Why are history majors successful in journalism careers?

History “represents the underlying stratum of consciousness out of which news judgments are made. More generally, the study of history and the humanistic social sciences promote knowledge of the world. They provide a textured backdrop to a journalistic reading of the world.” 

—G. Stuart Adam, The Routledge Companion to News and Journalism

“The study of history . . . provides information important for identity and background. It helps us to know ourselves both individually and collectively, and it provides knowledge valuable in helping us to understand people and the world around us. Although we may assume that particular events that occurred in the past will never recur in exactly the same way, we also know that an understanding of them will help us to deal with similar events in the future. Whether we are considering wars or social movements or any other major topic, we can be certain that a knowledge of them and the answers to the questions they raise serve a purpose of anyone who hopes to be an informed and responsible person today . . . a knowledge of history provides a broader perspective than one gets from simply studying the tools of the trade.”

— W. David Sloan, “Why Study History?” in American Journalism

“The purpose of history is to assess the past so that we may more effectively construct the present and future, just as the journalist must capture the news to help inform and sometimes direct daily decisions. Historical research is about resorting life and providing context.” 

— D.G. Godfrey, “Editor’s Note,” Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media

Historians “seek to capture the thought and feeling of a time past as they are associated with a particular problem under investigation. Historical study would need no further justification than that. One might as well be obligated to justify humankind’s interest in art or its continuing search for knowledge. If there is value in studying the past, then that fact, furthermore, automatically justifies historical research methods, for they provide the only way of recapturing, as it were, the past as it actually occurred.” 

— W. David Sloan, “Why Study History?” in American Journalism

“We hear often about an historian acting as a kind of detective, and while that analogy fits, it would be more appropriate to see the historian as an investigative journalist looking at the past.” 

— D.G. Godfrey, “Editor’s Note,” Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media

“Historical study provides the opportunity to inform later generations about the nature of humankind and behavior; it contributes to the authentic record of human experience. The primary goal of historians, therefore, is to explain particular things of the past fully and truthfully.” 

— W. David Sloan, “Why Study History?” in American Journalism

“Historians, like journalists, must remain faithful to the factual records. While movie, television directors, and novelists may take dramatic license, such flights of fancy are forbidden to historians and reporters. . . . Historic truths, like journalistic facts, must be derived from all available evidence. Evidence—solid evidence—is that which establishes the existence, or nonexistence, of a fact. This is the result of searching, detective work, indeed the whole discovery process. Put another way, writing good history involves the gathering of primary materials, the organization of puzzle pieces, and the building of the case. . . . The study of history offers pragmatic value as it increases a scholar’s and the journalist’s ability to undertake good writing, problem solving, communication, and reasoning. . . . The search for the discovery of truth is similar, and the rules of evidence and tests of authenticity are parallel.” 

— D.G. Godfrey, “Editor’s Note,” Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media

“Tony is also a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author. A native of Washington, DC, he holds an undergraduate degree in history and a graduate degree in journalism. . . Tony never planned to be a journalist when he enrolled in college, but studying history taught him how to view sources critically and skeptically.” 

–John Fea, Why Study History?

“More generally, we can state that at the academic level the study of history provides an efficacious means of intellectual stimulation and satisfaction. Because historical research requires the full range of rigor, critical thinking, mature judgment, analytical ability, and imagination, relying greatly on the historian’s own powers rather than on scientific or mathematical formulas, it is unsurpassed among scholarly disciplines in exercising the mind. . . .. For that reason alone, it bears serious study. Among the panoply of other values that one might recite, . . . [history] provides comparisons that help us to assess and evaluate the present.” 

— W. David Sloan, “Why Study History?” in American Journalism

“For the media profession, the return to a study of history has become an absolute necessity. Journalists have to study what ‘man has done to discover what man is.’ 

—George Claassen, “Journalism and Cultural Literacy: An Exploration Towards a Model for Training Journalism Students” South African Journal for Communication Theory and Research 

“Barriers that have traditionally existed between journalism and history are likely to be much more porous in these challenging times. The political and cultural attacks on journalism and history are driven by similar ideologies and we ought to fight against them together rather than let ourselves be divided. The rough relationship between those who write the first draft of history and those who edit that draft for posterity has been strained, but we cannot let it break. We all believe that studying history is important. We have dedicated our lives to it. If we want our research to continue to have an impact on future generations, incorporating media in the ways that research is published and shared will be essential.” 

