A morning anchor and feature reporter at WBAY-TV in Green Bay, Emerson Lehmann, is the WBA Young Professional of the Month for the month of September.
The WBA Young Professional of the Month is a nominee for the WBA Young Professional of the Year Award. The award seeks to recognize young broadcasters who have made a significant impact on their stations and communities. A subcommittee of the WBA Board of Directors will select the Young Professional of the Year, who will be recognized at the 2026 WBA Awards Gala on May 2 at the Madison Marriott West.
Lehmann was nominated by WBAY-TV anchor/reporter Aisha Morales who wrote that Lehmann “is the definition of a team player.”
“He is such an asset to our newsroom,” Morales wrote. “He keeps a positive attitude, works hard, and is always willing to step in to help a coworker in need. Emerson’s skill for storytelling is natural because he is an empathetic human being both on air and off the air.”
Morales said that Lehmann deserves this recognition.
“He has the potential to be an absolute legend in this industry, and I can’t wait to see how far his kindness, enthusiasm and love for journalism takes him.”
Nominate a YP of the Month here.
Here’s more about Emerson:
Company: WBAY-TV
Position: Morning Anchor/Feature Reporter
Years at station: Just under two years
Started in broadcasting (year): 2019
- How did you get into broadcasting?
One night when I was a junior in high school, I was watching the local Milwaukee news with my mom and said, “I want to do that!” After getting my degree at Ball State University in Indiana, I knew I wanted to return home to Wisconsin and have been back here ever since, spending time at stations in Wausau, Milwaukee, and now, Green Bay.
- How do you view the role of young professionals in broadcasting?
The future is what we make it! It’s no secret that our industry is going through some major changes in terms of how people consume our product. As young professionals, it’s important that we embrace that change head-on with new concepts and ideas while also incorporating the principles of those who have paved the way to get us where we are today.
- What advice would you give to other young broadcasters?
Always be “human” first. We come across a lot of different people in this line of work, some during happy times, and others during the most difficult moments of their lives. There’s a time and place for an aggressive line of questioning and there’s a time and a place to share emotions like sympathy or empathy. Do your best to remember that and differentiate between the two. Also, when on a fun assignment, take a moment to look around and really enjoy it. We get to do some cool stuff!
- What does the future of broadcasting look like to you?
People will always want and need information, which is great news for us as broadcasters! As more people look to digital options to consume their news, it will be interesting to see how stations adapt, many already doing so with the implementation of livestreams and other digital streaming options for content. I think these efforts will only continue to grow as time goes by, making it even more important for young professionals to adapt and embrace the new challenges we face.
