To mark the 15th anniversary of TVNewser this month, Adweek honored the 30 Most Impactful TV Newsers of the Past 15 Years, spotlighting the personalities and execs who were instrumental in the industry’s incredible decade-and-a-half evolution. TVNewser will be presenting expanded versions of each honoree’s interview.
Savannah Guthrie
- Job now: Co-anchor, Today, NBC
- Job 15 years ago: National trial correspondent, Court TV
Adweek: What were you doing 15 years ago (in January 2004)?
Guthrie: I was just moving to NYC to start a job at Court TV as a general correspondent – leaving Washington and my brief stint as a lawyer behind!
What’s your favorite professional moment of the past 15 years?
When I first came to Today as the anchor of the 9 a.m. hour and chief legal correspondent. It was 2011, and I had been working day and night as the White House correspondent and co-hosting a daily cable news show in Washington. Moving to New York, starting something so new at Today but also returning to my roots in the law, it felt like everything was clicking at the right time.
What is the biggest way that TV news has changed over the past 15 years?
Social media — for better and for worse.
Who have you learned the most from in your career? What did they teach you?
I’ve learned from so many of my colleagues at NBC – Andrea Mitchell and Pete Williams come to mind. I’m in awe of Andrea’s tenacity and tirelessness. And nobody can make something really complicated as understandable as Pete can. I love the way his mind works.
Who are some competitors you most admire?
Anderson Cooper. I think he is a really gifted and fair interviewer. Also Shepard Smith. He is fearless, clear and a great broadcaster. He can make even the most boring story sound like a thriller.
What has been your toughest professional challenge during the past 15 years, and how did you overcome it?
Some of the transitions at the Today Show have obviously been professionally challenging. And I think we all overcame it together by leaning on each other and diving into the work we love. We all feel really grateful to be part of this show and know it is bigger than any one of us.