Zachary Fink
General Assignment Reporter

Zachary Fink is a General Assignment Reporter in the Newark Bureau who has been at NJN since 1998. He covers news primarily in northern New Jersey focusing on subjects such as politics, public policy, local development, security issues and transportation.

Before coming to NJN, Zachary worked for three years as the Morning News Anchor at WBAI, the Pacifica radio station in New York City. He was also a correspondent for Associated Press Radio and NBC-Mutual Radio where he covered The United Nations. Zack has freelanced for National Public Radio, Living on Earth, Deutsche Welle, and UPI Radio.

His first television job was at Bronxnet TV, a local cable station in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx. There, he covered local and citywide politics including New York City Hall. He also covered crime and police activity in the Bronx.

In 1999, Zachary traveled to Iraq with a non-profit peace activist group. Using a small digital camera, he documented their humanitarian work. However, while the group was on the ground US warplanes patrolling the southern “No Fly Zone” bombed a small village, 250 miles south of Baghdad. More than 15 civilians were killed, and several others were wounded. Asked about the incident, Defense Secretary William Cohen told reporters in Washington there was no evidence any Iraqi civilians were killed, but Zack had video evidence to the contrary. He reported the story for The Newshour with Jim Lehrer - 8/17/99.

Returning to Iraq in early 2002, he conducted interviews with many Iraqis on their attitudes towards the 9/11 attacks, and the US war on terrorism. He interviewed senior Iraqi Ba’ath party officials who were part of the now deposed government of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Zachary’s first foreign reporting experience came at NJN, when he traveled to El Salvador with US Airmen from McGuire Air Force Base. The mission was to deliver vehicles in support of US troops who were there to help the country rebuild after Hurricane Mitch.

Zack won an Emmy in 2002, and has since been nominated for two others. He has also won two First Place North Jersey Press Club Awards and an Associated Press Broadcaster’s Award.