
Lauren graduated from the Indiana University School of Journalism – Bloomington, IN, specializing in broadcast journalism. During her time at IU, she interned for the news departments at WCBS-TV in New York, NY and WBNS-TV (10TV) in Columbus, OH. Lauren also reported for the PBS/NPR station in Bloomington, IN, WTIU/WFIU, and worked for more than three years as a multimedia journalist and anchor at IU's student-run station, IUSTV.
What she loves about being a broadcast journalist is having the opportunity to meet and talk to new people and the unpredictable nature that comes along with the job.
When she's not working, Lauren enjoys exploring the city, working out, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Lauren would love to hear from you with story ideas – you can connect with her at lauren.linder@paramount.com on Twitter @lauren_linder, Facebook @LaurenLinderJournalist, or Instagram @laurenlindertv.
VITALS
- Joined KDKA: Dec. 2022
- Hometown: Stamford/Greenwich, Connecticut
- Alma Mater: Indiana University – Bloomington, School of Journalism (GO HOOSIERS!)
FAVORITES
- Music: Beyonce, Adele, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, 60s/70s
- Movie: Pretty Woman, The Holiday, Dreamgirls, just to name a few
- TV Show: Friends, Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel -- these days there are too many to name with all of the great limited series
- Book: To Kill a Mockingbird
- Food: Pizza, Sushi
- Local Restaurant: so far love Bar Marco and dying to try Gi Jin
- Sport/Exercise: Pilates, yoga
- Historical Figure: Anne Frank
- Favorite Pennsylvanian: Andy Warhol, Mister Rogers
- Quote: "Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got." – Janis Joplin
- Word: Why? – that's why I'm a journalist
- Vacation Spot: anywhere I haven't been before or revisiting places like Napa or London
- Holiday: Thanksgiving
THIS OR THAT
- Facebook or Twitter? the original Twitter
- Cats or Dogs? Dogs
- Beatles or Rolling Stones? Beatles
- Comedy or Tearjerker? both – the classic, Romantic Comedy
- Phone Call or Text Message? Text message
- Mac or PC? Mac
- Coffee or Tea? Latte
- Morning Person or Night Person? Night
- East Coast or West Coast? East Coast
