Checkey Beckford is an Emmy® Award-winning reporter for NBC 4 New York. She covers breaking news and general assignment stories, appearing weekdays at 5 PM, 6 PM and 11 PM.
Beckford’s reporting was a key component of NBC 4 New York’s award-winning COVID-19 coverage, honored in January, 2021 with the prestigious Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for “creat(ing) a 360 view in real time of the coronavirus pandemic, with courageous and thorough reporting on the virus’s explosion in New York City.” The duPont has long been recognized as the broadcast, documentary and on-line equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize, also awarded by Columbia University.
Her commitment to journalistic excellence has been recognized with two New York Emmys® for her coverage of the 2017 Tribeca terrorist attacks. She was also presented with ESSENCE Magazine’s “Essential Heroes Award,” recognizing her coverage of 2020’s COVID-19 outbreak.
Throughout her time at NBC 4, Beckford has covered many of the region’s most memorable news stories. In addition to the Tribeca attacks, Beckford provided breaking news coverage of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, New York City’s Ebola scare in 2014, the deadly Metro-North crash in Valhalla in 2015, the twin murders of NYPD Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos in 2015.
Checkey Beckford joined NBC 4 New York as a general assignment reporter in October 2012 from KOVR CBS13 in Sacramento, CA where she served as a live reporter for dayside newscasts. She began her career at WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she was hired as an associate producer. Here, Beckford was promoted twice in one year to weekend morning producer and then weekday morning producer.
Prior to joining KOVR CBS13, Beckford was a live reporter for WICD/WICS in Champaign/Springfield, IL where she shot, wrote and edited multiple stories for the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. newscasts.
Beckford grew up in Westchester County after emigrating from Jamaica when she was five. She attended Florida Atlantic University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Communications with Minors in Political Science and Sociology.
In her spare time, Beckford enjoys mentoring teenagers who aspire to go to college and begin careers in journalism. She resides with her family in New Jersey.
The Latest
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‘Unconscionable': ICE agents shoot NYC criminal suspect with a 5-year-old in back seat
Mayor Mamdani says he spent hours on the phone with President Trump and the head of DHS trying to get the man released
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AG probing apparent police chase through NJ neighborhood that hurt baby, 2 adults
Pieces of several smashed-up cars were scattered across the street, and a baby’s car seat sat abandoned on the road.
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Possible police chase ends in crash injuring baby, 2 adults in NJ neighborhood
Pieces of several smashed up cars were scattered across the street and a baby’s car seat sat abandoned on the road.
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Couple ties the knot at gym after nor'easter objects to outdoor wedding
Grace and Francisco Weisser Vasquez say they had all but given up on getting married on Saturday until help came from an unlikely source.
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Man accused of midair racist outburst loses job after duct-tape flight to Newark
Two men from New Jersey who helped restrain the man accused of being unruly and violent share details from the unusual midair outburst.
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Erratic passenger duct-taped to seat on flight to Newark after racist remarks, violence
Passengers claimed the man was yelling racially derogatory slurs at the man sitting next to him, according to a witness, and he seemed to target three Black flight attendants.
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Luxury NJ sailboat thief dies in police shootout on Rhode Island, officials say
The owner of the stolen boat told NBC New York that the alleged thief was not very wise in choosing the vessel: It stands out due to its rarity.
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NJ restaurant apologizes for ‘unfortunate' birthday message on woman's dessert
A woman who has used a wheelchair since she was 2 says a birthday celebration with friends and family took a disturbing turn when their Hudson waterfront restaurant in New Jersey dropped off dessert. Antonia Sinibaldi was celebrating her 29th birthday at Blu on the Hudson in Weehawken when she says she and her cousin ordered the same apple cinnamon…
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‘A light went out': NYPD officer mourned after post-surgery death in Dominican Republic
Friends say Rebecca De Paula was a guiding light in her community, as she not only served the NYPD, but also as a pastor at a local church.
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10-year-old boy drowns in New Jersey river, sister lives, and another child is missing
The search for a 10-year-old girl missing in the Passaic River after ending up in the water with two other kids continues Thursday, hours after another 10-year-old’s body was found 50 feet from where he went in.