—Jason Lee Guthrie, “Revising the First Rough Draft: On Journalism, History, and Journalism History,” in American Journalism 

“The research method of historiography requires skills similar to an experienced journalistic producer in gathering, organizing, and verifying facts, along with the vital evaluation of different kinds of evidence. Even their uses by historians and journalists are often similar. The journalist-producer must dissect written, oral, and visual records; analyze physical evidence; and make sense of these as a factual story. . . . The challenge of the historian is very much analogous to the seasoned in-depth reporter. . . . More importantly for the journalist-producer-historian, studying history helps to increase communication abilities, facilitate problem-solving skills, and improve skills of reasoning, deduction, organizing, and analyzing evidence that are all required to defend any position. . . . Why teach historical research methods? Because effective use of such methods can enhance the development of better journalistic skills. . . . If we look at the historiographic and journalistic parallels in the research process, we may well question whether there is a difference. After all in both situations one must:

1. Identify and focus the general topic of interest. 
2. Study the literature, information, and the context of the time period.
   1. Examine and compare what has been written.
   2. Look for primary unfiltered sources.
   3. Suggest a framework that can add to new knowledge.
3. Uncover the primary evidence that portrays a story and then analyze the evidence.
   1. Weigh evidence against various tests of authenticity.
   2. Examine and triangulate collaborative, contradictory, and physical evidence.
   3. Peel back the layers of the creative process to assure that the primary evidence is valid.
   4. Pay particular attention to visual and oral evidence, what it communicates, and the needs for verification and/or support.
4. Provide supportive evidence wherever media sources are called into question by the skeptics of media as evidence.
5. Suggest a theoretical approach where the work goes beyond traditional patterns, chronology, or the Five Ws (who, what, when, where, and why) being sure that the theoretical approach chosen is appropriate to the object of analysis and the questions at hand.
6. Organize the analyzed evidence to support the narrative facts; and,
7. Write and rewrite.

Researchers in each discipline must understand the topic, immerse themselves in primary factual information, assess that evidence, and recreate a new picture that extends our understanding of the world around us. So, we must prioritize the teaching of both history and historiography as well as behavioral science. Both are essential in acquiring new knowledge, but history has a particularly valuable parallel to journalism and journalistic training. To ignore, overlook, or relegate it to a part of another course is to auction our journalistic skills set, our understanding, not just of the past, but of the future.” 

—D.G. Godfrey, “Editor’s Note,” Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media 

“. . . the historian [as well as the journalist] must place in context the information they have collected and do this by addressing questions related to causation, generalization, interpretation, and the establishing of significance. 

—W. D. Sloan and J.D. Startt, The Media in America: A History

“Sonia majored in history at a liberal arts college in the Northeast and later pursued a master’s degree in Latin American studies. She believes that a history major is the best foundation for a career in journalism. Her studies in history helped her to do research, taught her where to look for needed documents, and made her a better writer. She adds, ‘More important, however, [my history major] taught me to think critically. Because when you look at events in history, by looking at how those situations were resolved you can understand a lot about what is going to happen in the future. The past is prologue.’ Sonia believes that employers are always looking for people who can do research, think critically, place current events in historical context, and write clearly. She concludes that she ‘cannot think of a better major that gives you all that.’” 

—John Fea, Why Study History?

“Amy is a passionate student of the past who directs the honors program at a small liberal arts college in New York, but every two years she works as the supervisor of the research room for NBC’s coverage of the Olympic Games. . . .  As a historian, Amy knows how to turn small details into a compelling story for NBC viewers. As she puts it, ‘The ability to think, write, speak, communicate, innovate, and create: that is history well done.’” 

—John Fea, Why Study History?

“Chris Berman at ESPN says simply, . . . ‘You don’t have to major in communications or journalism. I’m not saying that’s bad. . . . I majored in history. . . . . Maybe somebody would be intrigued with a person who majored in history. But once you have that first job, it’s what you do on the air—the communications major doesn’t get you the second job. Then it becomes my tape vs. your tape.’” 

