News anchor - Definition and Overview

A news anchor (US and CA) or newsreader (UK, AU and SL) (occasionally newscaster) 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

• Maria Bartiromo, CNBC
• David Brinkley (deceased), The Huntley-Brinkley Report (NBC)
• Tom Brokaw (semi-retired), NBC News
• Wolf Blitzer, CNN
• Aaron Brown, CNN
• John Chancellor (deceased), NBC Nightly News
• Connie Chung
• Anderson Cooper, CNN
• Walter Cronkite (retired), CBS News
• Sam Donaldson, ABC News
• Laurie Dhue, FOX News
• Lou Dobbs, CNN
• Bob Edwards, XM Satellite Radio
• 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)
• Betty Nguyen, CNN
• Jane Pauley (retired), NBC News
• Dan Rather, CBS News
• Tim Russert, NBC News
• Diane Sawyer, ABC News
• Bernard Shaw (retired), CNN
• Maria Shriver (on leave of absence), NBC News
• Barbara Walters
• Brian Williams, NBC Nightly News
• Paula Zahn, CNN

Notable Canadian news anchors

• Earl Cameron (deceased), CBC Television News
• Bernard Derome, SRC
• Ian Hanomansing, Canada Now (CBC)
• Harvey Kirck (deceased), CTV National News
• Peter Mansbridge, The National (CBC)
• Knowlton Nash (retired), The National (CBC)
• Kevin Newman, Global National
• Sandie Rinaldo, CTV News
• Lloyd Robertson, CTV News
• Pamela Wallin, CTV News and Prime Time News (CBC)

Notable British newsreaders

• Huw Edwards BBC
• Michael Buerk BBC
• Anna Ford BBC
• Trevor McDonald ITN
• Angela Rippon, BBC, ITV News Channel
• Moira Stewart, BBC
• Jon Snow, Channel 4 News
• Peter Sissons, BBC
• Jeremy Paxman, BBC

Notable Australian newsreaders

• Brian Henderson TCN-9 Nine Network (Australia)
• Mal Walden ATV-10 Ten Network (Australia)

Notable Cantonese newsreaders

• Lavender Cheung, Cable TV news 2, Hong Kong

Notable Sri Lankan newsreaders

• Vernon Corea (deceased), Radio Ceylon