Matt Katz

Reporter, WNYC News

Matt Katz

Matt Katz reports on air at WNYC about immigration, refugees, national security and hate. He covered New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for more than five years, first for The Philadelphia Inquirer and then for WNYC and New Jersey Public Radio. He followed the governor through scandal and presidential candidacy and appeared weekly on WNYC Studios' Christie Tracker Podcast.

In 2015 Matt and a team from WNYC won a Peabody Award for their coverage of Christie and the Bridgegate scandal. The series -- Chris Christie, White House Ambitions and the Abuse of Power -- was WNYC's first Peabody for news coverage since 1944. In 2016, Matt's biography of Christie -- American Governor: Chris Christie's Bridge to Redemption -- was published by Simon & Schuster's Threshold Editions. Matt's experience covering Christie also shaped his 2016 TedX talk, Political Deceit in a Social Media Age.

Matt has written about politics for The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Republic and POLITICO. Before covering the Statehouse in Trenton he spent time in Afghanistan, writing a series on reconstruction efforts for The Philadelphia Inquirer that won the Livingston Award for International Reporting for journalists under the age of 35. In 2009 his four-part investigation about Camden set the stage for an end to the state's takeover of city government. Prior to that, he was an award-winning reporter and syndicated dating columnist at The Courier-Post in New Jersey. He started his career covering local school board, zoning and council meetings for The Daily Record in New Jersey.

Matt has two young children, Sadie and Reuben, who listen to a lot of WNYC. Find him on Twitter @mattkatz00. Read more of Matt's latest reporting on Gothamist.

Matt Katz appears in the following:

ICE Detention Issues in Three NJ Counties

Wednesday, December 02, 2020

Reporter Matt Katz on the latest in ICE facilities in Bergen, Hudson and Union Counties.

Ai Weiwei, Schools News, Space Archaeology, International Space Station

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

Ai Weiwei on new book, Human Flow. WNYC's Kate Hinds and Jessica Gould. Archaeologist Sarah Parcak. Astronaut Michael Barratt.

Comments [1]

Kate Has a Plan... But What About NYC Schools?

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

WNYC planning editor Kate Hinds and WNYC education reporter Jessica Gould join us to discuss schools news and other stories the newsroom is following this week.

Comments [1]

Astronaut Michael Barratt

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

Since the first crew boarded the International Space Station 20 years ago, humankind has continuously orbited the earth, thanks to astronaut Michael Barratt and his colleagues.

Comment

Space Archaeology

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

Who knew that we could learn more about Earth’s history by going to space?

Comments [1]

Ai Weiwei's 'Stories from the Global Refugee Crisis'

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

Artist and activist Ai Weiwei joins us to discuss his new book, Human Flow: Stories from the Global Refugee Crisis.

Comments [1]

NYADIFF: 'Juano Hernandez, an Afro-Latino Actor in Hollywood'

Monday, November 30, 2020

Miluka Rivera, journalist, actor, and author of the book, Magnificent Juano Hernandez: From Vagabond to Hollywood Star, joins us to talk about her panel at this year's NYADIFF.

Comment

28th African Diaspora International Film Festival

Monday, November 30, 2020

Diarah N'Daw-Spech, co-director of the African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF), joins us to talk about the 28th Annual ADIFF.

Comment

Raising an Anti-Racist

Monday, November 30, 2020

Dr. Nyeema C. Watson is the vice chancellor diversity, inclusion, and civic engagement at Rutgers University–Camden.

Comments [2]

Canada's Refugee Crisis, from a Child's Perspective

Monday, November 30, 2020

Director Pier-Phillippe Chevigny joins us to talk about his new short film, “Rebel,” which follows a 6-year-old boy as he encounters Canada’s refugee crisis first-hand.

Comment

Winter Plant Care

Monday, November 30, 2020

As the weather turns colder and as apartment building heat turns on, plant care might become more difficult.

Comments [1]

N.J. Democrats Reverse Stance, Reject Residents’ Pleas, and Vote To Continue To Jail NYC Immigrants

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

By Matt Katz : Reporter, WNYC News

"History will remember you as monsters." Hudson County NJ Democratic officials defy 2018 pledge not to hold detained immigrants in the local jail.

Comment

Hudson County Democratic Officials Poised To Reverse Course and Renew ICE Contract

Sunday, November 22, 2020

By Matt Katz : Reporter, WNYC News

The county decided two years ago to end its contract with ICE, following pressure from immigrant advocates.

Comment

ICE Detainees' Hunger Strike At Bergen County Jail Enters 10th Day

Sunday, November 22, 2020

By Matt Katz : Reporter, WNYC News

The detainees complain of poor medical conditions in the jail and asking to be released, even with monitoring.

Comments [1]

ICE Detainee Hunger Strike At Bergen County Jail Is Second This Month

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

By Matt Katz : Reporter, WNYC News

The hunger strikers are inspired by the release of an immigrant who went on a nine-day hunger strike before ICE suddenly released him.

Comment

2,200 NJ Prisoners Were Released Early. Very Few Got Promised Help.

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

By Karen Yi / Matt Katz : Reporter, WNYC News

Only 15 percent of ex-offenders walked out with a state-issued ID from the Motor Vehicle Commission.

Comment

Released by New Jersey Due to Covid, and Immediately Re-Arrested by ICE

Thursday, November 05, 2020

By Matt Katz : Reporter, WNYC News

Of the more than 2,000 New Jersey state prisoners released Wednesday as a way to ease crowding due to Covid, 88 were immediately re-arrested by ICE agents.

Comment