Keynote Speaking
WATCH JOSHUA'S 6-MINUTE TED TALK
Your organization has big goals. Could one conflict ruin it all?
I'm not like speakers who'd advise you to avoid conflict. That's like telling farmers to hope for less rain: you need it for maximal, sustainable growth. Conflict becomes a liability when, like a field without flood control, we don't prepare to manage its flow.
25 years in broadcasting, journalism and program design have taught me how the flow of conflict can foster connection. I learned in the high-stakes world of live radio and TV: responsible for getting it right and making it look easy, and praying my mistakes didn't go viral on YouTube.
Whether your organization is drowning in conflict or parched for connection, let's get a conversation going. I'd love to share what I know, answer your team's questions, and equip them to advance your goals like never before.
BIO
Joshua Johnson is a veteran broadcaster known for helping people connect in candid, meaningful ways. In 2026 Joshua delivered his TED Talk, "Idiots Are Everywhere", about dealing with difficult people.
Joshua portrays anchorman Dwight Richmond on the satirical Onion News Network. ONN won a 2025 Webby Award, and one of its segments was YouTube's #1 video on Election Day 2024.
He currently is building two products to help everyday people foster connection and handle conflict: his podcast talk show, Joshua Johnson, Listening; and The Resolution, an original role-playing game where debaters take on personas to persuade judges and an audience.
During his 20-plus years in news, Joshua co-created & hosted the live NPR talk show 1A. The program reached more than 3.6 million people a week on hundreds of NPR stations. He then joined MSNBC (now called MS NOW) in New York, launching The Week with Joshua Johnson, a primetime weekend newscast; and created NOW Tonight, a nightly program for NBC News's streaming channel NBC News NOW.
Teaching and training have been longtime passions. He was a Lecturer at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, teaching an Advanced Audio course in podcast production and development. Joshua graduated from the University of Miami, which named him its 2024 Communicator of the Year.
He is a native of West Palm Beach, FL and lives in Chicago.
JOSHUA'S SIGNATURE TALK
"YOUR BEST TAKE: What Live Broadcasting Taught Me About Conflict and Connection"
Social media and AI have reshaped our interactions, but deep connection is more like live broadcasting: one shot, on-the-record, and anything can happen. Our conversational “outtakes” can break friendships, estrange families and divide communities. How do you prevent an unscripted conflict from fueling contempt? My career has taught me how: from hosting on NPR to anchoring for NBC News and performing satire with The Onion. The right response to conflict changes everything, on-air and in person. Let me equip you with battle-tested skills to build connection with kindness, credibility and clarity.
TESTIMONIALS
"Joshua Johnson's voice is one that is necessary as we continue to navigate today's political climate. His take on everything from political debates to popular culture oftentimes causes me to have a driveway moment. Through years of listening to Joshua on NPR as well as MSNBC, I have learned (still learning) to find my own voice."
— Dee Dotson, Newsletter Subscriber
"Your work… demonstrates it's possible to learn from someone without feeling taught, to call BS without being abrasive… to be professional yet relatable. Thank you!"
— Joseph Ortiz, Newsletter Subscriber
ALSO AVAILABLE FOR:
• Custom Workshop Facilitation
• Panel Moderating
• Event Hosting