Jay R. Bradley
Journalist • Media & Community Engagement Professional
About
About
I’m a multimedia journalist, event organizer, web designer, esports manager, gardener, and trumpet player born and raised in New York’s Southern Tier.
During my 5+ years in journalism, I’ve covered everything from hotly debated developments, local elections filled with deception, straining transportation infrastructure, passionate micro-communities, how COVID-19 upended our love lives, fights to expand legal anti-discrimination rights, and dramatic courtroom pleas for untested medical trials. Using my unique experiences and connections, I strive to bring a globally informed outlook and hyperlocal focus to my journalism.
I’ve contributed to many outlets, primarily in the Southern Tier region, including as a part-time Multimedia Journalist at NewsChannel 34, an intern at WBNG 12 News, and freelancing for The Ithaca Times, The Ithaca Voice, and WRFI FM.
In 2022, I was hired as the first reporter for Lehigh Valley Public Media’s LehighValleyNews.com digital news initiative. While there, I covered the East Penn beat, spotlighting the rapidly growing suburban region of ~64,000, covering its massive warehouse and commercial developments, close and passionate local elections, the rise of high school esports, and questions of what they want their community to become.
Driven to bring people together and connect them to new experiences and their own community, I’ve led efforts on multiple successful grassroots esports initiatives, contributed to communitarian initiatives, and learned the ins and outs of the various beats I have covered in my work by living in and engaging with local culture every step of the way.
I have won or been named a finalist for 10 journalism awards for pieces produced by myself or with a team of other great reporters, most recently winning my first award as a professional at the 2024 Keystone Media Awards.
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ithaca College’s Roy H. Park School of Communications in 2022 with a degree in Journalism and minors in website programming and business administration.
While there, I led one of the most award-winning and productive periods in the history of WICB 91.7 FM as News Director and co-founded Ithaca College Esports, where I worked with a team to build 300+ member organization with a seven team roster, slate of casual events, and charity broadcasts raising over $3,000 for local nonprofits.
When I find the time, I love playing trumpet, traveling to new cities, and having very strong opinions about food.
What I Work On
My main goal here is to bring people together, and to strengthen community through greater local engagement and knowledge.
As an unabashed creature of the Northeast, I’ve covered the dynamic landscapes of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania and the uneven development and culture of New York’s Southern Tier.
I’ve covered a wide spread of topics, including development, elections, education, the environment, business, and diversity issues.
While currently seeking my next full-time opportunity, I am pursuing freelancing opportunities and developing a personal blog to keep friends and family up to date with my goings-on, events and ideas.
I always appreciate a good pitch.
Who I've Worked With
Featured Portfolio
Lehigh Valley Public Media:
- Managing the Lehigh Valley’s warehouse boom: The search for solutions (2024)
- Investigative Local Development News
- Emerging high school esports highlight teamwork, skills — and a new horizon of competition (2023)
- Outside funding, accusations put spotlight on East Penn School Board candidate slates (2023)
- Local Election News
- Phillies prospect Daniel Brito returns to field where he nearly lost his life (2022)
- Sports Feature
- ‘A cause of frustration’: Truck traffic has tormented Alburtis. Is relief in sight? (2023)
- Investigative Local Development News
- Somber, miles-long procession carries fallen firefighters home: ‘When one falls, we all hurt’ (2022)
- Multimedia breaking news
Ithaca Voice:
- ‘Smash Lab’ celebrates a year of esports competition and community in downtown Ithaca (2022)
- Esports Feature
Ithaca Week & Ithaca College Journalism:
- Birders in Ithaca and Beyond Take on The Great Backyard Bird Count (2022)
- Science Feature
- Cornell Electric Vehicles takes on EV Efficiency at Shell Eco-Marathon (2022)
- Tech Feature
- Opening Doors Through Communication (2019)
- In-Depth Feature
The Ithacan:
- Students respond to housing changes for 2021–22 (2021)
- Education Reporting
- What is your experience with dating at IC? (2021)
- Blog/Column
Ithaca Times:
- Shawna Black named Legislature chair, new members sworn in (2022)
- Legislative Reporting
- Ithaca bus depot talk begins again as transit numbers recover (2022)
- Transportation Reporting
WLVR-FM:
- Emerging high school esports highlight teamwork, skills — and a new horizon of competition (2023)
- Esports / High School Sports Audio Feature
WICB’s Ithaca Now:
- Young Love in the Age of COVID (2021)
- In-Depth Feature Documentary
- Finalist, CBI National Student Production Competition, Best Documentary (Audio)
- Young Love in the Age of COVID (2021)
- Reopening Ithaca (2021)
- Themed news magazine program
- Led collaboration between Cornell and Ithaca College reporter teams
- Edited, curated final episode and acted as contributor
- Produced Episode, Ithaca Now April 4 (2021)
- Ithaca Now under my leadership won SPJ Mark of Excellence Region 1 – Best All-Around Newscast and New York State Broadcasters Association, Outstanding College Public Affairs Program/Series
- What’s Going on with Ithaca College’s Faculty Cuts? With Alexis Manore of The Ithacan (2021)
- Explanatory Interview with Newspaper Correspondent
- Interview: Graeme Joffe (2019)
- Interview for Book Preview
- Local Religious Groups Give Community in the Pandemic (2020)
- In-Depth Feature
- Finalist, Syracuse Press Club Student Radio/Podcast Feature Story
- Produced Episode, Ithaca Now April 4 (2021)
Radio Newscasting on WICB:
TNT Radio Productions
- The Museum (2021)
- One-Act Play, Written, Directed, & Produced
Lehigh Valley Public Media:
- Story of the Day: What would you do with $633 million dollars?
