In this fast-paced world we live in, news comes and goes incredibly quickly. There is an almost constant cycle of reports and stories, which means getting your news out there has never been more challenging. Every modern PR professional understands this struggle, which is why having a media list of relevant news journalists is essential in maximizing your coverage.
If you are looking for the best news journalists, take a closer look at the most influential reporters in the industry today.
- Lester Holt, NBC News
- Anderson Cooper, CNN
- David Muir, ABC
- Shereen Bhan, CNBC-TV18
- Robin Roberts, ABC
- Christiane Amanpour, CNN
Let’s start from the basics, though:
What is a news journalist?
Before looking at the best news reporters in the industry, it is important to understand exactly what they do.
These journalists are effectively the gateway to keeping the public informed on the latest events. They will gather information and news from multiple sources, including PRs, news briefings, and wire services, as well as undertaking research themselves.
With this information, the reporter will then assemble it all together into a digestible newspaper article, television report, or radio briefing. Certain news journalists will only cover specific topics, so when approaching them, it is essential that you are reaching out with relevant information that they would be interested in.
The best news reporters
Lester Holt, NBC News
When it comes to the best news journalists, Lester Holt continues to be one of the most recognized names in the industry. Having been the permanent news anchor on NBC Nightly News since 2015, he regularly covers some of the most hard-hitting stories in the world.
With an illustrious career spanning several decades, he has covered some of the most iconic moments in global history.
Anderson Cooper, CNN
New York Times bestselling author and current anchor of CNN, Anderson Cooper, is one of the most recognizable news reporters in America. Graduating from Yale University in 1989, Anderson began his journalism career covering war-torn regions for Channel One News.
From there, he steadily progressed through the ranks before joining CNN in 2001. Nowadays, he is the lead anchor on the Anderson Cooper 360° show on CNN while also being a feature correspondent on 60 minutes.
David Muir, ABC
Based in New York, David is a popular news journalist and current anchor on ABC World News Tonight. Thanks to the huge popularity of the show, he has become a household name in America and is recognized across the globe.
Covering a wide range of major news stories, he has won multiple Emmy awards as well as several Edward R. Murrow awards for his international reporting. His career began back in 1994, when he was an anchor and reporter for WTVH-TV, but fast-forward to 2021, and he has just taken over as the lead anchor for breaking news and special events.
Shereen Bhan, CNBC-TV18
Shereen is one of the most recognized news reporters in India, currently acting as the Series Editor for one of the longest-running shows in the country, Young Turks. Prior to this, she was a reporter and news anchor for many of India’s flagship shows, including India Business Hour and The Nation’s Business.
She is famed for her friendly approach while on camera, and she has won multiple awards throughout her career. In 2005, she was also named the FICCI Woman of the Year, while 2009 saw her named as one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders.
Robin Roberts, ABC
As the face of one of the most popular morning shows in the world, Good Morning America on ABS, Robin Roberts is one of the most trusted reporters in the industry. Starter her career as a local sports anchor for local radio and TV shows in Mississippi, she moved on to ESPN, where she worked throughout the 1990s.
Joining ABC in 2005, she has covered a wide range of news stories and has also published several books that cover self-help topics and inspiring stories.
Christiane Amanpour, CNN
As the Chief International Anchor for CNN, alongside being the anchor for the media outlets international news program, Amanpour, Christiane is one of the most recognizable faces in the industry.
The British-Iranian journalist’s career spans three decades, and she has won multiple awards for her ground-breaking reporting, including nine Emmys.
Find the best news reporters with Prowly
While these six reporters might be some of the most influential in the industry, there and thousands of incredible journalists out there that you might want to pitch to.
Tools like Prowly can easily help you find relevant news journalists to cover your story. With a Media Database packed with over one million journalists from across the globe, this gets easier than ever.
Cover photo by Sam McGhee