William Brangham: A Biography of the Award-Winning PBS NewsHour Journalist
William Brangham is an American journalist, producer, and correspondent, best known for his work with the PBS NewsHour, where he also serves as a substitute anchor.
Early Career and Education
Brangham graduated from Colorado College with a Bachelor of Arts in English language and literature. He began his career in the 1990s, working as a research assistant and field producer on a number of documentaries with Bill Moyers.
He also worked on projects for prominent organizations like ABC News, National Geographic, and The New York Times. After the September 11 attacks, he re-joined Moyers’s production company for the PBS newsmagazine Now and later for the revived Bill Moyers Journal. In 2010, he became a producer and correspondent for the PBS show Need to Know. For a period, he also taught as an adjunct professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Work at PBS NewsHour
Brangham joined the PBS NewsHour Weekend in 2013 as a producer and correspondent. In 2015, he moved to the weekday program in Washington, D.C., becoming a full-time correspondent. His reporting focuses on a wide range of topics, including climate change, health, gun violence, and global affairs. His work has been recognized with numerous awards.
Notable Reporting and Awards
Brangham has received significant recognition for his in-depth reporting:
Peabody Awards:
He was part of the NewsHour team that won a Peabody Award in 2015 for its coverage of the Syrian refugee crisis and another in 2022 for its reporting on guns and gun violence in America, which culminated in the documentary Ricochet: An American Trauma.
Emmy Awards:
He has won multiple News & Documentary Emmy Awards. A 2017 Emmy was for his series “The End of AIDS?,” which explored the global campaign against HIV. He also won an Emmy in 2019 for his investigative reporting on sexual harassment and retaliation within the U.S. Forest Service, and a 2020 Emmy for his series on the fight against influenza.
Climate and Health Reporting:
Brangham has extensively covered the climate crisis, including a four-part series from Antarctica that was nominated for an Emmy and became the basis for the NewsHour‘s first podcast, The Last Continent. His health reporting has also included a multi-part series on why the U.S. has failed to achieve universal healthcare, which was turned into the documentary Critical Care: America vs The World.
William Brangham Age:
William Brangham was born in 1968, making him approximately 57 years old as of 2025. He is White, American, and hails from Hartford, Connecticut, giving him roots in that city.
Here’s the breakdown:
Age: Born in 1968 → about 57 in 2025.
Ethnicity: White.
Nationality: American.
City of origin: Hartford, Connecticut.
William Brangham Wife:
William Brangham is married to Tory Brangham. They have three children: two sons and one daughter. They live in the Washington, D.C. area. A 2014 report noted that William and Tory Brangham were facing the dilemma of whether the sport of soccer, which their three children loved, was safe due to concussion risks.
William Brangham Height and Weight:
William Brangham is reported to stand at approximately 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) tall. While his exact weight is not publicly available, estimates place him around 65–70 kg (143–154 lbs).
Career Timeline of William Brangham
| Period | Role | Organization / Program | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s–Early 2000s | Research Assistant & Field Producer | Bill Moyers Documentaries | Worked on Listening to America, Close to Home, and On Our Own Terms |
| Mid-1990s–2000s | Producer | PBS Frontline, ABC News, National Geographic Explorer, The New York Times Science Times | Produced documentaries and science features |
| 2001–2007 | Producer & Writer | PBS Now with Bill Moyers | Covered post-9/11 issues, social justice, and public policy |
| 2007–2010 | Producer | Bill Moyers Journal | Continued long-form investigative reporting |
| 2010–2013 | Producer, Cameraman, Correspondent | PBS Need to Know | Multi-role contributor throughout the show’s run |
| 2013–2015 | Producer & Correspondent | PBS NewsHour Weekend Edition (New York) | Transitioned to on-camera reporting |
| 2015–Present | Correspondent, Producer, Substitute Anchor | PBS NewsHour (Washington, D.C.) | Covers health, climate, politics, and investigative series |
| Academic Role | Adjunct Professor | Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism | Taught journalism for one year |
William Brangham PBS NewsHour
William Brangham is a prominent correspondent, producer, and substitute anchor for the PBS NewsHour. He joined the weekday program in 2015 after working as a producer and correspondent for PBS NewsHour Weekend since 2013.
