Josina Anderson is an award-winning American reporter, journalist, sports commentator, and former athlete famously known for her various stints on popular sports networks, including FOX 31, ESPN, Showtime, and CBSSports. She is also a writer and producer with credits on shows such as NFL Live and Sunday NFL Countdown. Anderson has won a few awards through her outstanding journalism prowess, including a Heartland Emmy and NAJB Awards.
Summary of Josina Anderson’s Biography
- Full name: Josina Anderson
- Nickname:Â Jos
- Gender: Female
- Date of birth:Â August 15, 1978
- Josina Anderson’s Age: 45 years old
- Ethnicity:Â African-American
- Nationality:Â American
- Zodiac Sign:Â Leo
- Sexual Orientation:Â Straight
- Religion:Â Christianity
- Marital Status:Â Single
- Josina Anderson’s Parents: Lloyd Anderson and Yasmin Anderson
- Siblings:Â 2 (a brother and a sister)
- Josina Anderson’s Height in Inches: 5 feet 8 inches
- Josina Anderson’s Height in Centimetres: 173 cm
- Josina Anderson’s Weight: 59 kg
- Body measurements in inches:Â 34-26-35
- Josina Anderson’s Net worth: $2 million
- Famous for: NFL Live Writer, Undefined with Josina Anderson
- Josina Anderson’s Instagram: @josinaanderson
- Twitter:Â @JosinaAnderson
- Facebook: @Josina Anderson
How Old Is Josina Anderson?
Josina Anderson is 45 years old and was born on August 15, 1978, to Lloyd Anderson and Yasmin Anderson, in Washington D.C, United States of America. The black American journalist spent her childhood in Washington D.C. with her siblings, a brother, a sister, and their parents. However, nothing much is known about her parents and siblings, including their names and what they do for a living.
The only information available in the public space is that her brother is a film producer. Nevertheless, the projects he has been part of are not public knowledge. According to Anderson, she shares a close relationship with her family. Her parents and siblings have been her pillar of support since the inception of her career.
She was a Ballet Dancer and Athlete During High School
While growing up, JosinaAnderson was inclined to the Arts and sports. She attended Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. While there, she served as an announcer for the Blazers. She also enrolled in the Dance Theatre of Harlem, where she was trained to be an accomplished ballet dancer. Anderson was also a part of the Pennsylvania ballet group.
She also served as a soloist for the American Youth Ballet. Soon after she graduated high school, Anderson went on to study Exercise and Sports Science at the University of North Carolina. She was also a track and field athlete during her college days, competing in 200 and 400 meters races. Anderson also won gold at the AAU Junior Olympics.
Her outstanding performance led to her earning back-to-back internships from top radio stations in Washington after graduating in 2000. She ultimately kicked off her career with internships on WTEM’s The Tony Kornheiser Show and WPGC-FM’s The Donnie Simpson Morning Show.
Schools Josina Anderson Attended
- Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland
- University of North Carolina (1996-2000)
Josina Anderson Began Her Journalism Career in 2000
The talented journalist began her career, working as an anchor and reporter for the CBS affiliate news channel in Coos Bay. However, after spending almost a year at Coos Bay, she returned to Washington. Upon her return, Josina Anderson had a tough settling in her native as she lived in her parents’ house and had to make a living as a personal trainer. She reportedly charged her clients $100.
That’s not all; while she works as a trainer during the day, she also covers different sports teams at night. She reportedly covered the Redskins, the Mystics, and Wizards for Redskins Magazine and groundball report. Anderson also worked as a sideline reporter for the University of Mary basketball teams for various cable news shows. She hosted a segment called ScoopCenter on WKYS 93.9.
Following her excellent reporting skills, Josina Anderson started getting the attention of big networks. As a result, she was recruited by Denver, Colorado-based Fox 31, in 2005. Josina covered breaking sports news stories during her stint with the network, including the NFL stars testing positive for steroids against the league’s drug use policy and Travis Henry and Ricky Williams testing positive for marijuana in 2008.
In 2009, she won a Heart Emmy award for an outstanding coverage on quarterback John Dutton and his wife, Terina’s trip to Ethiopia in Africa to adopt their son Miki. Anderson also covered the Packers and Charles Woodson’s contract extension agreement in 2010.
She joined Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) in 2011
While working as a sideline report for Showtime’s Inside the NFL in 2010, Josina Anderson was recruited by ESPN. Afterward, she moved to Chicago, where she resumed duty as ESPN’s first female sideline reporter in 2011. At ESPN, she covered major sports stories from basketball to football and much more.
Anderson garnered huge fame through hosting ESPN shows such as SportsCenter, NFL Countdown, NFL Insider, and NFL Live. More than that, she has conducted several exclusive interviews with top athletes, which has kept her at the top of her career ladder on the network.