—Tom Hedrick, The Art of Sportscasting: How to Build a Successful Career

Penny Abernathy, Knight Chair in Journalism at the University of North Carolina

Jill Abramson, former executive editor (and first female), New York Times

Len Ackland, founding director of the Center for Environmental Journalism

Ya’akov Ahimeir, Israeli TV and radio personality

Tom Allon, publisher and former co-owner, City & State NY, Manhattan Media

Eric Alterman, media critic; contributor, The Nation, Washington Monthly, New Republic

Marc Ambinder, former politics editor, The Atlantic; correspondent, National Journal

Michal Ansky, food writer

Binyamin Appelbaum, business and economics representative, New York Times editorial board

Anne Applebaum, staff writer, The Atlantic

Ramtin Arablouei, podcast host, NPR’s Throughline

Allison Arieff, Editorial Director of Print, MIT Technology Review

David Axe, military correspondent, blogger, War Is Boring

John U. Bacon, sports writer and commentator; contributor, New York Times, Time

Oliver Balch, contributor, The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Financial Times

David Barboza, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, New York Times

Nahum Barnea, journalist, Yedioth Ahronoth; winner, Israel Prize

Emma Barnett, presenter of Woman’s Hour on BBC radio

Carl Begai, Canadian music writer

Edward Behr, noted 20^th-century war reporter, Newsweek

Peter Beinart, editor, The New Republic

Ravi Belagere, editor, Hai Bangalore and O Manase

Jason Bellini, correspondent, Wall Street Journal

Daniel Berehulak, New York Times photojournalist, Pulitzer Prize winner

Mary Berg, chef, TV presenter, hostess, Mary’s Kitchen Crush and The Good Stuff

Peter Bergen, CNN national security analyst; host, In the Room with Peter Bergen

Chris Berman, SportsCenter anchor, ESPN

Richard Bernstein, columnist, International Herald Tribune, former NYT book critic

Kate Betts, fashion writer, Time, The Daily Beast, CNN

Clara Bingham, columnist for Vanity Fair, The Huffington Post, and The Daily Beast

Alan Bjerga, global food policy reporter, Bloomberg News

Olav Bjortomt, contributor, The Guardian; international quiz champion

Conrad Black, publisher

Lesley M.M. Blume, reporter, ABC News; contributor, Vanity Fair, New York Times

Max Blumenthal, contributor, New York Times, The Nation, The Daily Beast, Al Akhbar

Max Boot, editor, Christian Science Monitor, Wall Street Journal, commentator

Mary Bowers, journalist, The Times (London)

John Bowman, RTE presenter

Tom Bowman, NPR Pentagon reporter

Robert H. Boyle, former senior writer, Sports Illustrated, environmental activist

Bjørgulv Braanen, editor-in-chief, Klassekampen

David Brancaccio, Marketplace, American Public Media

Douglas Brinkley, CNN Presidential Historian

David Brock, founder, Media Matters for America

Priscilla Buckley, former managing editor, National Review

William F. Buckley, founder, National Review; former host, Firing Line

Stephen Bush, associate editor, The Financial Times

Fátima Campos Ferreira, Portuguese TV presenter

Erwin Canham, longest-serving editor of the Christian Science Monitor

Sarah Carey, Irish Independent writer; former columnist, The Sunday Times, The Irish Times

Dan Carlin, podcaster and political commentator, Common Sense

Tucker Carlson, former Fox News host

Russell Carollo, Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter, LA Times, Dayton Daily

Tom Cassidy, former CNN business reporter and anchor

Melissa Chan, columnist, New York Time, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Washington Post

Nayan Chanda, founder and editor-in-chief, YaleGlobal Online

Leslie T. Chang, former China correspondent, Wall Street Journal

Bruce Chatwin, travel reporter, Patagonia

Sarah Chayes, former senior associate, Carnegie Endowment, former NPR reporter

David Chipp, former editor-in-chief, Reuters

Arthur Chu, columnist, Daily Beast, Salon; Jeopardy! Champion

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN senior medical correspondent

Noam Cohen, technology reporter, New York Times

Roger Cohen, editor, New York Times, International Herald Tribune

Tamara Cohen, Sky News correspondent; former editor, Daily Mail

Stephen Collins, political correspondent and editor, The Irish Times

Joe Conason, founder and editor-in-chief, The National Memo

Alice Cook, sports reporter specializing in figure skating

David Corn, Mother Jones bureau chief; former editor, The Nation

Ana Marie Cox, founding editor, Wonkette

Joe Crowley, BBC presenter, The One Show, Countryfile, Holiday Hit Squad

Matt Dajer, co-founder, Yes Theory

Bukola Damuel-Wemimo, Nigerian news anchor

Caroline Daniel, reporter, Financial Times; editor, FT Weekend

Jonathan Davis, senior business journalist, The Economist, Sunday Telegraph, The Times

Michelle Dean, reporter; contributor, The New Yorker, New Republic, New York Times

