I am a senior video journalist at The New York Times, currently based in Washington, where I report and produce visual news stories, short documentaries and video investigations.
About
Brent McDonald is an innovator in video journalism with two decades of experience—including stints covering New York City, Latin America, and the Midwest. He produces hard-hitting news stories and immersive creative projects that span conflict zones and Capitol Hill and target audiences on multiple platforms. In a dynamic newsroom where cross-desk collaboration is essential, he has a proven track record of leading crews from pitch to publication under tight editorial deadlines.
Whether reporting on politics, immigration, climate change, or international conflict, McDonald aims to tell the human side of complex news stories and use visual evidence to reveal the truth of what’s happening on the ground. In recent years, he has published deep dives on ICE detention, migrant child labor, mega wildfires, violent protest crackdowns, Amazon deforestation, and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Since joining The New York Times in 2005, his work has been recognized by leading journalism organizations for excellence in visual storytelling, digital innovation, and impactful reporting. Most recently, he co-reported a visually driven investigation into migrant children working in roofing—part of the series awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting in 2024.
McDonald grew up in the rural Midwest and studied documentary filmmaking at the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.
