The Most Influential News Anchors of All Time
TV news anchors have a long history of being trusted sources for world news and events. The best news anchors don't just report the news. They dissect current events and put them into perspective, often having a profound effect on politics and public opinion. Who are the most influential news anchors of all time? This list helps decide as it covers legends of American news broadcasting, including both active and retired news anchors!
In the olden days, names like Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite carried much weight. In the age of the 24-hour news cycle, there are even more newscasters and TV personalities out there talking politics. Fox News brings us stars like Shepard Smith and Bill Hemmer while CNN has the likes of Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer. While women historically didn't have access to anchorwomen opportunities, a number of prominent female journalists have since risen through the ranks. In 1976, Barbara Walters was tapped as the first woman to co-anchor a nightly news program. Since then, many famous female reporters have followed in her footsteps such as Diane Sawyer and Connie Chung.
Who are the most trusted news anchors of all time? Help decide below by voting the most influential names in journalism to the top of the list!
- 1Dec. at 92 (1916-2009)
- Birthplace: USA, Saint Joseph, Missouri
Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009) was an American broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years (1962–1981). During the heyday of CBS ...more - 2Dec. at 57 (1908-1965)
- Birthplace: North Carolina, USA
Edward Roscoe Murrow (born Egbert Roscoe Murrow; April 25, 1908 – April 27, 1965) was an American broadcast journalist and war correspondent. He first gained prominence during World War II with a ...more - 3Dec. at 82 (1920-2003)
- Birthplace: Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
David McClure Brinkley (July 10, 1920 – June 11, 2003) was an American newscaster for NBC and ABC in a career lasting from 1943 to 1997. From 1956 through 1970, he co-anchored NBC's top-rated nightly ...more - 4Dec. at 67 (1938-2005)
- Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Peter Charles Archibald Ewart Jennings (July 29, 1938 – August 7, 2005) was a Canadian-American journalist who served as the sole anchor of ABC World News Tonight from 1983 until his death from lung ...more - 5Dec. at 68 (1923-1991)
- Birthplace: Dakota City, Iowa, USA
Harry Truman Reasoner (April 17, 1923 – August 6, 1991) was an American journalist for ABC and CBS News, known for his inventive use of language as a television commentator, and as a founder of the ...more - 6Age: 82
- Birthplace: Webster, South Dakota, USA
Thomas John Brokaw (; born February 6, 1940) is an American television journalist and author, best known for being the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News for 22 years (1982–2004). He is ...more - 7Dec. at 68 (1927-1996)
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
John William Chancellor (July 14, 1927 – July 12, 1996) was an American journalist who spent most of his career with NBC News. He served as anchor of the NBC Nightly News from 1970 to 1982 and ...more - 8Age: 101
- Birthplace: Akron, Ohio, United States of America
Hugh Malcolm Downs (born February 14, 1921) was a retired American broadcaster, television host, news anchor, TV producer, author, game show host, and music composer. He was perhaps best known for ...more - 9Age: 82
- Birthplace: Lancashire, England, UK
Edward James Martin Koppel (born February 8, 1940) is a British-born American broadcast journalist, best known as the anchor for Nightline, from the program's inception in 1980 until 2005. Before ...more - 10
Tim Russert
Timothy John Russert (May 7, 1950 – June 13, 2008) was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted an eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview program.
- 11Dec. at 62 (1911-1974)
- Birthplace: Cardwell, Montana, United States of America
Chester Robert "Chet" Huntley (December 10, 1911 – March 20, 1974) was an American television newscaster, best known for co-anchoring NBC's evening news program, The Huntley-Brinkley Report, for 14 ...more - 12Dec. at 79 (1912-1992)
- Birthplace: Velva, North Dakota, USA
Arnold Eric Sevareid (November 26, 1912 – July 9, 1992) was an American author and CBS news journalist from 1939 to 1977. He was one of a group of elite war correspondents who were hired by CBS ...more - 13Age: 90
- Birthplace: Wharton, Texas, USA
Dan Irvin Rather Jr. (; born October 31, 1931) is an American journalist. Rather began his career in Texas and was on the scene of the Kennedy assassination in Dallas in 1963. His reporting elevated ...more - 14Dec. at 93 (1928-2021)
- Birthplace: Washington, D.C., USA
Roger Harrison Mudd (born February 9, 1928) is a retired American broadcast journalist who was a correspondent and anchor for CBS News and NBC News. He worked most recently as the primary anchor for ...more - 15
Howard K. Smith
Howard Kingsbury Smith (May 12, 1914 – February 15, 2002) was an American journalist, radio reporter, television anchorman, political commentator, and film actor. He was one of the original members of the team of war correspondents known as the Murrow Boys.
- 16Age: 76
- Birthplace: Glasgow, Kentucky, United States of America
Lila Diane Sawyer (born December 22, 1945) is an American television journalist. Sawyer has been the anchor of ABC News's nightly flagship program ABC World News, a co-anchor of ABC News's morning ...more - 17Age: 88
- Birthplace: Wichita, Kansas, USA
James Charles Lehrer (; born May 19, 1934) is an American journalist and novelist. Lehrer is the former Executive Editor and a former News Anchor for the PBS NewsHour on PBS, and is known for his ...more - 18Age: 88
- Birthplace: El Paso, Texas, USA
Samuel Andrew Donaldson Jr. (born March 11, 1934) is an American former reporter and news anchor, serving with ABC News from 1967 to 2013. He is best known as the network's White House Correspondent ...more - 19Dec. at 59 (1923-1983)
- Birthplace: East Chicago, Indiana, United States of America
Frank James Reynolds (November 29, 1923 – July 20, 1983) was an American television journalist for CBS and ABC News.Reynolds was a New York-based anchor of the ABC Evening News from 1968 to 1970 and ...more - 20Age: 92
- Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Barbara Jill Walters (born September 25, 1929) is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. Walters has hosted a variety of television programs, including Today, The View, ...more - 21Age: 79
- Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States of America
Alexander Britton "Brit" Hume (born June 22, 1943) is an American conservative television commentator and political commentator. Hume had a 23-year career with ABC News, where he contributed to World ...more - 22Dec. at 36 (1947-1983)
- Birthplace: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Jessica Beth Savitch (February 1, 1947 – October 23, 1983) was an American television news presenter and correspondent, best known for being the weekend anchor of NBC Nightly News and daily presenter ...more - 23Age: 78
- Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne Roberts (née Boggs; born December 27, 1943), best known as Cokie Roberts, is an American journalist and a bestseller-author. She is a commentator on contract to ...more - 24Dec. at 73 (1917-1990)
- Birthplace: Ada, Oklahoma, USA
Douglas Edwards (July 14, 1917 – October 13, 1990) was an American network news television anchor. He anchored CBS's first network nightly television news broadcast from 1947–1962, which was later to ...more - 25Dec. at 74 (1939-2014)
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Clifton Garrick Utley (November 19, 1939 – February 20, 2014) was an American television journalist. He established his career reporting about the Vietnam War and has the distinction of being the ...more