Joe DeCamara, host, nationally syndicated shows on ESPN radio

Eefje Depoortere (“Sjokz”), host, League of Legends European Championship

David Drucker, senior writer, The Dispatch

John C. Dvorak, technology columnist and broadcaster; co-host, No Agenda podcast

Jeffrey Dvorkin, former Managing Editor and Chief Journalist, CBC Radio

George Eaton, Senior Online Editor, New Statesman

Gordon Edes, sports reporter, Chicago Tribune

Rich Edson, Fox News State Department correspondent

Kevin Fagan, cartoonist, Drabble

Nicholas Fandos, metro desk reporter, New York Times

David Farley, travel, food, and culture writer, Conde Nast, Washington Post, New York Times

Mitra Farmand, cartoonist, The New Yorker, The Nib

Avis Favaro, medical correspondent, CTV National News

Mark Feeney, arts writer, The Boston Globe

Andrew Feinberg, White House correspondent; contributor, Newsweek, Politico

Hector Feliciano, art writer, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times

Kirstin Ferguson, former Deputy Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Thomas Feyer, letters editor, New York Times

Alan Finder, former New York Times reporter

Leslie Finer, former reporter, BBC, Financial Times, The Observer, New Statesman, CBC

Marc Fisher, senior editor, The Washington Post

Laura Flanders, radio and TV show host, The Laura Flanders Show

Craig Flournoy, journalism professor, former reporter for Dallas Morning News

David Folkenflik, NPR correspondent and On Point host

Fiona Forbes, host, The Rush, Vancouver

Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief, Forbes magazine

Juan Forero, South America bureau chief, Wall Street Journal; formerly, New York Times

Darril Fosty, Canadian reporter, sports documentarian

Thomas Frank, contributor, Harper’s Magazine, Financial Times

Alix M. Freedman, ethics editor, Thomson Reuters

Jeffrey Friedman, founder and editor, Critical Review: A Journal of Politics and Society

Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic, New York Times

Jack Fritz, radio host, sports commentator, CBS Sports Radio

Barbara Frum, CBC journalist

David Frum, Senior Editor, The Atlantic; contributor, MSNBC

Paul Gambaccini, television and radio presenter, UK

Terry Gannon, sportscaster, NBC Sports and Golf Channel

Michael Gargiulo, anchor, WNBC

David Gerstein, comics and animation editor, Disney Comics

Keith Gessen, co-founder, co-editor, n+1

Giles Gherson, former editor-in-chief, Edmonton Journal and Toronto Star

Sagarika Ghose, columnist, The Times of India, Outlook, The Indian Express, BBC World

Charles Gibson, former host, Good Morning America

Dan Gillmor, tech writer, director of News Co/Lab

Paul Glastris, editor-in-chief, Washington Monthly; President Clinton’s chief speechwriter

William Glauber, reporter, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Russell Gold, contributor, Texas Monthly, Wall Street Journal, Philadelphia Inquirer

Andrew Goldberg, producer, director, documentarian; founder, Two Cats Productions

Michael Goldfarb, contributing editor, The Weekly Standard

Aaron Goldsmith, sportscaster, Fox Sports

Lewis Goodall, Analysis and Investigations Editor, The News Agents

Wade Goodwyn, NPR national correspondent

Merrill Goozner, editor, Modern Healthcare

Cheryl Gould, first female executive producer of a nightly newscast, NBC

Duncan Greive, founder and Managing Editor, The Spinoff

Daniel Gross, editor-in-chief, strategy + business magazine

Michael Gross, editor, reporter; contributor, New York Times Magazine, Esquire, GQ

Loyd Grossman, BBC presenter, MasterChef

Emil Guillermo, AsianWeek columnist

Bryant Gumbel, host, HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel; former co-host, Today

Haviv Rettig Gur, reporter, The Times of Israel

Roy Gutman, reporter, Newsday and McClatchy News Service, Pulitzer Prize winner

Janice Hadlow, former BBC TV executive

Windsor Hanger, co-founder, Her Campus

Nikole Hannah-Jones, investigative reporter, New York Times

James Harding, former director, BBC News; co-founder, Tortoise Media

Carolyn Hax, columnist, The Washington Post

Laurie Hays, senior executive editor for beat reporting, Bloomsberg News

Jonathan Head, BBC South East Asia Correspondent

Rosalind S. Helderman, investigations reporter, The Washington Post

Seymour Hersh, investigative reporter who exposed the My Lai massacre

Andrew Heyward, former president, CBS News

Scott Higham, Washington Post investigative reporter, Pulitzer Prize-winner

Joe Hildebrand, Australian TV and radio presenter; contributor, Sydney Daily Telegraph

