How much is Anderson Cooper worth?
| Net Worth: | $200 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Journalist |
| Date of Birth: | June 3, 1967 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 1.78 m |
About Anderson Cooper
Cooper personifies advocacy journalism with his preference for on-the-ground reporting. He first rose to national notoriety in 2005 because to his enthralling coverage of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Cooper presided over the first presidential debate held using YouTube technology in July 2007.
Wyatt Emory Cooper, a writer, and Gloria Vanderbilt, a well-known heiress and fashion designer, were Anderson Cooper’s parents when he was born on June 3, 1967. Cooper and his mother spoke about his older brother’s 1988 suicide by jumping to his death from a New York balcony on their talk show.
Cooper earned a political science degree from Yale University in 1989. After determining that he didn’t want to be perceived as uncomfortable or embarrassed by his sexual orientation, he confirmed that he is gay in 2012.
Anderson Cooper chose a different career path than other TV news anchors. As with most TV reporters, he didn’t begin in a small DMA and climb the ladder from there.
Cooper began working for Channel One after graduating from college, which offers newscasts to American schools. He was a global correspondent who covered stories from many different countries.
His background made it easier for him to get a job at ABC News in 1995, where he served as a correspondent and an anchor for the overnight news. For the first two seasons of the network’s reality program The Mole, he served as host.
That might have taken Cooper in a very different direction professionally. However, he decided to return to reporting after seeing how 9/11 was covered in the media.
He began working for CNN in late 2001 and held morning and weekend anchor positions until the launch of Anderson Cooper 360 in 2003. In addition to his news duties, he has hosted CNN’s live coverage of New Year’s Eve from Times Square.
Today, Anderson serves as the host of the syndicated daily talk show Anderson as well as the CNN prime time newscast Anderson Cooper 360. Additionally, he contributes to the CBS news program 60 Minutes.
Cooper, Anderson in New Orleans
Cooper dramatically interrupted Sen. Mary Landrieu during a live discussion in 2005 “Excuse me…to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other… there are a lot of people here who are very upset and very angry… It… cuts them the wrong way right now, because literally there was a body on the streets of this town yesterday being eaten by rats because this woman had been laying in the street for 48 hours.”
Cooper spent more time than any other journalist in Louisiana in 2010 as he covered the disastrous fallout from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, saying, “There aren’t any small people here.”
On Anderson Cooper’s Appeal, CNN President
“He’s got a refreshing way of being the anti-anchor. He’s not quote-unquote reporting at you.
He’s just being himself. He’s asking the questions you would like answered. He’s getting involved the way you might. You feel that he’s a regular person that you can trust talking to you. He brings such a passion to the storytelling that’s infectious.”
Early Years of Anderson Cooper’s Career
After working for Channel One for six months as a fact-checker, 22-year-old Cooper obtained a phony press ID, purchased a video camera, and traveled alone to Africa to cover the Somalia crisis. He was later appointed chief international correspondent by Channel One.
Anderson Cooper joined ABC News as a reporter in 1994, and later co-anchored ABC World News Now. Cooper joined CNN in December 2001 after taking a two-year break to work in reality television.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper
Since joining CNN in late 2001, Anderson Cooper has reported on most significant breaking news stories, including the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion, the beginning of the Iraq War, the sniper incident in the DC region, and the war in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks.
This dynamic journalist has toured the globe for his own program, covering major events such as tsunamis, Iraqi elections, the passing of Pope John Paul II, and natural disasters like the Gulf of Mexico oil leak and the post-Hurricane Katrina mess, all of which occurred on the Gulf Coast.
Being a Vanderbilt Growing Up
Although Cooper was born into privilege, he spent his summers working as a waiter. At the age of 11, he sought out his first job as a Ford model because he “wanted to…be financially independent.” By two years, Cooper’s elder brother committed suicide in 1988 by jumping from Vanderbilt’s New York apartment on the 14th floor. Anderson had previously been planning to join the Yale faculty as a foreign diplomat. He took a year off after his brother passed away before looking for work in television. Mild dyslexia affects Anderson Cooper.
The Persona of Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper is described as “intelligent, sexy, ambitious and young.” in one internet biography. He was described as “an anchor who reports disaster news with a heart on his sleeve.” by The New York Times. Cooper has a reputation for delving deeply into news matters.
David Perozzi, a producer who collaborated with Cooper at ABC News, said “He’s really intense. He could care less how he looks, his hair and makeup. If there’s no cameraperson, he grabs the camera…. He’s all human. He’s not putting it on.”
Relevance to the Media Sector
The most well-known CNN personality right now is Anderson Cooper. The cable news network will therefore probably rely on him the most in its efforts to rebuild its brand in order to more effectively compete with Fox News Channel and MSNBC.
CNN and Anderson Cooper are attempting to offer news coverage without a political skew while its rivals are perceived as having a right- or a left-leaning political stance. That doesn’t mean Cooper isn’t assuming risks when broadcasting, either.
As a new kind of American journalist, Cooper is regarded. He doesn’t seem like your usual news anchor who reads scripts while sitting behind a desk, to start. When reporting from disaster situations, Cooper is frequently spotted out in the field.
Cooper isn’t hesitant to display emotion on the air or to become personally interested in his tales, even if that has been done countless times before by others. Contrast that with the traditional news reporter, who was always depicted as an unbiased observer.
During CNN’s coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Cooper’s approach became clear. While strolling through the streets of New Orleans, which had been severely damaged by the storm and the accompanying water, he made a heartfelt statement.
Job Highlights
The focus of Anderson Cooper’s nightly newscast is on exploring topics from several angles. The “360” in the title refers to this for that reason.
Cooper is regarded as not taking a political stance in his news reporting, but he has established a name for himself with advocacy journalism that is more popular than political. Cooper sounded less like a typical investigative journalist like the late Mike Wallace and more like a disgruntled, desperate local when he questioned government officials about their handling of the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe.
He has often demonstrated that he cares about more than just providing people with information; he really wants to help them. When reporting on global natural disasters, his emotive approach comes through the most.
Cooper’s adaptability has helped him establish his brand and establish himself as a TV personality. This is how he juggles his roles as a talk show host, a 60 Minutes journalist, and a news anchor.
For his work over the years, Cooper has won numerous Emmy Awards. He received a Peabody Award in 2005 for his coverage of Hurricane Katrina.
Cooper spoke passionately for the Gulf of Mexico during his coverage of the 2010 oil spill. Cooper was assaulted on February 1st, 2011, while reporting on the Egyptian revolt.
Awards and Accolades
- Silver Plaque from the Chicago Film Festival for his report from Sarajevo on the Bosnian civil war
- Bronze Telly for his coverage of famine in Somalia
- Bron Award from the National Education Film Festival for a report on political Islam
- Outstanding TV Journalism Award from GLAAD for his 20/20 report on gay high school athlete Corey Johnson.
Personal Data
- Birth – June 3, 1967 in New York City, to designer/heiress Gloria Vanderbilt and her 4th (and last) husband, writer Wyatt Cooper. His father died of a heart attack when Cooper was ten years old.
- Education – BA in Political Science/International Relations from Yale University, 1989. Studied the Vietnamese language at University of Hanoi.
- Family – Single, except for his dog, Molly, a Welsh Springer Spaniel
Cooper has frequently been publicly involved in supporting gay and lesbian issues.