Her outstanding work ethic and performances fetched her the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Salute for Excellence for radio. She earned the award for her work on Outside the Lives and The Sporting Life: Chamique Holdsclaw, where she interviewed many prominent personalities, including Dwayne Bray, Carolyn Hong, Greg Amante, and Brandon Love.
She Left ESPN in 2020 and Started Her Podcast “Undefined With Josina Anderson”
With a journalism career spanning over 24 and still counting, Josina Anderson spent about nine years at ESPN. In 2020, it was announced that her contract with the sports network was coming to an end. However, in July 2020, Anderson confirmed she was officially leaving the network, albeit with undisclosed reasons.
During an interview the reporter had in October of the same year, she appreciated the network for the opportunity they brought to her and said she left to open a new chapter in her professional life. She also revealed that while searching for a new career path, she would pay more attention to social topics, especially as a person of color. She voiced out that women’s paths in the industry should be addressed appropriately.
Following her departure from ESPN, Josina Anderson started a podcast called Undefined with Josina Anderson. She tackles several trending issues in sports, politics, entertainment, sports, and news on her show. Josina has interviewed different celebrities, from actors, singers, models, sportsmen, and much more. According to Josina, she is open to new opportunities at notable entertainment networks only if she can host her own show.
Josina Anderson’s Career Timeline
- CBS affiliate in Coos Bay: 2000
- Fox 31: 2005 – 2011
- ESPN: 2011 – 2020
- Undefined with Josina Anderson: 2020 – Present
Her Career Hasn’t Been Free From Controversies
Anderson has garnered a lot of attention for her outstanding journalism career. However, it hasn’t been all rosy, as the reporter has been involved in a few controversies. In 2014, while covering the NFL team, St Louis Rams, and how Michael Sam, the first NFL gay player, was settling in on the team.
During her report, Anderson revealed that she heard from Sam’s teammate that the NFL defensive player doesn’t shower alongside his teammates. Instead, he enters the shower when everyone is done to avoid making his teammates uncomfortable. Following this report, Anderson was heavily criticized for being insensitive. Rams’ coach, Jeff Fisher, described Josina as unethical and unprofessional.
ESPN was not left out of the public backlash as they were condemned by many people from the LGBT community, Sam’s teammates, and other media personalities. Although the network initially defended their show, they later rendered an apology. On her part, Josina Anderson also apologized for her actions.
She Has Won a Few Awards So Far
As we mentioned earlier, Josina Anderson has recorded a few awards in her name. The talented reporter won her first award, Heartland Emmy, in 2009 following her outstanding coverage of quarterback John Dutton and his wife, Terina’s move to Ethiopia, where they adopted their son, Miki. At the time, Miki was 11 years old, and Anderson received high praise for her wonderful reportage.
Similarly, in 2014, she was honored with a Salute to Excellence award from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) for her work on Outside the Lives and The Sporting Life: Chamique Holdsclaw, where she interviewed high-profile personalities such as Dwayne Bray, Carolyn Hong, Greg Amante, and Brandon Love, among others.
A Sneak Peek Into Josina Anderson’s Personal Life
Josna Anderson has been a wonderful sportscaster and prominent figure on our TV screen. However, details about her personal life have not been so open to the public as Anderson enjoys keeping such information under the radar. Nevertheless, there are interesting facts about her you might have never heard. Let’s see them below.
She is Currently Single
Besides her journalism career, Anderson’s love life has been under scrutiny for a long while. However, the former ESPN reporter is currently single and has no partner yet. Josina has never been linked to anyone or a relationship in the past or present. She has never posted or tagged anyone as her boyfriend.
In 2011, the reporter was rumored to be dating her colleague at ESPN. However, the reporter never confirmed or refuted the claims. Since then, nothing has been heard about her possible partner or boyfriend. She has never walked down the aisle and doesn’t have any kids yet. The much we know is that the reporter is a dog lover and has a dog called Ms. Nahla Bear.
Her Fashion Sense is Top-Notch
When it comes to fashion, Josina Anderson has an incredible fashion sense. The reporter has wowed her fans on several red carpet events. She has long curly hair, which she straightens before making an appearance. More than that, her 5 feet, 8 inches frame makes her stand out in every outfit she rocks.
According to Anderson, she loves khaki and often rocks military-patterned clothes, which fits her perfectly. The American reporter has an athletic build and knows how to dress in a fashionable style. Her towering height is further complemented by her weight of 68kg and impeccable body measurements of 34-26-35 inches for her bust, waist, and hips, respectively.
Her Social Media Presence
Josina Anderson is very active on social media, where she communicates with her fans. You can find her on platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. She joined Twitter in 2009 and has been active to date. She posts information relating to her work on the platform and has amassed over 206 thousand followers. On Instagram, Josina also has an impressive fan base of over 83 thousand followers.
The talented journalist shares information relating to her show, Undefined with Josina Anderson, and other personal information with her fans worldwide. She also posts pictures of herself having a good time to the admiration of her fans. She also has a Facebook page, which has a decent following from fans who love and appreciate her works.