William Honan, former culture editor, New York Times, Newsweek, Saturday Review

Page Hopkins, MSNBC and NBC reporter

Tony Horwitz, former New York Times reporter, Pulitzer Prize winner

Chris Hughes, former publisher and editor-in-chief, The New Republic

Jan Hutchins, TV and radio reporter, producer, media consultant

Antonia Hylton, correspondent for NBC, Emmy winner for Vice News Tonight

Bruce Ingersoll, former writer, Chicago Sun-Times, Wall Street Journal

Julia Ioffe, Washington correspondent, Puck News; contributor, PBS, MSNBC, The Atlantic

John Ireland, basketball broadcaster, LA Lakers

Noah Isenberg, Chair, Department of Radio-Television-Film, UT Austin

John Iverdale, BBC and ITV broadcaster

Molly Ivins, former syndicated columnist and humorist

Christopher Jackson, news director, Finito

Peter Jenkins, former associate editor, The Independent

Vincent Jennings, former editor, Sunday Press; former manager, The Irish Press

Anuranjan Jha, Indian media personality

Eliana Johnson, Editor-in-Chief, Washington Free Beacon

Soterios Johnson, radio journalist, former local host on WNYC

Jenifer Johnston, investigative journalist; former reporter, Sunday Herald

Dan Jones, TV presenter, UK Channel 5; contributor, Evening Standard, The Telegraph

Owen Jones, columnist, The Guardian

Joseph Kahn, Executive Editor, New York Times

Rick Kamla, host, NBA TV and CBS Sports

Jodi Kantor, workplace, technology, and gender correspondent, New York Times

Jonathan M. Katz, contributor, New York Times, The New Republic, The Guardian

Kimberly Kelleher, Vice President and Publisher, SELF Magazine

Max Kellerman, boxing commentator, ESPN radio

Caroline Kellett, former fashion editor, Tatler

Kate Kelly, reporter, New York Times

Michael Kelly, former New York Times and New Republic columnist, editor

Sarah Kendzior, author, The View from Flyover Country, Gaslit Nation; contributor, MSNBC

Secunder Kermani, foreign correspondent, BBC

Oren Kessler, contributor, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, Politico, New Republic

Michael Kimmelman, architecture critic, New York Times

Ian King, business journalist, host of Ian King Live on Sky News

Shaun King, founder, The North Star; social justice activist, Black Lives Matter promoter

David D. Kirkpatrick, writer, The New Yorker; New York Times, Pulitzer prize winner

Caroline Kitchener, staff writer, Washington Post, Pulitzer Prize winner

Alison Klayman, contributor, PBS, NPR, New York Times

Jon Klein, former president of CNN/US; co-founder of Tapp Media

Gwen Knapp, sports writer, Philadelphia Inquirer, San Francisco Examiner, New York Times

Guido Knopp, German documentarian

Michael Knowles, The Daily Wire political commentator         

Irving Kristol, “godfather of neoconservatism”; former contributor, Wall Street Journal

Robert Krulwich, science correspondent, NPR; co-host, Radiolab

Larry Kudlow, Fox Business commentator; former Director of the National Economic Council

Charles Kuralt, founding anchor, CBS Sunday Morning

Richard Lambert, editor, The Financial Times

Jacob Landau, founding executive director, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Mitchell Landsberg, senior editor for enterprise, Los Angeles Times

David Lazarus, business and consumer columnist, KTLA and Los Angeles Times

Laurence Leamer, political reporter and author; former editor, Newsweek

Ranald Leask, media manager, University of Edinburgh

Marc Leepson, contributor, New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune

Josee Legault, political columnist, The Gazette

Jonathan Lemire, host, Way Too Early, MSNBC; former White House bureau chief, Politico

Jessica Lessin, editor-in-chief, The Information; former Wall Street Journal reporter

Nan Levinson, civil and human rights writer; contributor, New York Times, Boston Globe

Ananda Lewis, former MTV veejay; talk show host

Mara Liasson, national political correspondent, NPR

Jonathan Liew, sports writer, The Guardian

Carol Lin, ABC and NPR reporter, CNN anchor, first to report 9/11 attacks

Joanne Lipman, chief editor, USA Today, Conde Nast, WSJ Weekend Journal

Eric Lipton, New York Times reporter, Pulitzer Prize winner

Kate Llewellyn, poet, travel writer

Sid Lowe, columnist and commentator on Spanish football

Mark Lowen, BBC News Southern Europe correspondent

Mark Lynas, environmental reporter, New Statesman, The Guardian

John R. MacArthur, president and publisher, Harper’s Magazine

Cathal Mac Coille, former presenter, Morning Ireland on RTE Radio

Ben Macintyre, reviewer and columnist, The Times (London)

