Daily Inspiration: Meet Jennifer Bellamy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Bellamy.

Hi Jennifer, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Jennifer Bellamy is an award-winning anchor at 11Alive in Atlanta, where she anchors 11Alive News at 5, 6 and 11 p.m. She joined the station in 2015 as a reporter and has since become a familiar face to viewers across the Atlanta market.

Prior to returning home to metro Atlanta, Jennifer began her career in journalism in Macon, Georgia at 13WMWZ, where she reported, hosted and served as fill-in anchor. Her career then took her to Columbia, South Carolina. During her time at News19, she covered politics at the state house, interviewing presidential candidates, and worked as a weekend anchor. She was also part of the News19 team awarded a 2015 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards for Outstanding Local Television Investigative Reporting. She contributed to the continuing coverage on South Carolina’s Department of Social Services after the deaths of children and reports of problems at the state agency. Her work covering the agency also won a South Carolina Broadcasters Association STAR award.

Jennifer has named the 2023 Best News Anchor in a large market by the Georgia Association of Broadcasters. She has also won and been nominated for several regional Emmy Awards, including nominations for outstanding anchor, and wins for breaking news, special event coverage, and team coverage.
A proud Bulldog, Jennifer graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Broadcast News and a minor in Spanish. The UGA Alumni Association named her to the 2021 40 Under 40 Class. She has also been named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2025 Class of 40 Under 40 Honorees.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My career path hasn’t always been smooth. It’s not easy moving away from home to launch your career, but with the help and support of my family, it’s been much better than I could have dreamed it would have been. My parents and sister worked around my hectic and constantly shifting schedules and helped find ways to celebrate holidays, birthdays and special occasions with me even when I was out of town or working when others would expect to be off. They found ways to be with me when I had little PTO, no seniority and was just trying to find my way. They also encouraged me and cheered me on through challenges and difficulties of finding your way in a new career and being on your own.

My journey has also been a learning experience. I like to say I’ve learned the power of “no,” because it doesn’t always have to be the end of your story. At my first job, I was the last one to get opportunities to anchor, others were often selected ahead me, but I didn’t allow that to stop me from becoming what I knew I could become or doing what I knew I could do. While there, I would get calls to fill-in in the early morning hours, when it seemed like there was no other choice, but my next boss saw more in me and frequently gave me the opportunities that allowed me to improve and sharpen my skills. The “no” from my first boss, was a “yes” from my second. So, when I speak with young people hoping to pursue careers as a journalist, I often remind them that even though you get a “no” from one place, that doesn’t mean a “yes” isn’t on the way. Just because one person doesn’t see you as you see yourself, doesn’t mean it’s the end of your journey, and my story is certainly proof of that.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t credit the Lord for all He’s done for me, including blessing me with my family and friends who constantly cheer me on, support my every move, show up at events and watch all of my shows. God has opened doors for me when there seemed there weren’t any, blocked things that were not truly for me and created opportunities where I couldn’t see them.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a journalist and anchor, my job isn’t just reporting the news, it’s also becoming well versed in what’s going on, the history of issues, building trust with the community and being accessible to my community as well. I often have to become an expert in various topics and stories we cover. Anchors are frequently leaders in their newsroom, which is a responsibility I take seriously. I work with my managers and collogues to make decisions on what we cover and how, and troubleshoot issues that may arise. As one of the now longest serving employees in our newsroom, and someone who grew up in metro Atlanta, I rely on the institutional knowledge I have to try and help guide our newsroom decisions in a way that best serves our viewers. My role as an anchor also means meeting people where they are in a changing media landscape. I started a TikTok account to share local news content on a platform that reaches a different population of viewers. My position also allows me to serve as a mentor, working with young journalism students though the UGA Mentor program and others just launching their careers. I also make time to participate in various community events, whether it is serving as a moderator, host or speaker for schools, organizations, or local governments.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success for me is happiness in my career, doing the right thing and helping to blaze a trail for others. I’m grateful for those who have helped me along in my career, so it’s important for me to do that for others where I can as well. It’s also extremely important for me to do the best that I can and give the best for our viewers. People count on the news to give them unbiased, factual information to help guide their decisions and shape their lives and I take that seriously. I grew up watching the news here in Atlanta, so it’s an honor for me to be in this career in the role I dreamed of, especially in the communities that raised me and helped make me who I am.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbellamytv