Glenda Chong: Biography, Career, Education and Family

Glenda Chong is a well-known Singaporean journalist and television news presenter with a long career in broadcast journalism. She is associated with Channel NewsAsia (CNA) and has presented major news programmes for Mediacorp. Over the years, Glenda Chong has covered important international and regional events, including the Beijing Olympics, the Sichuan earthquake and elections across Asia. Her professional journey also includes several years as CNA’s China Correspondent in Shanghai. She has received recognition for her work, including the Best News Anchor award at the Asian Television Awards. This article explores her career, education, achievements, broadcasting experience and publicly reported family milestones.

Who is Glenda Chong?A brief biography

Who Is Glenda Chong?

Glenda Chong is a Singaporean news presenter and journalist who has built her reputation through years of television broadcasting. She is known for presenting news on CNA and Channel 5, where her work has included major breaking-news coverage and special programmes. CNA’s official profile describes her as an award-winning presenter and notes her experience covering significant events across Asia and beyond. Her career has involved both studio presenting and field reporting, giving her experience in different areas of broadcast journalism. This combination has helped make her a familiar face to Singaporean television audiences and viewers who follow CNA’s regional news coverage.

Her broadcasting career began in the late 1990s, according to a 2024 CNA profile, and she later took on increasingly important reporting and presenting responsibilities. Glenda Chong has worked on coverage involving Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and the United States. She has also presented major breaking-news stories during significant regional events. Her work reflects the demands of television journalism, where presenters must communicate complicated developments clearly while working under tight deadlines. Beyond regular news programmes, she has also taken part in special broadcasts and charity television events. Mediacorp records show her hosting several editions of the President’s Star Charity over the years. Read more : Nick Teo

Glenda Chong’s Education and Journalism Background

Glenda Chong studied broadcast journalism at Boston University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree. She later completed a master’s degree in International Studies at the National University of Singapore. Her educational background combines journalism training with a broader understanding of international affairs. That combination is particularly relevant to her career because much of her work has involved explaining regional and global developments to television audiences. Her academic preparation provided a foundation for reporting, research and communication, while her professional experience helped her develop the practical skills needed for live television and breaking-news coverage.

Education has remained an important part of Glenda Chong’s professional profile because international reporting often requires more than presentation skills. Journalists covering politics, economics, disasters and international relations must understand context before explaining events to viewers. Her postgraduate studies in International Studies complemented her journalism education and supported her later work as a China Correspondent. Her academic achievements also demonstrate a strong record before she became widely recognized as a television presenter. Rather than focusing only on television appearances, her career shows how formal journalism education and international studies can work together in a demanding news environment.

Glenda Chong’s Career at CNA

One of the most notable stages of Glenda Chong’s career was her assignment as CNA’s China Correspondent in Shanghai. She served in that role for three years and returned to Singapore in March 2011. During her time in China, she reported on major events that attracted international attention. Her work included coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the aftermath of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. These assignments required journalists to work quickly, understand local developments and communicate important information to audiences outside China. The experience also expanded her international reporting background and strengthened her profile within regional television journalism.

Before and after her Shanghai posting, Glenda Chong worked on major CNA news programmes and breaking-news coverage. CNA says she reported on events including the 2004 Asian tsunami, the SARS outbreak in Singapore and the Thai coup. She has also anchored election coverage involving countries and territories across Asia. Such assignments require careful preparation because election results, public announcements and breaking developments can change rapidly. Her experience therefore covers both scheduled programming and unpredictable live-news situations. This broad professional background has allowed her to work across different formats while remaining closely connected to regional and international current affairs.

Awards and Professional Recognition

Glenda Chong has received recognition for her work in television journalism. In 2001, she was named Best News Anchor at the Asian Television Awards. She later received the Best Presenter award at Mediacorp’s Annual Excellence Awards in 2005. These honours form part of her professional record and reflect recognition from industry award programmes. Her career has also included long-term involvement with major Mediacorp broadcasts and special events. For readers researching her professional achievements, these awards provide useful milestones because they show that her work has been recognized beyond her regular appearances on television.

Her professional recognition has continued to be associated with credibility and television presentation. A Trusted Brands Asia profile reported that she received five consecutive wins as Most Trusted TV Host/Presenter for News & Current Affairs. That recognition is separate from the earlier industry awards listed by CNA and Mediacorp. Together, these records show that Glenda Chong’s career has included recognition for both news presentation and audience trust. However, awards represent specific honours rather than a complete measurement of a journalist’s career. Her wider professional record also includes international reporting, election coverage, special programmes and long-term work within Singapore’s broadcast media industry.

Glenda Chong and International News Reporting

International reporting has been an important part of Glenda Chong’s career. Her Shanghai assignment placed her at the centre of major stories involving China and the wider region. Reporting from another country requires journalists to understand local developments while explaining them for an international audience. Her coverage of the Beijing Olympics, Sichuan earthquake and Shanghai World Expo gave her experience across sports, disasters, business, culture and international events. These assignments were different in nature, but each required accuracy, preparation and the ability to communicate information clearly. Her China Correspondent role remains one of the most significant chapters in her professional biography.