Harvey Mackay, syndicated advice columnist

Juliet Macur, sports reporter, New York Times

Timmy Mallett, BBC radio and TV presenter

Matt Malone, former editor-in-chief, America magazine; media consultant

Hélène Mannarino, TV and radio presenter, France Channel C8

Mark Maremont, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, business journalist, Wall Street Journal

Helene Chung Martin, Australian Broadcasting Corporation reporter

Jonathan Martin, bureau chief and senior political columnist, Politico

Andres Martinez, Director, Bernard L. Schwartz Fellows Program, New America Foundation

Bruno Masure, French TV presenter

Kristina Matisic, host, The Shopping Bags, Anna & Kristina’s Grocery Bag

Petra Mayer, book review editor, NPR

Simon Mayo, BBC radio presenter

Mark Mazzetti, Washington investigative correspondent, New York Times

Lenny McAllister, political commentator, RedState, The Root

Harry McCracken, editor, Fast Company, editor-at-large, Time

Gerry McGeough, editor, The Hibernian; former Sinn Fein activist

Doyle McManus, contributor, PBS Washington Week

Dave McNary, Variety journalist

Carmela Menashe, Israeli writer on IDF matters

Kerry-Anne Mendoza, former editor-in-chief, The Canary

Mini Menon, co-founder and editor, Live History India

Lulu Miller, Peabody Award-winning science reporter, NPR

Kay Mills, one of the first women to serve on the Los Angeles Times editorial board

Janice Min, editor, People Magazine and InStyle; editor-in chief Us Weekly

Fiona Mitchell, correspondent, RTE, TV and radio

Seth Mnookin, science writer; contributor to Bloomberg News, New York Times

Maurizio Molinari, editor-in-chief, La Repubblica, former editor, La Stampa

Frank Moraes, former editor, Times of India, The Indian Express

Andrew Morton, former reporter, Daily Star, News of the World, and Daily Mail; biographer

Roger Mosey, former Head of BBC Television News and director of Olympic coverage

Michael C. Moynihan, former managing editor, Vice News; co-host, The Fifth

Roger Mudd, former CBS reporter

Ben Mulroney, producer and former TV host, CTV

Dermot Murnaghan, presenter, Sky News, CNBC Europe, BBC

Andrew Napolitano, columnist, Reason and The Washington Times, analyst for Fox News

Maryam Nemazee, broadcaster, Al-Jazeera

Keren Neubach, Israeli journalist, TV presenter

Martin Newland, former editor, The Daily Telegraph

Brad Newsham, travel writer, Take Me With You, All the Right Places

Leon Neyfakh, radio and podcast host, Slow Burn, Fiasco

Bianca Nobilo, CNN International anchor

Martin Nolan, reporter and editor, The Boston Globe

Rex Nutting, bureau chief, MarketWatch

Isabel Oakeshott, political editor, The Sunday Times

James O’Brien (“Jomboy”), baseball commentator and Internet personality

Buster Olney, sports writer, ESPN, The New York Times

David Olusoga, historical documentarian, BBC; contributor to The Guardian

Bill O’Reilly, former Fox News host

Charles Ornstein, senior editor for ProPublica specializing in health care

Shai Oster, Asia bureau chief, The Information; formerly Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg

Donie O’Sullivan, CNN correspondent

Joshua Ozersky, founding editor of New York Magazine’s food blog, Grub Street

Jon Palfreman, producer, director, reporter, Frontline, Nova

David Pallister, investigative journalist, The Guardian

Caitriona Palmer, human rights investigator; former correspondent, The Irish Times

Sal Paolantonio, ESPN NFL reporter

Sofia Papaioannou, Greek TV host, producer, 360 Degrees

Robert Parker, former wine critic, The Wine Advocate

Malini Parthasarathy, former editor, The Hindu; chair, THG Publishing

Jim Paymar, financial correspondent and anchor, CNBC and BusinessWeek

Henry Payne, editorial cartoonist, The Detroit News, National Review

Norman Pearlstine, former editor and executive, Los Angeles Times, Time, Bloomberg

Will Pearson, co-founder, mental floss magazine

Danny Peary, film critic, Cult Movies

Jess Phoenix, co-host of Discovery series Hunting Atlantis

Danielle Pletka, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

Ramesh Ponnuru, editor, National Review; columnist, Washington Post

Nathaniel Popper, finance and technology reporter, New York Times

Michael Portillo, documentarian, Great British Railway Journeys, Great Continental Railway 

