Campbell Brown
Encyclopedia
Campbell Brown is an American
television news reporter and anchor
. She previously hosted an eponymous primetime show on CNN
and was formerly co-anchor of NBC
's Weekend Today. Brown won an Emmy as part of the NBC team reporting on Hurricane Katrina
while with NBC.
On May 18, 2010, Brown announced that she would be leaving CNN.
, the daughter of former Louisiana Democratic
State Senator
, Secretary of State, and Insurance
Commissioner James H. "Jim" Brown Jr., and Brown's first wife, artist Dale Campbell Fairbanks. According to Brown, "Alma Dale" was her grandmother's name, while "Campbell" was her mother's birth surname.
Brown was raised Roman Catholic, though her father is Presbyterian. She has two sisters. She grew up in Ferriday, Louisiana
and attended Trinity Episcopal Day School. She was also a cheerleader. She was expelled from the elite Madeira School for sneaking off campus to go to a party. Brown attended Louisiana State University
for two years before graduating from Regis University
. After graduation, she spent a year teaching English
in (former) Czechoslovakia
.
On April 2, 2006, Brown married Daniel Samuel Senor
, formerly chief spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. Brown converted
to Judaism
, her husband's faith. Brown was married briefly before, to a Washington real estate broker.
On June 24, 2007, Brown announced on Weekend Today that she and her husband were expecting their first child. On December 18, 2007, Brown gave birth to a son, Eli James Senor, named after his grandfather, James Senor.
On October 27, 2008, during a guest appearance on The Daily Show
, Brown announced her second pregnancy. On April 6, 2009, Brown gave birth to a second son, Asher Liam Senor. She returned from maternity leave on Monday, June 1.
, and then for WWBT-TV, the NBC affiliate in Richmond, Virginia
, and also reported for WBAL-TV
in Baltimore, Maryland, and WRC-TV
in Washington, D.C.
Brown joined NBC News in 1996. She was later assigned to The Pentagon
and covered the war in Kosovo
. Before Weekend Today, she was the White House
correspondent
for NBC News
.
, she covered George W. Bush
as well as the Republican National Convention
and Republican primary
. She eventually became the primary substitute anchor for Brian Williams
on NBC Nightly News
. In March 2006, she was named as one of five women who might replace Katie Couric
when she would leave The Today Show, but the vacancy was filled by Meredith Vieira
.
filled in as guest host in April and May 2009 while Brown took maternity leave. When she returned in June 2009, the show was renamed again to simply Campbell Brown.
, a spokesman for Republican Presidential candidate John McCain
concerning vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin
. Brown questioned Palin's executive experience and asked for examples of decisions Palin had made as commander-in-chief of the Alaska National Guard
. Bounds did not name an example, but stated that Palin had more executive experience than Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama
. Brown accused Bounds of sidestepping with his answers and repeated some of the same questions. Brown asserted that Senator McCain had made a point of wanting a vice president with a lot of experience, including foreign policy experience, and that his selection of Palin seemed to abandon that principle. She asked Bounds to explain the decision on that basis. Bounds contended that Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin together had more executive experience than Senator Obama and Senator
Joe Biden
combined. Brown also asked if Palin should accept the Republican vice-presidential nomination given that her teenage daughter is pregnant out of wedlock. The McCain campaign later accused Brown of anti-Republican/McCain bias, alleging that she had "gone over the line." In response, the campaign canceled McCain's scheduled interview with Larry King
, but later rescheduled it.
She went on to say:
Brown's last day at CNN was on July 21. Beginning on July 22, her 8:00 p.m. prime time slot was filled by a second hour of Rick Sanchez
's Rick's List
. In October, the show Parker Spitzer
debuted at the 8 p.m. time slot.
in her Showtime comedy series Tracey Ullman's State of the Union
as well as by Kristen Wiig
on Saturday Night Live
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television news reporter and anchor
Anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ancora, which itself comes from the Greek ἄγκυρα .Anchors can either be temporary or permanent...
. She previously hosted an eponymous primetime show on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and was formerly co-anchor of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Weekend Today. Brown won an Emmy as part of the NBC team reporting on Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
while with NBC.
On May 18, 2010, Brown announced that she would be leaving CNN.
Early life and family
Campbell Brown was born Alma Dale Campbell Brown on June 14, 1968 in Ferriday, LouisianaFerriday, Louisiana
Ferriday is a town in Concordia Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. The population, which is three-fourths African American, was 3,723 at the 2000 census....
