Before sunrise on Long Island, while most households are still dark, Erin Colton is already awake, preparing to deliver the day’s first headlines. Her presence on News12 Long Island’s morning broadcast is as steady as it is energetic — a mix of urgency, empathy and familiarity that has made her one of the region’s most recognizable journalists.
Her path to the anchor desk wasn’t linear, but it was defined by a willingness to take chances.
“There are countless, unforgettable stories that I have covered,” she said. “But I have to say it’s the moments off air that define my journey. I graduated from Syracuse University and the next weekend I was hired at News12. And I said ‘yes’ to everything. Any task thrown my way, I did. I was a production assistant, then grew to be a writer, then was hired as a producer. I created my own job of being Morning Sports Anchor. Then moved to the field to report, and now I anchor the very same Morning Show I ran scripts into the studio for 22 years ago.”
That climb through the newsroom ranks informs how she approaches each broadcast. The hours are grueling, but Colton frames her early mornings as a responsibility rather than a burden.
“Beyond always being a morning person, I feel a responsibility to our viewers to bring it, every single day,” she said. “Bring the energy, the passion, the upbeat tone the world needs now. People don’t care I get up at 2 a.m. They care about their news. What’s going on in their neighborhoods, their kids schools… did anything blow up overnight.”
Her career has unfolded alongside some of Long Island’s most consequential and emotional stories. From breaking news to community features, Colton has learned to navigate both chaos and calm with equal composure.
“I never know what to expect walking into work,” she said. “It could be the most chaotic day of my life, or an easy one. I was on scene when the first body was found along Gilgo Beach, then 13 years later, I was the one who broke the news to the world about his arrest. I could be covering a World Series Championship Parade, or a deadly fire. I have to be prepared for all kinds of scenes, people, emotions.”
For many viewers, Colton is also synonymous with one unforgettable viral moment when she was knocked over by a powerful wave while covering Hurricane Irene in Long Beach in 2011. But even that clip, widely shared online, reflects her commitment to being on the ground when it matters most.
“I think viewers were in their home during the storm, nervous, not knowing what to expect from the flooding, and saw what it was like real time with me,” she recalled. “And if you think I just got a little wet, I was full on underwater. And spent the rest of the day covering the storm sopping wet. But it comes with the job, and also the passion I have for what I do.”
That connection with viewers is precisely why Colton has chosen to stay rooted on Long Island, even when larger markets beckoned.
Source: LI Press