Corey S. Powell, science writer, editor-in-chief of Discover magazine

William Powers, tech writer, Hamlet’s BlackBerry

Dennis Prager, conservative talk show host, co-founder, PragerU

Eyal Press, contributor, The New Yorker, New York Times

Katharine Preston, contributor, Daily Telegraph, Psychology Today, Salon

Gilles Pudlowski, French food critic, Saveurs, Cuisine et Vins de France, blogger

Lydia V. Pyne, science writer, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, ABC

Bill Raftery, college basketball analyst, CBS Sports

Joseph Rago, Wall Street Journal writer, Pulitzer Prize winner

Jane Randall, former fashion model, politics commentator, The Jersey Report

Adam Raphael, labor reporter, presenter of BBC’s Newsnight

Susan Rasky, former political reporter, New York Times

Flint Rasmussen, bull riding commentator, Professional Bull Riders

Romesh Ratnesar, Deputy Editor, Bloomberg Businessweek; former editor, Time

Guy Raz, podcaster, NPR radio host

J.J. Redick, ESPN basketball analyst

Betsy Reed, editor-in-chief, The Intercept and Guardian US

Trish Regan, conservative commentator, talk show host

Dean Regas, TV host, Star Gazers, astronomy popularizer

Levan Reid, sports reporter, WBZ-TV Boston

Frank Rich, columnist, New York Times

Peter Riddell, former reporter, Financial Times

Michael Riedel, theatre critic, New York Post

James Risen, New York Times reporter, Pulitzer Prize winner

Siobhan Roberts, science reporter

Andrea di Robilant, former diplomatic correspondent, La Stampa; reporter, La Repubblica

David Rohde, Senior Executive Editor, National Security, NBC News

Simon Romero, national correspondent, New York Times

Charlie Rose, former talk show host, PBS

Howard Rosenberg, TV critic, Louisville Times, Los Angeles Times, Pulitzer winner

Philip Rucker, National Editor, Washington Post

Alan Ruddock, former editor, The Sunday Times

Christopher Ruddy, CEO and majority owner, Newsmax Media

Jenni Russell, columnist, The Times, The Guardian, New York Times

Luke Russert, contributor, NBC, MSNBC

Chris Russo, sports radio host; founder, Mad Bog Sports Radio

Rob Ryan, sportswriter, The Boston Globe

Kai Ryssdal, host, Marketplace, American Public Media

Kevin Sack, senior reporter, New York Times

Stephen Sackur, host of HARDtalk on BBC News

Claire Saffitz, food writer, contributing editor, Bon Appetit

Mike Sager, founder, The Sager Group; contributor, Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Esquire

Yoshiko Sakurai, TV presenter, president, Japan Institute for National Fundamentals

Faith Salie, contributor to NPR and CBS Sunday Morning

David Samuels, contributor, New York Times Magazine, Harper’s Magazine, The Atlantic

Clementine Sarlat, French sports reporter

George Savarese, ESPN radio, NPR

Joe Scarborough, host, Morning Joe, MSNBC

Eric Schlosser, investigative journalist, Fast Food Nation, Reefer Madness

Kathryn Schulz, staff writer, The New Yorker, Pulitzer Prize winner

Sigrid Schultz, first female foreign bureau chief of a major U.S. newspaper , Chicago Tribune

Nina Gilden Seavey, documentary filmmaker

Robert B. Semple, Jr., editor, New York Times editorial page, Pulitzer Prize winner

Charles Sennott, founder and Editor-in-Chief, The GroundTruth Project

Howie Severino, anchor, host, podcaster, GMA Network

Mary Shane, first female play-by-play Major League Baseball broadcaster

Shradha Sharma, founder and CEO of YourStory

Neil Sheehan, New York Times reporter who obtained the Pentagon Papers

Tim Shipman, former political editor, The Sunday Times

E.R. Shipp, New York Daily News columnist, Pulitzer Prize winner

Suzy Shuster, sportscaster, ABC, ESPN, Turner, Fox, HBO

John Sickels, baseball writer, ESPN; editor, Baseball Prospect Book

Anne-Marie Sicotte, editor in chief, L’Eclusier

Sam Sifton, food editor, New York Times

Mark Simpson, former BBC Ireland correspondent

Mary Taylor Simeti, food reporter, contributor to New York Times and Financial Times

Alexander Sirota, photographer and chronicler of the Chernobyl disaster

Stephen G. Smith, former senior editor, Atlantic Media, Newsweek, Time, U.S. News

Sanford Socolow, former executive producer, The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite

