Whitney Burney joined the 7 Action News team in September of 2022.
Whitney was born in raised in Grand Rapids. Working in Detroit has made for a full circle moment for her as she interned at channel 7 back in 2016.
In 2017, Whitney started her career in Lynchburg, Virginia at WSET ABC 13 news as a multimedia journalist. There she covered a devastating tornado and the 2017 Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville which resulted in the death of one protester and two Virginia State Troopers. Her work during the rally helped to earn the station an Edward Murrow award for best newscast.
In 2019, Whitney landed a reporter position at WOOD TV 8 in Grand Rapids. She began as the lakeshore reporter covering devastating erosion that threatened homes along the lakeshore. During her time there, Whitney also covered racism in a local school district, civil unrest in 2020 and an officer-involved shooting. She helped to overhaul the station’s Black History Month Special uncovering unique history and perspectives.
In 2021, Whitney began anchoring the evening weekend newscasts but never lost her love for telling stories in her community. Her work as a reporter resulted in an award from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters for Best Reporter in market 2 for 2021.
The stories Whitney enjoys telling most are those that affect marginalized communities, and she looks forward to giving more Metro Detroiters the platform to tell their stories.
Whitney is a proud Michigan State Spartan and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
On her weekends, you can catch her checking out new restaurants as she is an advent foodie. If you see her out in the community, don’t hesitate to say hi!
If you have a story idea for Whitney send her an email at Whitney.Burney@WXYZ.com
