About Jon Jensen

I am an Executive Producer for CNN, based in New York City. I lead a multi-platform team of producers, writers, editors, and videographers who create distinctive lifestyle related feature content for CNN’s audiences in the US, in everything from travel to technology. 

My job is to commission original stories, oversee editorial and operational budgets, and lead complex productions that publish and air across multiple platforms. I thrive on detailed project management and bring a strategic editorial lens to every stage of content development – from ideation to delivery.

Since joining CNN in 2012, I’ve produced on the ground at several major international news events, including Egypt’s military coup in 2013, the war between Israel and Gaza in 2014, and the Brussels terror attacks in 2016. I’ve also reported live on CNN, on everything from aviation disasters to the Battle of Aleppo.

But my passion lies behind the camera, producing character-driven, documentary-style stories about compelling people and places.

I’ve led camera crews on assignment for CNN in the Dhofar Mountains of southern Oman, along the old Silk Road from Kazakhstan to Armenia, in the deserts of Jordan’s Wadi Rum, and in South Pacific islands of Fiji – all in pursuit of powerful stories that resonate with a global audience. I’m driven by a deep commitment to thoughtful, original storytelling that reflects the nuance of the regions I cover, across every platform.

My work has received international recognition, including an Emmy nomination in 2022, and past credits and reporting bylines include National Geographic, Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, PBS, Global Post, WNYC, Al Jazeera English, Time, and more.

Previously based in Cairo, Abu Dhabi, and Hong Kong, I spent two decades living and telling stories across the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Before joining CNN, I covered the Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. 

I have a master’s degree in documentary film from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree in international affairs James Madison University.