Her experience also includes election coverage across several countries. CNA has noted her work on election programmes involving the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Indonesia. Election broadcasts can be especially demanding because results develop throughout the day and audiences expect clear explanations. Presenters must distinguish confirmed information from projections, statements and developing reports. Glenda Chong’s long experience with such broadcasts has therefore formed an important part of her work as a television journalist. Her career demonstrates how a news presenter may move between studio anchoring, special coverage and international reporting while maintaining a consistent focus on current affairs.

Glenda Chong on News Tonight and CNA

Glenda Chong has been closely associated with News Tonight, a Channel 5 news programme produced by Mediacorp. CNA’s current presenter profile says she anchors News Tonight and also presents Asia Now on CNA. Her work connects local television audiences with both Singaporean and international developments. Presenting an evening news programme requires the ability to summarize a wide range of stories within a limited period. It also requires clear delivery because viewers may have different levels of knowledge about each subject. Her experience across news formats has helped establish her as a recognizable presenter within Singapore’s English-language television landscape.

Beyond regular news broadcasts, Glenda Chong has appeared in several Mediacorp special programmes. She has hosted the President’s Star Charity on multiple occasions, including the 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 editions documented by Mediacorp. These programmes are different from standard news broadcasts because they combine television presentation with entertainment and fundraising. Her participation demonstrates the broader range of work available to experienced television presenters. Such appearances also show her long-standing relationship with Mediacorp and her ability to work in different broadcast settings. Her professional identity, however, remains strongly connected to journalism and news presentation.

Glenda Chong’s Family Life and Motherhood

Glenda Chong’s family life became widely discussed after she announced her pregnancy in 2024. CNA reported that she and her husband, lawyer Justin Chan, had been trying to conceive for about a decade and had undergone 10 IVF attempts. In October 2024, she was reported to be four months pregnant with her first child, a son. The story attracted attention because it marked an important personal milestone for the veteran broadcaster. Glenda also spoke openly about balancing pregnancy with her demanding work schedule and planned to reduce her on-air responsibilities closer to her due date.

In March 2025, CNA Lifestyle reported that Glenda Chong had given birth to her first child. Her son, affectionately nicknamed “Baby Chan,” was born on March 5, 2025, at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital. Glenda and Justin Chan had not yet settled on a final name when the report was published. She also spoke about wanting to spend meaningful time with her child after the birth. This marked a new chapter in her personal life after many years of trying to become a parent. Her family story has since become another notable part of her publicly reported biography.

Glenda Chong’s Influence in Singapore Broadcasting

Glenda Chong’s career illustrates the changing role of television news presenters in modern broadcasting. A presenter may need to work as an anchor, interviewer, reporter and special-event host. Her professional history includes each of these areas, along with international assignments and major breaking-news coverage. She has also remained connected with CNA through regular programmes and special coverage. For audiences, her long career provides an example of how journalism careers can develop over many years through different assignments. Her experience is particularly notable because it combines international reporting with a strong presence in Singapore’s domestic television news environment.

Another important aspect of her career is the range of stories she has covered. These include natural disasters, public-health emergencies, elections, international events and major regional developments. Such topics require different reporting approaches and levels of preparation. Her work in Shanghai also exposed her to stories with international significance, while her Singapore-based roles have kept her connected to domestic news. Readers interested in journalism can explore related topics through our journalism career guide, Singapore media industry overview, and CNA news coverage guide. These resources can provide broader context about the profession and the media environment in which Glenda Chong has worked.

Frequently Asked Questions About Glenda Chong

Who is Glenda Chong?

Glenda Chong is a Singaporean journalist and television news presenter associated with CNA and Mediacorp.

What is Glenda Chong known for?

She is known for news presenting, international reporting and major breaking-news coverage.

Where did Glenda Chong study?

She graduated from Boston University and later completed postgraduate studies at the National University of Singapore.

Who is Glenda Chong’s husband?

Her husband is lawyer Justin Chan, whom she married in 2014.

Does Glenda Chong have children?

Yes. She welcomed her first child, a son nicknamed Baby Chan, in March 2025.

Conclusion

Glenda Chong has developed a long and varied career in Singaporean broadcast journalism. Her professional journey includes CNA news presentation, international reporting from Shanghai, election coverage and major breaking-news assignments. She has also received recognition through respected television awards and participated in Mediacorp’s major special programmes. Her education at Boston University and the National University of Singapore further supports her journalism and international affairs background. In her personal life, becoming a mother in 2025 marked another important milestone after a lengthy journey to parenthood. For readers searching for Glenda Chong’s biography, her career offers a clear example of dedication, experience and versatility in television journalism.