Nicholas Ballasy

Nicholas Ballasy (born May 30, 1986 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a Video Journalist for CNSNews.com where he covers Capitol Hill.

His career in broadcast journalism began to take shape in college, where he served as the host and producer of a public affairs talk show he created called “On the Issues.” The program educated and informed youth about politics through interviews Ballasy conducted with high profile figures like Former President Bill Clinton [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpIUz5m6A5Y Fmr. President Bill Clinton Field Interview Package ] ] , Former Vice President Al Gore, former NY Governor George Pataki [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mg5ZNWmtu8 Fmr. NY Governor George Pataki Segment ] ] , Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHnaciQ4bys "Fox News Sunday" Host Chris Wallace Interview ] ] , Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydjU9A9oy-o 2008 Democratic Presidential Debate Show ] ] and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQqeItPM_8Q Nancy Pelosi Field Interview Package ] ] to name a few. Ballasy also covered entertainment and social topics on the program when interviewing guests like Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz0KAfzqeik Nicholas Ballasy Sits Down with Miss America ] ] , Miss New Jersey 2007 Amy Polumbo [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmkOx-1RIGw Ballasy interviews Miss NJ Amy Polumbo about her facebook controversy ] ] , Actress Kate Walsh [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNgUZ9eUitc Ballasy interviews Actress Kate Walsh ] ] and Grammy-nominated singer Jason Mraz [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STIwTedrvKI Ballasy interviews Singer/Songwriter Jason Mraz ] ] . "On the Issues" aired on public access television throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania and got thousands of hits on youtube through his [http://www.youtube.com/ontheissues "On the Issues" Channel] . The show was named, "Best Public Affairs Show" in 2007 by the National Broadcasting Society [ [http://www.rider.edu/139_14356.htm Ballasy picks up National Award ] ] in their National Electronic Media Competition where over 85 colleges from around the country compete. It also won a 2008 Silver Telly Award. Over 80 editions of the show were produced. Ballasy's "On the Issues" field interview with former NY Governor George Pataki is ranked the 11th most popular video on [http://www.election.tv/top_videos/Governor_George_Pataki_Soundbite_with_Nicholas_A._Ballasy_329/ Election.tv] [ [http://www.election.tv/top_videos/Governor_George_Pataki_Soundbite_with_Nicholas_A._Ballasy_329/ Ballasy's Segment with Gov. Pataki on Election.tv ] ] Ballasy has covered climate change conferences at the United Nations [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-cMgTPuDsk United Nations Show with Aubrey O'Day from Danity Kane ] ] headquarters in New York City, the 2005 New Jersey Gubernatorial Race, the Pennsylvania and New Jersey 2008 Presidential primaries and both 2008 Democratic Presidential debates in Philadelphia. In the summer of 2007, Ballasy was one of approximately 100 students from around the country selected to attend The Fund for American Studies "Institute on Political Journalism" at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and served as the only intern at CNN’s [http://www.rider.edu/news/newswire/spring2007/05212007/story_five.htm White House Unit] [ [http://www.rider.edu/news/newswire/spring2007/05212007/story_five.htm Spotlight On: Nicholas Ballasy ] ] . The Institute awarded him the “Frank Shakespeare Excellence in Broadcast Journalism Award” named after the former President of CBS. Throughout his college career, he also interned in the news department at WABC-TV, Channel 7 in New York City and with the weekend edition of ABC World News Tonight.

Ballasy was the first journalist to conduct in-depth interviews on-camera with both Congressman Chris Smith and Frank Wolf when the news broke that their computers were hacked by people in China [ [http://www.cnsnews.com/public/cnsnewstv/video.aspx?RsrcID=3108 Chinese Suspected Of Hacking Lawmakers' PCs ] ] . Other notable stories he has covered are "More Funding to Fight Climate Change?" [ [http://www.cnsnews.com/public/cnsnewstv/video.aspx?RsrcID=3196 More Funding to Fight Climate Change? ] ] where he interviewed experts about issues raised in a Senate subcommittee hearing on climate change funding; "$7.5 million in Taxpayer Dollars for First Tee" [ [http://www.cnsnews.com/public/cnsnewstv/video.aspx?RsrcID=33082 $7.5 million earmarked for golfing ] ] where he interviewed Congressmen James Clyburn, professional golfer Phil Mickelson and his wife Amy about "The First Tee" program and the Mickelson foundation; and "O'Connor and Court Silence Councilman Who Said, 'Jesus'" [ [http://www.cnsnews.com/public/cnsnewstv/video.aspx?RsrcID=33160 O'Connor and Court Silence Councilman Who Said, 'Jesus' ] ] where he was the first journalist to interview Hashmel Turner and his lawyer about Justice Sandra Day O'Connor voting to uphold Turner's right to say "Jesus" at council meetings and their appeal to the Supreme Court. Ballasy is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Rider University where he double majored in Communications and Political Science.

References

External links

* [http://www.cnsnews.com/public/cnsnewstv/channel.aspx?ChannelID=44 CNSNewsTV "On the Spot"]
* [http://www.cnsnews.com/public/cnsnewstv/channel.aspx?ChannelID=47 CNSNewsTV "On the Scene"]
* [http://www.nicholasballasy.com Nicholas Ballasy's Official Web Site]
* [http://www.nicholasballasy.com/ontheissues "On the Issues" Show Page]
* [http://www.youtube.com/ontheissues "On the Issues" Youtube Channel]