- Social Media Short
- Story of the Day: Lower Mac pushes back against community-built playground and basketball court
- Social Media Short
NewsChannel 34
- Dick Stack Field Donation to Celebrate Dick’s Sporting Goods Open (2021)
- Cable Package
ICTV Reports
- Efforts in Tompkins County Hope to Fuel Electric Cars
- Long Cable Package
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Local Music (2020)
- Long Cable Package
Other
- Unified Sports for Students with Disabilities (2020)
- Education & Accessibility FeatureLearn More About BFR! (2020)
- Advertising / Feature
- With Lily McCauley
- Education & Accessibility FeatureLearn More About BFR! (2020)
Events:
- Upstate Melee Champions Circuit & Finale
- Co-lead organizer on innovative grassroots event circuit of established monthly and annual events throughout Upstate New York
- Finale event featured special championship tournament, beginner bracket, last chance qualifier, multiple live streams
- Over 750 individual circuit participants, over 100 finale event entrants
- “Frosty Fridays” Grassroots Online Divine Knockout Weekly
- Tournament organizer, stream production, graphics production
- Ithaca College Esports ‘Charity Power-Up!’ Nonprofit Fundraising Stream (2020-2022)
- Produced stream overlays, ran segments and schedule with team
- Upstate Smash Bros. Tournaments in Southern Tier NY
- Lead TO for various events in the Greater Binghamton area and with Ithaca College Esports
Following the Office of Campus Recreation’s official donation on May 17, we are happy to announce through 36 hours of streaming, we raised $1,031 for @STAPInc
HIV/AIDS, harm reduction, and community healthcare services. Thank you so much to all who took part and watched! pic.twitter.com/p2kpR4asy0— Ithaca College Esports (@IthacaEsports) May 24, 2022
- AudreyHiggins.com
- Portfolio website for visual artist Audrey Higgins
- UpstateSmash.com
- Website gathering resources, writing, and history on Upstate New York’s Super Smash Bros. competitive scene
- JayRBradley.com
- You’re looking at it!
- IsaiahFitzhugh.com
- Commissioned portfolio site for YouTuber ThaGreatIsaiah (currently offline)
Awards
- Winner – Keystone Media Awards, Division II Best Sports Feature (2024)
- “Emerging high school esports highlight teamwork, skills – and a new horizon of competition”, WLVR 91.3-FM
- 1st Place – Syracuse Press Club Student Radio/Podcast Feature Story (2023)
- “Electric Vehicles for Earth Day”, Ithaca Now 4/3/2022
- Award of Excellence – BEA Festival of Media Arts, Radio Feature Reporting (2023)
- “Electric Vehicles for Earth Day”, Ithaca Now 4/3/2022
-
Runner-Up – SPJ Mark of Excellence National Competition – Best All-Around Newscast (2021)
- Ithaca Now, 4/4/2021
- Winner – SPJ Mark of Excellence Region 1 – Best All-Around Newscast (2021)
- Ithaca Now, 4/4/2021
- Finalist – SPJ Mark of Excellence Region 1 – Best All-Around Newscast (2020)
- Ithaca Now, 7/19/2020
- Winner – New York State Broadcasters Association – Outstanding College Public Affairs Program/Series (2020)
- Ithaca Now, 9/27/2020
- Finalist – Syracuse Press Club Student Radio/Podcast Feature Story (2020-2021)
- “Local Religious Groups Give Community in the Pandemic”, produced with Celestina Beakes
- 3rd Place – CBI National Student Production Competition Pinnacle Awards, Best Documentary Audio (2020-2021)
- “Young Love in the Age of COVID”, with editing help from Selin Tuter and Himadri Seth
- Eagle Scout (2018)
- President’s Scholarship – Ithaca College (2018)
- Jessica Savitch Scholarship – Ithaca College (2020)
- Oracle Honors Society (2019)
- Phi Kappa Phi (Nominated) – Ithaca College (2021)
- Lambda Pi Eta – Ithaca College (2021)
Resume
