Jim DeFede
Investigative Reporter and Host of 'Facing South Florida'
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DeFede has significantly shaped public discourse in South Florida through his long-form documentaries addressing critical local crises, including the toxic algae disaster in the Everglades, the Surfside condo collapse that claimed 98 lives, and the Homestead migrant detention camp's effects on nearby schoolchildren. His program 'Facing South Florida' provides in-depth interviews with key figures like Miami-Dade County commissioners and Congressman Byron Donalds, tackling issues such as budget cuts, mental health facilities, and political tensions. These efforts have earned prestigious awards and heightened awareness of environmental, social, and governmental challenges in the region.
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Born in Brooklyn, New York, Jim DeFede began his journalism career in 1986 as a night cops reporter for The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, before moving to Miami New Times for an 11-year tenure where he won numerous awards. He has covered Florida politics since 1991, including every gubernatorial race since 1994 and the 2016 presidential campaigns of Donald Trump, Jeb Bush, and Marco Rubio. DeFede joined CBS News Miami in January 2006 as an investigative reporter and host of the Sunday morning public affairs program 'Facing South Florida.' His work at CBS includes producing over a dozen documentaries, such as 'The Everglades: Where Politics, Money and Race Collide' on the 2016 algae crisis and pieces on the Surfside building collapse. Previously, he was a metro columnist for The Miami Herald from 2002 to 2005 and contributed to publications like Talk magazine, Newsday, and Mother Jones. He has earned eight regional Emmy Awards, a Murrow Award, and the duPont-Columbia Award.