Benjamin Bryant (broadcaster)
Benjamin Bryant is an American writer, broadcaster, and filmmaker. He is a former government official in the Obama Administration and also works, on occasion, as an artist and actor.
Bryant is the former co-executive producer of the Daytime Emmy-winning drama series Anacostia, and current host of the interview program and podcast “The Brink with Benjamin Bryant” and co-host upcoming travel docuseries "Journeys Beyond." He has produced several television and streaming series, specials, and a series of holiday films.
In the Obama Administration, Bryant served in senior staff positions on multiple high profile task forces and commissions during the Barack Obama administration, including the Pentagon’s Fort Hood Shooting Task Force, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Repeal Working Group, and the two-year Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission, for which he was the commission’s final spokesperson. In 2011, the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin announced the formal acquisition of several of Bryant's papers, notes, and recordings related to his historic work for the White House and Department of Defense.
In addition to his work as a journalist and broadcaster, Bryant has appeared as a guest and interview subject in the media throughout his career, including multiple appearances on the nightly news program America Tonight.
Early life and education
Bryant was born in Nuremberg, Germany to American parents in a multi-generational military family. His father, Brigadier General Albert Bryant Jr, is known for his role in the immediate military response to 9/11, service as Assistant Division Commander of the 4th Infantry Division during the Iraq War, and was the highest-ranking American service-member at the time of his service as part of NATO’s Kosovo Force. He is the grandson of Brigadier General Albert Bryant, Sr., recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal and a former Montford Point Marine and Army Brigadier General Richard Saxton. He is also the nephew of Emmy-winning writer and speaker Lori Bryant-Woolridge.Bryant graduated from Giessen American High School in Giessen, Germany in 1994, commencing study at the University of Texas at Austin, that same year. At Texas, he studied journalism and communication studies from 1994-1998, when an extended illness led to medical withdrawal prior to graduation. When professional demands later prevented a full-time return to Texas, Bryant completed a Bachelor of Science degree from New York’s Excelsior College.
In 2015, Bryant graduated with two Master’s degrees, a Master of Arts in Administration and a Master of Science in Organizational Development and Leadership, from the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas.
Journalism and broadcasting
In 1996, Bryant was serving as a radio news intern at Austin radio station KKMJ when the Atlanta Olympic Bombing occurred. His impromptu overnight coverage gathered attention from the public and Austin American-Statesman columnist Jane Grieg, leading to a full-time role consisting of on-air roles at KKMJ and named Program Director, with news and local programming responsibility, of its sister station, ABC Radio affiliate KJCE. Bryant also hosted KJCE’s weekly Sunday morning current affairs program.After leaving Austin and the radio industry, Bryant worked as a freelance journalist and columnist before focusing on public relations and crisis communications consulting for public and private sector clients, though in those capacities, he served as writer and editor of multiple public-facing government publications, including the Deepwater News and FHP&R: Force Health Protection & Readiness magazine. He returned to broadcasting as the host of the “BZCast” podcast in 2017, including an award-winning exploration of leaking and whistleblowing in the federal government, and in a more significant way in 2018 with the launch of non-profit media platform and the debut of “,” a series of one-on-one interview specials focusing on Washington D.C. notables, and its spin-off serialized investigative podcast, “,” both of which have since received a number of awards and honors, including several for Bryant as producer and host. In 2018, Bryant also appeared in an award-winning, non-partisan public service announcement entitled "The One Place Everyone is Equal."
Military and government
Bryant has served in a variety of communications roles for the military services, including as a speechwriter for Rear Admiral Patrick Stillman of the United States Coast Guard, and communications advisor for the Hon. James Finley and then as a speechwriter and communications advisor for several senior military leaders, and has worked on multiple high-profile roles on Presidential task forces and commissions, including the Pentagon’s Fort Hood Shooting Task Force, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Repeal Working Group, and the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission, for which he served as the agency’s final spokesperson. On multiple occasions, Bryant appeared as a guest on the nightly news program America Tonight, hosted by journalist Joie Chen, speaking to military issues in the news,.Bryant's work as a government consultant and contracted advisor also includes substantial efforts in the public health arena. Bryant worked as a communications advisor to the DoD Force Health Protection and Readiness agency, serving as speechwriter to Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Ellen Embrey, and supervising a redesign and relaunch of the agency's globally-distributed FHP&R: Force Health Protection full-color print magazine. In 2011, Bryant led a team of Bryant Zamberlan Group researchers, analysts, and writers conducting a federally-funded assessment of community preparedness and the effectiveness of public health outreach and education regarding pandemic influenza health risks in the Virginia Beach area. Bryant also authored the team's final report.
