Chris Connelly (reporter)
Encyclopedia
Chris Connelly is an American
sport
s and entertainment
reporter.
Connelly joined ESPN
in 2001 to host the daily interview program Unscripted with Chris Connelly
, designed to be a more contemporary version of the long-running Up Close
interview show which previously occupied the 5PM ET timeslot. The show, which premiered on the same day as Pardon the Interruption
, lasted only a few months before being replaced by an early SportsCenter
and eventually Around The Horn
.
Since the cancellation of "Unscripted," Connelly has reported and narrated the long-form human interest reports that air on SportsCenter
on weekends. Most notably, he annually does a one week series called "My Wish" involving athletes fulfilling kid's Make a Wish Foundation wishes. Connelly also helped ABC
and ESPN cover the Scripps National Spelling Bee
in 2006; he conducted interviews with finalists who had just been eliminated.
Before joining ESPN, Connelly worked for Rolling Stone Magazine, as a music critic. During the 1980s he also served as Special Music Correspondent for Good Morning America
, which involved interviewing the music stars of the day. Next Connelly spent nine years at MTV
(1993–2001). He hosted the pre-shows for the MTV Movie Awards
and prior to that, The Big Picture, a weekly show with features and movie reviews. He was also an editor and reporter for Premiere
magazine, eventually becoming Editor in Chief. After six months however, Connelly resigned in a dispute over journalistic integrity after the owner of the magazine reportedly asked that he quash a story that unfavorably portrayed a business associate.
From 2000 to 2007 he was part of the ensemble of hosts for the Academy Awards
preshow. All of these assignments were for ABC
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s and entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
reporter.
Connelly joined ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
in 2001 to host the daily interview program Unscripted with Chris Connelly
Unscripted with Chris Connelly
Unscripted with Chris Connelly is a half-hour daily interview program that aired on ESPN from October 22, 2001 until June 25, 2002.-Format:...
, designed to be a more contemporary version of the long-running Up Close
Up Close
Up Close is a sports interview show that aired on ESPN for 20 years.-Early years:The program debuted in 1981 on USA Network and was created by the advertising agency Foote, Cone and Belding to advertise one of its clients, Mazda cars...
interview show which previously occupied the 5PM ET timeslot. The show, which premiered on the same day as Pardon the Interruption
Pardon the Interruption
Pardon the Interruption is a sports television show that airs weekdays on various ESPN TV channels, TSN, ESPN America, XM, and Sirius satellite radio services, and as a downloadable podcast. It is hosted by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, who discuss, and frequently argue over, the top stories...
, lasted only a few months before being replaced by an early SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
and eventually Around The Horn
Around the Horn
Around the Horn is a daily, half-hour sports roundtable on ESPN filmed in Washington, D.C. It airs at 5:00 pm ET, as part of a sports talk hour with Pardon the Interruption. The show is currently hosted by Tony Reali.-History:Around the Horn premiered on November 4, 2002, hosted by Max Kellerman...
.
Since the cancellation of "Unscripted," Connelly has reported and narrated the long-form human interest reports that air on SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
on weekends. Most notably, he annually does a one week series called "My Wish" involving athletes fulfilling kid's Make a Wish Foundation wishes. Connelly also helped ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and ESPN cover the Scripps National Spelling Bee
Scripps National Spelling Bee
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a highly competitive annual spelling bee in the United States, with participants from other countries as well. It is run on a not-for-profit basis by The E. W...
in 2006; he conducted interviews with finalists who had just been eliminated.
Before joining ESPN, Connelly worked for Rolling Stone Magazine, as a music critic. During the 1980s he also served as Special Music Correspondent for Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, which involved interviewing the music stars of the day. Next Connelly spent nine years at MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
(1993–2001). He hosted the pre-shows for the MTV Movie Awards
MTV Movie Awards
The MTV Movie Awards is a film awards show presented annually on MTV . It also contains movie parodies that used official movie footage with hosts and other celebrities and music performances. The nominees are decided by producers and executives at MTV. Winners are decided online by the general...
and prior to that, The Big Picture, a weekly show with features and movie reviews. He was also an editor and reporter for Premiere
Premiere (magazine)
Premiere was an American and New York City-based film magazine published by Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., published between the years 1987 and 2007. The original version of the magazine, Première , was started in France in 1976 and is still being published there.-History:The magazine originally...
magazine, eventually becoming Editor in Chief. After six months however, Connelly resigned in a dispute over journalistic integrity after the owner of the magazine reportedly asked that he quash a story that unfavorably portrayed a business associate.
From 2000 to 2007 he was part of the ensemble of hosts for the Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
preshow. All of these assignments were for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.