, the daughter of former Louisiana Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
State Senator
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
, Secretary of State, and Insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
Commissioner James H. "Jim" Brown Jr., and Brown's first wife, artist Dale Campbell Fairbanks. According to Brown, "Alma Dale" was her grandmother's name, while "Campbell" was her mother's birth surname.
Brown was raised Roman Catholic, though her father is Presbyterian. She has two sisters. She grew up in Ferriday, Louisiana
Ferriday, Louisiana
Ferriday is a town in Concordia Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. The population, which is three-fourths African American, was 3,723 at the 2000 census....
and attended Trinity Episcopal Day School. She was also a cheerleader. She was expelled from the elite Madeira School for sneaking off campus to go to a party. Brown attended Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
for two years before graduating from Regis University
Regis University
Regis University is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic, Jesuit university in the United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1877, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
. After graduation, she spent a year teaching English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in (former) Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
.
On April 2, 2006, Brown married Daniel Samuel Senor
Dan Senor
Daniel Samuel Senor, known as Dan Senor , is a founding partner of Rosemont Capital LLC, and Rosemont Solebury Capital Management. He is also a Fox News contributor and a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal among other publications...
, formerly chief spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. Brown converted
Conversion to Judaism
Conversion to Judaism is a formal act undertaken by a non-Jewish person who wishes to be recognised as a full member of the Jewish community. A Jewish conversion is both a religious act and an expression of association with the Jewish people...
to Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, her husband's faith. Brown was married briefly before, to a Washington real estate broker.
On June 24, 2007, Brown announced on Weekend Today that she and her husband were expecting their first child. On December 18, 2007, Brown gave birth to a son, Eli James Senor, named after his grandfather, James Senor.
On October 27, 2008, during a guest appearance on The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
, Brown announced her second pregnancy. On April 6, 2009, Brown gave birth to a second son, Asher Liam Senor. She returned from maternity leave on Monday, June 1.
Career
She began her career in local news reporting for KSNT-TV, the NBC affiliate in Topeka, KansasTopeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
, and then for WWBT-TV, the NBC affiliate in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, and also reported for WBAL-TV
WBAL-TV
WBAL-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station in Baltimore, Maryland. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 11. It is one of the flagship stations of Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation, which also owns sister radio stations WBAL and...
in Baltimore, Maryland, and WRC-TV
WRC-TV
WRC-TV, channel 4, is an owned and operated television station of the NBC television network, located in the American capital city of Washington, D.C...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Brown joined NBC News in 1996. She was later assigned to The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
and covered the war in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
. Before Weekend Today, she was the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
for NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
.
Presidential election coverage in 2000
During the 2000 Presidential campaignUnited States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
, she covered George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
as well as the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
and Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
. She eventually became the primary substitute anchor for Brian Williams
Brian Williams
Brian Douglas Williams is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004...
on NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
. In March 2006, she was named as one of five women who might replace Katie Couric
Katie Couric
Katherine Anne "Katie" Couric is an American journalist and author. She serves as Special Correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, This Week and primetime news specials...
when she would leave The Today Show, but the vacancy was filled by Meredith Vieira
Meredith Vieira
Meredith Louise Vieira is an American journalist, television personality, and game show host. She is best known for her roles as the original moderator of the ABC talk program The View and co-host of the long-running NBC News morning news program, Today...
.
Move to CNN
Brown announced July 22, 2007, on Weekend Today, that she would be leaving NBC News after 11 years to devote time to her family and expected baby. CNN confirmed it had hired Brown, and that Brown would start work for CNN in February 2008 (originally November 2007), filling the spot previously held by Paula Zahn, who left the network in turn. Brown began anchoring CNN Election Center, which ran from February through October 2008. The show was renamed Campbell Brown: No Bias, No Bull in October 2008, right before the election in order to ensure a smooth transition when the election was over. Roland MartinRoland S. Martin
Roland Sebastian Martin is an American journalist and syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate and author of Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America, Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith and The First: President Barack Obama's Road to the White House as originally...
filled in as guest host in April and May 2009 while Brown took maternity leave. When she returned in June 2009, the show was renamed again to simply Campbell Brown.
Interviews during the 2008 election season
On September 1, 2008, Brown conducted a controversial interview with Tucker BoundsTucker Bounds
Tucker Bounds is a public relations professional, who has been active in Republican politics. He served as a spokesperson for the McCain-Palin 2008 presidential campaign...
