Rich And Powerful
In the world of journalism and news programs, it’s very much a man’s world.
But, here are some women that have not only broken through the glass ceiling, but they’ve also completely destroyed it – all the while bringing important stories to the public, speaking for charities, and gaining success in other facets of their careers.
#1. Barbara Walters – $150 Million
Walters is one of the most famous TV personalities and broadcast journalists in the United States.
Her first big job was as a writer and segment producer on the Today Show. Her amazing interviewing abilities are one of the reasons she gained so many viewers. If someone is very famous or influential, chances are she’s talked to them.
#2. Diane Sawyer – $80 Million
Sawyer has been working in the news industry for more than 50 years.
She became the first female correspondent for CNN’s 60 Minutes. On top of that, there’s ABC World News, ABC’s Primetime, and Good Morning America. She also worked as a staff writer under President Nixon and has interviewed a wide array of personalities; from heads of state to 9/11 widows to Bruce Jenner.
#3. Katie Couric – $55 Million
Another influential name and face in the broadcasting world, she’s working as a global anchor for Yahoo.
She also worked for NBC News for 17 years and ABC News for 3 years. It’s not just television though. Couric has been on the New York Times bestseller list. 2004 saw her inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.
#4. Meredith Vieira – $40 Million
She was one of the original moderators on The View as well as a game show and talk show host.
You might also recognize her from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Enough people loved her style that she was able to create her own program – The Meredith Vierira Show.
#5. Greta Van Susteren – $35 Million
Her broadcasting portfolio includes Fox News, CNN, and NBC. While co-hosting Burden of Proof she was also a legal analyst.
During coverage of the O. J. Simpson murder trial, she appeared regularly on CNN as a legal analyst. Forbes listed her as one of the most powerful women in the world.
#6. Robin Roberts – $25 Million
The host of Good Morning America since 2005, she was also a sports reporter for ESPN.
Because of her contributions, she was added to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Roberts also had the honor of being the first reporter to interview Barack Obama after winning the 2008 presidential elections. She’s a cancer survivor.
#7. Kelly Ripa – $22 Million
Ripa got her start in 1998 on the soap opera All My Children. If you haven’t recognized the name yet, maybe "Live with Regis and Kelly" will ring a bell – a job she still holds to this day.
When Regis left, she continued the show. Ripa is a supporter of the ovarian cancer cause and hosts an event called Super Saturday, a day-long fundraising event.
#8. Rachel Maddow – $20 Million
Maddow's first job was as a radio host was in 1999 WRNX (100.9 FM).
She’s the first openly gay anchor to host a major primetime program as well as a host and liberal political commentator. On top of that, there’s The Rachel Maddow Show and her book Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power (2012) about the role of the military in postwar American politics.
#9. Melissa Theuriau – $18 Million
She’s a French investigative journalist as well as an anchor who’s launched an organization that works with UNICEF to help provide education to underprivileged girls.
In September 2006, she was appointed co-editor in chief and anchor of the influential TV magazine Zone Interdite. She was voted as the world’s most beautiful news reporter.
#10. Megyn Kelly – $15 Million
Besides working for Fox News (as well as appearing on their New Year’s Eve specials), she’s hosted the Kelly file and America Live.
Her popularity as a journalist landed her a spot in the Time list of 100 Most Influential people in 2014. Before all of that, she was a defense attorney.
#11. Christiane Amanpour – $12.5 Million
A British-Iranian journalist and television host. She’s also one of the leading war reporters of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Amanpour is the Chief International Anchor for CNN and host of CNN International's interview program. Her accomplishments also got her on mainstream shows/movies like Gilmore Girls, Iron Man2, Pink Panther 2, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
#12. Mika Brzezinski – $12 Million
She’s an American television host, author, and political commentator.
She is the daughter of Zbigniew Brzezinski, who was the National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter. She’s passionate about serious news and refused to read a report about Paris Hilton's release from jail; other stories were more important.
#13. Courtney Friel – $12 Million
She started her career at GoTV as a sports anchor, as well as hosting the World Poker Tour.
Her accomplishments also include Fox News and E! Entertainment. Courtney released an autobiography entitled Tonight at 10: Kicking Booze and Breaking News that talked honestly about her past struggles with addictions.
#14. Chelsea Handler – $10 Million
Handler might not be exactly like the other women on this list – at least not in the traditional “news anchor” way.
She takes current stories and events and then delivers it in a comedy format. Handler has written six books that have made the New York Times Best Seller List, five of which have reached number one.
#15. Ann Curry – $10 Million
Curry has been working in the news industry for over 30 years. Her focus is natural disasters, wars, and human struggles.
She covered the tsunami in Southeast Asia and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. In June 2016, she moderated a panel discussion between the Dalai Lama and Lady Gaga at the 84th annual U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.