Task Forces and Commissions
In 2011, news reports covered Bryant and Thomas Zamberlan's donation of their original editor's copies from several Presidential and DoD task forces to the Smithsonian Institution. That same year, the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at Bryant's alma mater University of Texas at Austin, announced the acquisition of Bryant's personal notes, papers, and recorded recollections related to his work on the historic Fort Hood investigation and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeals and their intention to make them available to researchers.Since 2010, Bryant has been an Auxiliarist in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, including service as a Flotilla Staff Officer.
Arts
In addition to his news and documentary work, Bryant has done substantial work in the arts, including film, television, and visual arts.Film, Television and Radio
Bryant began producing narrative television and film projects in 2016, first joining the Daytime Emmy-winning, six-time nominated, digital series Anacostia, from creator Anthony Anderson at the start of its fifth season, as a supervising producer. Beginning with episode five, Bryant was named co-executive producer of the series, a role he continued in until September 2019. He also occasionally recurred on the series in the role of news anchor "James Vance," an homage to the late Washington D.C. news anchor Jim Vance.In 2019, his company, the Bryant Zamberlan Group, partnered with Gemelli Films and writer-director Candice Cain to produce the "Candy Cain" series of holiday films, completing work on the holiday romances Ivy & Mistletoe, starring Cody Calafiore, Carrie Genzel, and Cynthia Gibb; Destination: Christmas, starring Calafiore, Clayton Snyder, and Abigail Hawk; and Painting Christmas, starring Calafiore, Genzel, Patrick Muldoon, Frank Whaley, Terri Garber, and Jennifer Bassey, with the Global Genesis Group handling distribution. Bryant, who served as the supervising producer on the films, also makes a cameo appearance in each one. Bryant also served as an Associate Producer on Cain's Joy & Hope a western-themed romance co-starring Vivica A. Fox.
In September 2019, Bryant and travel writer Olivia Taylor announced on their respective social media platforms that they would co-host an upcoming travel show for the 2019-2020 season, titled "Journey's Beyond."
In early 2020, production in Las Vegas, Nevada was paused on Bryant's sports mockumentary Aidy Kane due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Film
Television and Digital Streaming
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2016-2019 | Anacostia | co-Executive Producer, “James Vance” | |
| 2018-2019 | The Brink with Benjamin Bryant | Executive Producer, Host | |
| 2018 | Unraveling Knots: The Journey Begins | Executive Producer, Host | |
| 2018 | BZ Explains! Welcome to the Show | The Narrator | |
| 2019 | Journeys Beyond | Executive Producer, co-Host |
On June 14, 2020 the producers of the upcoming JLJ Media audio drama Forever and a Day announced Bryant's casting as businessman "Gregory Marshall" in the podcast serial.
Painting and photography
In the 2010s, Bryant has also worked intermittently as professional artist, photographer, and painter, signing his work as "Ben Bryant.Business
Since 2010, Bryant has served as the Managing Partner of the Bryant Zamberlan Group of companies, which include a global communications consultancy and BZ/MP, a non-profit news and media endeavor. In this role, Bryant holds multiple certifications, and has advised and trained senior leaders in the United States Government and international business.Awards, Honors, and Nominations
Bryant has received numerous industry honors and nominations for his work as a journalist, broadcaster, and producer, beginning with two Paul R. Ellis awards from the American Heart Association of Texas in 1996 for writing and producing content to educate the Austin, TX community regarding increased heart disease and stroke risks in minority communities at radio station KJCE.Since 1999, he has been honored with Communicator, MarCom, Hermes Creative, W3, Davey, AVA, and Silver Inkwell awards for various writing, multimedia, video, and other projects.
As co-executive producer of the six-time Emmy nominated Anacostia, Bryant received a 2018 Indie Series Award nomination, Hermes Creative Award, Telly Award, and two consecutive Best Drama Series honors at the Rome Web Awards.
Other notable honors include a 2010 Platinum MarCom "Special Category" Award for his work as the Managing Editor of the report of the Fort Hood Task Force, 2012 Davey Award for his appearances on America Tonight, 2019 Communicator Award of Distinction for "The Brink with Benjamin Bryant" interview specials; and multiple Platinum AVA and Hermes Creative Awards for "The Brink with Benjamin Bryant: INTERSECTIONS" podcast.
In a year-end feature dedicated to the people and stories who made the year notable, Bryant was named by the Austin American-Statesman as one of its most memorable people in 1996.