Vishnu Som, executive editor and principal anchor, New Delhi TV

Michael Sragow, film critic Baltimore Sun, San Francisco Examiner, New York Times, Salon

Eric Stange, owner, Spy Pond Productions

Jeff Stein, editor-in-chief, SpyTalk; former columnist, Newsweek and Washington Post

Leonard Steinhorn, political analyst, CBS News

Greg Steinmetz, former business reporter, Wall Street Journal, Newsday

Ira Stoll, former vice president and manager, The New York Sun

Joe Stroud, former editor and senior Vice President, Detroit Free Press

Charles Strum, former senior editor, New York Times

Ray Suarez, radio and TV host, NPR and PBS

Bob Sullivan, founding member, MSNBC

Tom Switzer, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies; radio host

Jake Tapper, CNN anchor; host, The Lead with Jake Tapper

Kate Taylor, cultural critic, The Globe and Mail

Dominique Tchimbakala, Congolese journalist and TV presenter

Nicolas Tenzer, editor, Le Banquet; founder, CERAP

Louis Theroux, BBC documentarian

Hadas Thier, economics and politics writer, In These Times, Teen Vogue, The Nation

Simon Thomas, soccer analyst, Sky Sports

Steven L. Thompson, technology writer; former editor, Autoweek and Cycle World

Alice Thomson, associate editor and weekly columnist, The Times (London)

Richard Threlkeld, former CBS News correspondent

Krista Tippett, host, On Being podcast

Simon Tisdall, assistant editor, The Guardian

Jonathan S. Tobin, editor-in-chief of Jewish News Syndicate

Jeffrey Toobin, CNN legal journalist

Stéphane Trano, French news correspondent, Le Monde

Peter Trippi, editor-in-chief, Fine Art Connoisseur

Danielle Trussoni, Writerly podcast host; columnist for New York Times Book Review

Ryan Tubridy, RTE Radio presenter; host, The Late Late Show

Nick Turse, investigative reporter, fellow at The Nation Institute

David Unger, former editorial writer, New York Times

Siva Vaidhyanathan, columnist, The Guardian and Slate

Tom Vanden Brook, correspondent, USA Today

Natasha Vargas-Cooper, contributor, New York Times, Wall Street Journal

Thomas Vinciguerra, founding editor, The Week magazine; contributor, GQ, New York Times

Milton Viorst, former Middle East reporter for The New Yorker

Yasmin Vossoughian, anchor and reporter, MSNBC

Dominic Waghorn, Diplomatic Editor, Sky News

David Wallace-Wells, environmental correspondent, New York Times

Robert Waller, British election expert; pollster, The Almanac of British Politics

John Walsh, host, America’s Most Wanted

James Waterson, media editor, The Guardian; former political editor, BuzzFeed

Joseph P. Watkins, MSNBC political analyst

Jesse Watters, Fox News commentator

Merryn Somerset Webb, Senior Columnist, wealth, investing, Bloomberg

Jamie Weinstein, political commentator and satirist; host, The Dispatch podcast

Jiang Weiping, Chinese journalist

Michael Weiss, contributing editor, New Lines; senior correspondent, Yahoo News

Mark Weston, author and reporter, ABC News; contributor, Washington Post, LA Times

Jennifer Westhoven, reporter, Reuters, HLN

Lally Weymouth, Senior Associate Editor, The Washington Post

Sean Whelan, RTE Washington correspondent

Jacqueline Whitelaw, former technical and engineering correspondent and editor

Annabelle White, food editor, New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

Michael White, former associate editor, The Guardian

Patrick Franklin White, National Correspondent, The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

Craig Whitlock, national security correspondent, The Washington Post

Peter Wilby, former editor, The Independent on Sunday and New Statesman

Brian Williams, Canadian Olympic sportscaster

Marion Winik, NPR reporter, All Things Considered

Matthew Winkler, co-founder and former editor-in-chief, Bloomberg News

Hannah Witton, broadcaster specializing in relationships

Jennifer Wolff, TV reporter, host

Bob Woodward, associate editor, Washington Post

Charles Wooley, Australian presenter, Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes

Maev-Ann Wren, economics editor, The Irish Times

Ann Wroe, obituaries editor, The Economist

Dori Jones Yang, former reporter, China Business Review, Business Week, U.S. News

Jim Yardley, Europe editor, New York Times

Kristen Millares Young, investigative journalist and novelist

Kate Zernike, national correspondent, New York Times

Tom Zoellner, former reporter, Salt Lake Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, ArizonaRepublic

Jeff Zucker, former president, CNN International; former CEO, NBCUniversal