About Direct Connection

Direct Connection with Jeff Salkin is a different type of local public affairs program with its focus on personalities from all arenas. Whether conversational or confrontational, Salkin, known for his thorough investigative style, does what it takes to get in-depth answers to the questions viewers want asked. Viewers can join in by asking their question directly to the guest via phone call-ins and e-mails. Following the interview, viewers get a chance to join in a discussion with experts or reporters who are covering stories in the mid-Atlantic region.

Reporter Bios:

Jeff Salkin

Host, Direct Connection

Jeff Salkin is a Maryland native with nearly 20 years' experience as a broadcast journalist at television and radio stations in the Baltimore and Washington markets.

He joined Maryland Public Television (MPT) in 1991 and has become one of the most respected and recognizable journalists on the local public affairs scene. During his tenure with MPT he has served as moderator for political debates; hosted live coverage of governors' annual "State of the State" addresses, inaugurals, and numerous broadcast "town hall" meetings; and has anchored MPT's weekly State Circle broadcast during the Maryland General Assembly session each year. For several years, he produced and anchored MPT's newsbreaks during primetime broadcast hours.

As MPT's executive producer of Bloomberg Morning News, a weekday morning financial news report that aired in the late 1990s, Mr. Salkin used his prior experience as manager of media services for the Nasdaq Stock Market to help create and launch the program. It was a co-production of MPT and Bloomberg L.P. and was syndicated nationally to PBS stations. Later he served as an anchor for MPT's Newsnight Maryland public affairs program that aired from 1997 to 2001. From 1994 to 1997, Mr. Salkin was host of the weekly, Emmy award-winning public affairs program Inside Maryland.

In fall 2001, he began serving as anchor for Maryland Public Television's weeknight program, Direct Connection with Jeff Salkin, a community affairs interview show that made its debut on October 1 of that year.

Prior to joining MPT, Mr. Salkin worked as a news reporter for commercial television stations WBAL, WJZ, and WJLA in the Baltimore-Washington area.

He is an alumnus of Baltimore's Gilman School and earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Salkin resides in Howard County with his wife and three daughters.