News anchor
A News anchor (US and CA) or Newsreader (UK and AU) is a person that works in television or radio that hosts a regular news program or provides occasional on air news updates.
News anchors generally read prepared scripts, but in emergencies, they often have to ad-lib commentary on the air. Many news anchors are also involved in writing and/or editing the news for their programs. Sometimes news anchors interview guests and moderate panels or discussions. Some provide commentary for the audience during parades and other events.
North American news anchors are frequently imitated and lampooned people who are hired for more their looks on TV than for their intelligence and journalist skills. This kind of character is the subject of long running gags on Saturday Night Live, SCTV, and the UK-produced The Muppet Show and the subject of sitcoms like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Murphy Brown, and NewsRadio.
Notable American News Anchors
- David Brinkley (deceased), The Huntley-Brinkley Report (NBC)
- Tom Brokaw, NBC News
- Aaron Brown, CNN
- John Chancellor (deceased), NBC Nightly News
- Connie Chung, CNN
- Walter Cronkite CBS News
- Sam Donaldson, ABC News
- Laurie Dhue, FOX News
- Bob Edwards, NPR News
- Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
- Brit Hume, FOX News
- Chet Huntley (deceased), The Huntley-Brinkley Report (NBC)
- Peter Jennings, ABC News
- Ted Koppel, ABC News, Nightline
- Jim Lehrer, The Newshour with Jim Lehrer (PBS)
- Robert MacNeil (retired), The MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour (PBS)
- Jane Pauley, NBC News
- Dan Rather, CBS News
- Tim Russert, NBC News
- Diane Sawyer, ABC News
- Maria Shriver, NBC News
- Brian Williams, CNBC
- Paula Zahn, CNN
Notable Canadian News Anchors
Notable British Newsreaders
Notable Australian Newsreaders
Notable Cantonese Newsreader
- Lavender Cheung, Cable TV news 2, Hong Kong
Note: "ABC" can stand for American Broadcasting Company as well as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
