She may have high-profile cousins in the TV industry, but Katarina Stefanović is determined to forge her own path.
The Cairns-based journalist, who joined Nine News in late 2019, told the Illawarra Mercury in 2015 that she didn’t want to use her family connections to get ahead.
‘My dad often says you need to make your own way in the industry,’ she said.
Welcome to the family! She may have high-profile cousins in the TV industry, but Channel Nine reporter Katarina Stefanović (pictured) is determined to forge her own path
She added that she was trying to reach her career goals ‘without asking for help’ from her cousin Karl Stefanovic, who hosts the Today show.
And it seems Katarina, who hails from Wollongong and is in her mid-twenties, has indeed managed to achieve her aims on her own.
After graduating from the University of Wollongong in 2016, she cut her teeth as a reporter at 2GB and then moved to Sky News Australia.
Independent: The Cairns-based journalist, who joined Nine News in late 2019, told the Illawarra Mercury in 2015 that she didn’t want to use her family connections to get ahead. Pictured: Katarina’s cousin Karl Stefanovic hosting the Today show
It was only late last year that she joined the ranks of Nine News, taking a position at the network’s Far North Queensland bureau.
On March 4, Katarina revealed on Instagram she had been stationed in Cairns for two months and had no regrets about the ‘daunting’ career move.
She uploaded a photo of herself reporting on a Transport Workers’ Union protest at Cairns Airport, and wrote: ‘Two months up in FNQ already. A scary, daunting decision but one of the best career moves I’ve made.’
Debut: On Friday, Karl mentioned on air that he was related to Katarina while introducing her report on the financial impact of Queensland’s border closure on the tourism industry in Cairns
Media career: It seems Katarina, who hails from Wollongong and is in her mid-twenties, has indeed managed to achieve her goals on her own. Pictured reporting from Cairns last week
Qualifications: Katarina is a graduate of the University of Wollongong. Pictured at her graduation with family members on November 5, 2016
The post was liked by her cousin Peter Stefanovic, the co-anchor of Sky News’ politics-focused breakfast show, First Edition.
She shared another Instagram post on February 16 from Palm Cove Beach, about 30 minutes’ drive from central Cairns.
‘Still can’t believe I live here now,’ she wrote in the caption. ‘Nothing but blue skies and beaches full of irukandji jellyfish.’
Road to Channel Nine: Katarina had previously worked as an executive producer at Sky News Australia and a reporter at 2GB in Sydney. Pictured on Sky News on September 27, 2019
Signing off! Katarina is pictured on her last day at 2GB radio on October 6, 2018, before she left for Sky News
Beat: She is pictured left interviewing a police spokesperson while a reporter for 2GB in 2018
On Friday, Karl mentioned on the Today show that he was related to Katarina while introducing her report on the financial impact of Queensland’s border closure on the tourism industry in Cairns.
‘Struggling businesses in Far North Queensland facing a loss of up to $6million a day from interstate travel alone say the time in now [to reopen the border],’ he said.
‘And as my cousin and Nine reporter, Katarina Stefanović, reports, the uncertainty is killing tourism operators.’
It’s believed this was the first time Karl had disclosed his relation to Katarina on air.
Tradition: She’s now the fourth member of her family to be employed by Nine, after her cousins Karl, Peter and Tom Stefanovic. Pictured delivering a live cross from Cairns on March 14
‘Two months in FNQ already’: On March 4, Katarina revealed on Instagram she had been stationed in Cairns for two months and had no regrets about the ‘daunting’ career move
New start: She shared another Instagram post on February 16 from Palm Cove Beach, about 30 minutes’ drive from central Cairns. ‘Still can’t believe I live here now,’ she wrote in the caption
Sightseer: Katarina visited Kellys Falls in Stanwell Tops, NSW, on November 7, 2019
Social butterfly: Katarina is seen here with a friend at a Sydney bar
Interestingly, the young journo pronounces her famous surname – which is of Serbian origin – differently to Karl.
Karl prefers the anglicised ‘Stef-un-oh-vick’, whereas Katarina goes by the more traditional ‘Stef-ahn-oh-vitch’.
She also includes the accented ‘c’ at the end of her surname, unlike Karl.
Is it pronounced ‘Stef-un-oh-vick’ or ‘Stef-ahn-oh-vitch’?
The surname Stefanovic is of Serbian origin, but its pronunciation varies (even within families, as Karl and Katarina demonstrate).
Karl prefers the anglicised ‘Stef-un-oh-vick’, whereas Katarina goes by the more traditional ‘Stef-ahn-oh-vitch’.
Indeed, she was introduced by her cousin as Katarina ‘Stef-ahn-oh-vitch’ during her segment on the Today show last week.
Her other famous cousin, Peter, also prefers the European pronunciation.
Point of difference: Katarina pronounces her surname ‘Stef-ahn-oh-vitch’, like her cousin Peter (left, with Allison Langdon). Karl, on the other hand, prefers the anglicised ‘Stef-un-oh-vick’
Peter, who is now the co-anchor of First Edition on Sky News, had, like Karl, been raised to pronounce his surname ‘Stef-un-oh-vick’.
But he adopted the European way of saying it while living overseas for five years as Nine’s foreign correspondent.
It’s believed Karl and Peter’s father, Alex, encouraged them to use the pronunciation that sounded more Australian.
Pals: Katarina (right) is pictured with a lookalike friend in December 2017
Social life: She is pictured right with another friend in January 2018
Katarina is the fourth Stefanovic to be employed by the Nine Network, not including those related by marriage.
As mentioned, her cousin Karl works as a co-anchor on the Today show and also hosts segments for 60 Minutes.
Karl’s brother Peter, who left the network 18 months ago, is a former foreign correspondent and hosted Weekend Today from 2016 to 2018.
Another of Katarina’s cousins, Tom, used to be a cameraman for Nine News.
Travelling: Katarina is pictured on holiday in Tokyo, Japan, in September 2018