Sharyn Alfonsi
Sharyn Alfonsi | |
|---|---|
 Alfonsi in 2009 | |
| Born | Sharyn Elizabeth Alfonsi June 3, 1972 McLean, Virginia, U.S. |
| Education | University of Mississippi (BA) |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Awards | Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award |
| Website | sharynalfonsi |
Sharyn Elizabeth Alfonsi (born June 3, 1972) is an American journalist and correspondent for 60 Minutes.[1] She made her debut appearance on the show on March 1, 2015. In 2019, she received the prestigious Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award journalism award and has reported from war zones in Iraq, Gaza, and Afghanistan.
Early life and education
Alfonsi attended high school in McLean, Virginia.[2] She graduated with honors from the University of Mississippi in Oxford in 1994,[3] where she was a James Love Scholar.
Career
Alfonsi began her career in local news at KHBS-KHOG-TV in Fort Smith, Arkansas, in 1995 then WVEC-TV in Norfolk, Virginia, and KIRO-TV in Seattle, Washington, and later WBZ-TV in Boston, MA. She was hired by Dan Rather at CBS News in 2002. She left CBS in 2008 to work for ABC News. She returned to CBS in 2011, to work for 60 Minutes Sports, which aired on Showtime.
In 2015, Alfonsi made her debut appearance on 60 Minutes with an investigative story about fraud after Hurricane Sandy which led to a congressional investigation and earned her a Writers Guild Award.[4]
In 2019, Alfonsi received two Emmy awards for her reporting following the Parkland High School shooting.[3]
Alfonsi made international news in 2020 when she was the first reporter to obtain photos from inside the jail cell of convicted felon Jeffrey Epstein and his autopsy photos which aired on 60 Minutes.
In February 2025, Alfonsi was criticized for a 60 Minutes segment on Germany’s enforcement of online hate speech laws. Newsweek reported that the segment sparked backlash in the United States, with critics describing the portrayal of Germany’s speech restrictions as “Orwellian” and raising concerns over the normalization of police raids and fines for online posts, including memes and insults.[5] The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) argued that the segment presented an uncritical view of government censorship and failed to include any defenders of free speech.[6] Reason magazine also contended that the report reflected a growing tolerance in U.S. media for state regulation of expression, calling out the lack of civil liberties perspectives or legal context.[7]
Recognition
In 2020, Alfonsi and her 60 Minutes producers won the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for their report On the Border from the US/Mexico border.[3] During her acceptance speech Alfonsi dedicated the award to everyone who called her a “pain in the ass”. She was also recognized in 2020 with a Gracie Award by the Alliance for Women in Media for Outstanding News/News Magazine talent.[8] She won the Writers Guild Award in 2016 for “Storm After the Storm” which appeared on 60 Minutes.
In 2025, Alfonsi won an Emmy award for her extensive reporting work from the southern border of the United States. She was also awarded the Sigma Delta Chi award by the Society of Professional Journalists for her investigative report on the Boeing Whistleblowers.
Personal life
Alfonsi is an avid runner and sports enthusiast. She is married to Matthew Eby, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and Harvard Business School. The couple has two children and live in Texas. In May 2013, she gave the commencement address at the Meek School of Journalism and New Media at the University of Mississippi. Her speech was named by NPR as one of The Best Commencement Speeches Ever.[9]
References
- ^ "ABC News Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi Joining '60 Minutes Sports'". www.adweek.com. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
- ^ "Sharyn Alfonsi official website".
- ^ a b c "Sharyn Alfonsi". CBS News. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
- ^ "2016 Writers Guild Awards Winners Announced". www.wga.org. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
- ^ "Americans Shocked by '60 Minutes' Report on German Free Speech Policing". Newsweek. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2025-07-19.
- ^ "'60 Minutes' and Vice President Vance put Europe's worrying speech restrictions in spotlight". FIRE. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2025-07-19.
- ^ "German Censorship Highlights Europe's Eroding Free Speech Protections". Reason. 2025-05-12. Retrieved 2025-07-19.
- ^ "2020 Gracie Winners". Alliance for Women in Media. 2020-05-13. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
- ^ "The Best Commencement Speeches, Ever". NPR.
