Chris O'Keefe
Chris O'Keefe | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 4, 1981 Sydney, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, radio broadcaster |
| Years active | 2008–2024 |
| Known for | Reporting for Nine News, hosting programs on 2GB |
Chris O'Keefe (born 4 July 1981) is a former Australian journalist and radio broadcaster.
He gained prominence through his association with Nine Entertainment, where he reported for Nine News and hosted programs on Sydney's 2GB station under Nine Radio.
Career
O'Keefe commenced his media career in 2008 as an intern at the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, transitioning to television in 2010 as a reporter for Ten News based on the Gold Coast.
In 2012, he became part of the Nine Network, working as a reporter for Nine News on the Gold Coast. The following year, he moved to Brisbane to cover police matters for Nine News Queensland. By 2014, O'Keefe had returned to Sydney to serve as a political correspondent for Nine News Sydney.
During his tenure at Nine, he appeared on the program Today and occasionally substituted on A Current Affair. After the retirement of veteran host Tracy Grimshaw in 2022, O'Keefe was considered a frontrunner to assume her role.
In November 2022, he was named the presenter of 2GB’s afternoon drive slot, taking over from Jim Wilson, having previously covered this position during that year. His official start date was 9 January 2023.
Prior to the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum, O'Keefe publicly endorsed the Yes campaign, marking a divergence from fellow 2GB host Ben Fordham.
In 2024, O'Keefe departed from both 2GB and the media industry to establish a political advocacy firm. His final broadcast occurred on 13 December 2024.
Awards
While reporting on police matters for Nine News Queensland, O'Keefe received recognition from the Gold Coast Media Club in 2014 for his coverage of the Broadbeach Bikie Brawl that took place in October 2013.
He secured a Walkley Award in Television/Audio-Visual News Reporting in 2016, outperforming entries from Network 10 and Seven Network. This accolade highlighted his investigative report on serious negligence at Bankstown Hospital, following a tragic incident where a newborn was mistakenly given nitrous oxide instead of oxygen.
In 2017, O'Keefe was honoured with four Kennedy Awards, including "Journalist of the Year," "Outstanding Political Journalist," the Harry Potter Award for Excellence in Television News Reporting, and the Rebecca Wilson Award for Scoop of the Year.
He earned another Kennedy Award in 2020 for "outstanding political journalism" related to his reporting on the Ruby Princess case.
Personal life
Raised in Sydney's St George district, O'Keefe attended St Joseph's Catholic School in Oatley beginning in 1994 and later graduated from Waverley College in 2006.
In October 2018, he married sports presenter Yvonne Sampson at Bowral, New South Wales, following an engagement that came after more than three years together. Their son was born in March 2022.