Five Questions For — WLWT-TV's Stephanie Bruner

We're speaking to colleagues about their businesses, roles and the best professional advice they've received. Today, meet Stephanie Bruner, executive producer at WLWT-TV, Cincinnati, OH and Hearst Television Olympic producer. Stephanie is part of the HTV team in Italy covering the 2026 Winter Games. Milan-Cortina marks her second Olympics, and her first leading the team!

Tell us about your role.

I'm the executive producer at WLWT-TV, Cincinnati, OH and I work on special projects, collaborating with reporters and producers to create the best scripts and reports for air. I'm also the lead producer for the Hearst Olympic team!

What is something most people don't know about your role?

Most people don't know what producers do. They stack their newscasts, write the scripts, choose the stories, graphics and video, and work with editors and photographers on how best to showcase their newscasts. And they have to get in and out of their newscasts on time, every time.

What recent accomplishments are you most proud of?

I was recently asked to be a keynote speaker at my alma mater, Ohio University, for the annual journalism workshop, one of the oldest in the nation, started in 1946. It's an exciting time for me to help young journalists. And I'm very proud to be part of the Hearst Olympic team again. I was honored to be part of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and now to get to go to Italy, this time as the lead of our team, is an incredible experience. I get to work with such an unbelievable group of people who really give it their all.

How does covering the Olympics differ from typical reporting?

The Olympics is its own beast. There's so much pre-planning that goes into it. Plus, we're planning for venues that we never see beforehand. This Winter Olympics is unlike any other because it's so spread out. There are logistical elements you have to consider.

Which events are you looking forward to attending?

I'm really looking forward to hockey. The women's hockey team is solid, and I think they'll end up in the gold medal match. Figure skating too - for the first time in 20 years, [U.S.] women's figure skating looks like they have three strong contenders. On the men's side, you have the "Quad God"! There are so many exciting sports, and then just to see how Italy pulls it all together with the mountain regions and the different venues - it's shaping up to be a very cool experience.