, a spokesman for Republican Presidential candidate John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
concerning vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
. Brown questioned Palin's executive experience and asked for examples of decisions Palin had made as commander-in-chief of the Alaska National Guard
Alaska National Guard
The Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs manages military and veterans affairs for the U.S. state of Alaska. It comprises a number of subdepartments, including the Alaska National Guard, Veterans Affairs, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Alaska Naval...
. Bounds did not name an example, but stated that Palin had more executive experience than Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Brown accused Bounds of sidestepping with his answers and repeated some of the same questions. Brown asserted that Senator McCain had made a point of wanting a vice president with a lot of experience, including foreign policy experience, and that his selection of Palin seemed to abandon that principle. She asked Bounds to explain the decision on that basis. Bounds contended that Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin together had more executive experience than Senator Obama and Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
combined. Brown also asked if Palin should accept the Republican vice-presidential nomination given that her teenage daughter is pregnant out of wedlock. The McCain campaign later accused Brown of anti-Republican/McCain bias, alleging that she had "gone over the line." In response, the campaign canceled McCain's scheduled interview with Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
, but later rescheduled it.
Departure
On May 18, 2010, Brown announced that she would be leaving CNN, after the network agreed to release her from her contract. She stated that poor ratings had been the primary reason for her departure.- "I'm pretty sure the last time any anchor could honestly ignore ratings was well before I was born. Of course I pay attention to ratings. And simply put, the ratings for my program are not where I would like them to be. It is largely for this reason that I am stepping down as anchor of CNN's Campbell Brown."
She went on to say:
- "The 8 p.m. hour in cable news world is currently driven by the indomitable Bill O’ReillyBill O'Reilly (political commentator)William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
, Nancy GraceNancy GraceNancy Ann Grace is an American legal commentator, television host, television journalist, and former prosecutor. She frequently discusses issues from what she describes as a victims' rights standpoint, with an outspoken style that has won her both praise and condemnation...
, and Keith OlbermannKeith OlbermannKeith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
. Shedding my own journalistic skin to try to inhabit the kind of persona that might co-exist in that line-up is simply impossible for me. It is not who I am or who I want to be."
Brown's last day at CNN was on July 21. Beginning on July 22, her 8:00 p.m. prime time slot was filled by a second hour of Rick Sanchez
Rick Sanchez
Ricardo León "Rick" Sánchez de Reinaldo , known professionally as Rick Sanchez, is a Cuban-American journalist, author and former TV news anchor...
's Rick's List
Rick's List
Rick's List was a news and commentary program on CNN hosted by Rick Sanchez. The show aired weekdays from 3 to 5 PM EST. It first aired on Monday, January 18, 2010, when Sanchez's one-hour segment of CNN Newsroom was lengthened to two hours and given its own title, and The Situation Room with...
. In October, the show Parker Spitzer
Parker Spitzer
In the Arena was a one-hour show on CNN that premiered October 4, 2010 as Parker Spitzer and was hosted by former New York Democratic governor Eliot Spitzer and Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist Kathleen Parker. It was broadcast weeknights in prime time at 8 p.m. ET, replacing Campbell...
debuted at the 8 p.m. time slot.
In popular culture
Brown has been parodied by actress/comedienne Tracey UllmanTracey Ullman
Tracey Ullman is a British stage and television actress, comedienne, singer, dancer, screenwriter and author ....
in her Showtime comedy series Tracey Ullman's State of the Union
Tracey Ullman's State of the Union
Tracey Ullman's State of the Union is an American sketch-comedy series starring comedian Tracey Ullman. The series is written by Ullman along with Hollywood satirist Bruce Wagner. Gail Parent and Craig DiGregorio acted as contributing writers to the series' first season. On May 17, 2010, it was...
as well as by Kristen Wiig
Kristen Wiig
Kristen Carroll Wiig is an American film and television actress who currently appears as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Wiig was a member of improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings, and has appeared in several films and television series, including Bridesmaids, MacGruber, Flight of...
on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
.
External links
- Campbell Brown at MSNBC.comMsnbc.commsnbc.com is a news website owned and operated as a joint venture by NBCUniversal and Microsoft.In addition to original content from its news staff, msnbc.com is the news website for the NBC News family, with content from the cable television news channel MSNBC, NBC shows such as Today, NBC Nightly...
- TVNewser confirmation of move to CNN