From Producing News as a Student to Calling the Olympic Games, Brigham Young University Alum Todd Harris Explores His Journalism Career.
Twelve Olympic Games. An Emmy Award. Decades on national television. None of it was part of Harris’ original plan when he arrived at Brigham Young University. For two years, Harris studied medicine until he realized he was headed down the wrong path.
“I thought I would go into medicine because some family members are doctors,” Harris said. “But, in the back of my mind, I always thought about being a broadcaster in sports journalism. I met with my counselor, changed my major to broadcast journalism and never looked back.”
Even though Harris did not take a straight path to journalism, it had always been an interest in the background of his life. As a child, he loved watching “60 Minutes,” the oldest and most-watched news show on television, where reporters cover anything from politics to pop culture.
Harris credits his time at BYU, particularly his experience studying in the Harris Fine Arts Center, for preparing him for the amazing opportunities in his career. Students in the broadcast program were required to produce a full-semester project, and Harris produced the evening news.
“It was a good school and a good program,” he said. “You came out of there and already had so much experience.”
After graduating from BYU, Harris landed in a small television market as a weekend news anchor and weekday reporter. The work was steady, but after a year and a half, he felt ready for more. A conversation with his news director seemed to confirm his doubts.
“I remember the news director telling me he thought I was good, but that I would never crack the top 50 markets,” Harris said. “Then the sports thing kind of fell into my lap.”
Around that same time, an opportunity presented itself when he was introduced to someone at ESPN who was searching for a broadcaster to cover extreme sports — surfing, jet ski racing, snowboarding and skateboarding. Harris took the leap, left his previous position and moved west.
That big decision set the trajectory for a career that would eventually bring him to some of the biggest stages in sports broadcasting. In the late 1990s, legendary ABC Sports broadcaster Keith Jackson announced his retirement from college football. ABC needed a sideline reporter.
“They were looking for a sideline reporter, and my agent put my name forward,” Harris said. “After I met with the folks at ABC, my agent called me and congratulated me on getting the job.”
Harris’ career reached another moment of uncertainty in 2006 when his contract with ABC came to an end.
“I was panicked,” he said. “I thought, ‘I can’t do anything else. I’m not good at anything. I can’t go to medical school now.’ And the next day, I got a call from NBC, and I transitioned right over to NBC Sports.”
Since then, Harris has covered the Olympics and the America’s Cup, building a résumé that includes 12 Olympic Games and an Emmy Award he earned at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.
Looking back, Harris sees the blessings in the twists and turns of his career.
“It is funny how things just fall into place,” he said. “I always tell my kids not to get too hung up on the door that closes, because there is a good chance another door is going to open.”
Today, as social media becomes oversaturated with opinion and public trust in news fluctuates, Harris feels a responsibility to protect pure journalism.
“There is a bit of an assault on journalism,” Harris said. “People now get their news from so many different places that are not verified. The pure form of journalism, when you are writing without bias and just giving facts and not ideology, is so important — now more than ever.”
He believes BYU plays a vital role in preserving those standards and is a great place for aspiring journalists to receive an education.
“BYU, with the Christian standards that they have of truth and honesty, is a good foundation to learn the art of journalism,” Harris said. “There is a real need for people who want to go out and do real journalism.”
Eventually, Harris hopes to return to the classroom himself, teaching ethics to future reporters and helping them navigate the pressures of a fast-paced industry. But until then, he has one more goal in sight: the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he dreams of calling the Paralympics and watching his grandson compete in snowboarding.
From college newsrooms to the world’s biggest sporting events, Harris’ career has taken unexpected turns, but he has learned that while plans change, passion can anchor you.
“If you find something you love doing, then it is not a job,” Harris said. “Find something you have a passion for. The world is always in need of someone who does something well — not just because they are getting paid, but because they have a passion for it.”