Roles and Responsibilities
As a correspondent, Brangham’s work involves reporting on a wide range of topics, often focusing on in-depth, long-form journalism. He conducts studio interviews, reports from the field, and serves as a substitute anchor for the program when needed. His creativity and ability to report across multiple platforms have been praised by PBS.
Key Reporting Topics
Brangham is known for his extensive coverage of major global issues, including:
- Climate Change: He has reported on the climate crisis from various locations, including a notable four-part series from Antarctica, which was nominated for an Emmy and became the basis for the NewsHour‘s first podcast, The Last Continent.
- Health and Pandemics: Brangham has done considerable reporting on healthcare in the U.S. and abroad, as well as on pandemics. His work includes a multi-part series on the global fight against influenza.
- Gun Violence: He was part of the NewsHour team that won a Peabody Award for its comprehensive coverage of guns and gun violence in America, which included the documentary Ricochet: An American Trauma.
- Social Issues and Investigations: His reporting has also covered topics such as the Syrian refugee crisis, sexual harassment within the U.S. Forest Service, and a variety of other national and international news stories.
Awards and Recognition
Brangham’s work with the PBS NewsHour has earned him numerous accolades:
- Peabody Awards: He was part of the team that received a Peabody Award in 2015 for its coverage of the Syrian refugee crisis and another in 2022 for its reporting on guns and gun violence.
- Emmy Awards: He has won multiple News & Documentary Emmy Awards, including for his series “The End of AIDS?” in 2017, his investigative report on the U.S. Forest Service in 2019, and his series on the fight against influenza in 2020.
Career Highlight
Education: Earned a BA in English Language and Literature from Colorado College (1986–1990).
Early Career: Started as a research assistant and field producer for Bill Moyers’ documentaries like Listening to America, Close to Home: Moyers on Addiction, and On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying in America in the late 1990s/early 2000s. He also worked on documentary projects for ABC News, National Geographic’s Explorer, PBS’s Frontline, and Science Times for The New York Times.
Awards & Recognition:
Peabody Awards: 2015 (Syrian refugee coverage) and 2022 (guns and gun violence coverage leading to the documentary Ricochet: An American Trauma).
News & Documentary Emmy Awards: Awarded in 2017 (The End of AIDS? series), 2019 (On the Fire Line investigation), and 2020 (Stopping a Killer Pandemic series).
William Brangham Political Party:
William Brangham has not publicly affiliated himself with any political party. As a journalist—especially one working with PBS NewsHour, which is known for its commitment to balanced reporting—he maintains a professional neutrality in his public persona. While he frequently covers political topics, including Democratic primaries and policy debates, there’s no verified indication that he supports or belongs to a specific party.
Politics Monday William Brangham YouTube:
“Politics Monday” is a segment on the PBS NewsHour hosted by a rotating group of anchors, including William Brangham, Amna Nawaz, and Geoff Bennett. The segment typically features a discussion between NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report, who provide analysis on the latest political news.
You can find episodes of the segment on the PBS NewsHour YouTube channel, which includes the full “Politics Monday” segments.
William Brangham PBS NewsHour Kenya USAID:
William Brangham, in partnership with the Pulitzer Center, has reported from Kenya for the PBS NewsHour on the effects of U.S. foreign aid cuts. His work is part of a series titled “Cuts and Consequences: The End of USAID.”
His reporting from Kenya has focused on two primary areas:
- The fight against HIV: Brangham and producer Molly Knight Raskin reported on the impact of USAID cuts on HIV testing and treatment in Kenya. He highlighted how the loss of this funding affects vulnerable communities, noting that USAID had played a significant role in the country’s efforts to control the virus.
- Water and drought-ridden lands: Brangham also traveled to a community in central Kenya to report on a USAID-funded project that provided a solar-powered water system for herders and farmers in a normally arid region. The project, which was at risk of ending due to the foreign aid cuts, had helped to reduce violence over water resources and provided new opportunities for farming.
William Brangham Cats:
William Brangham has three cats, all of which are rescue cats. Their names are Pepper, Tiki, and Sugar. Pepper, a ten-year-old, has become known to PBS NewsHour viewers for occasionally appearing on the sofa in the background of Brangham’s remote broadcasts. In addition to his cats, Brangham also has a dog named Macy.
William Brangham Net Worth, PBS Salary:
As with most public figures, William Brangham’s exact net worth is not publicly disclosed. Similarly, specific salary details for individual journalists at PBS are not made public.
However, we can provide some general context based on typical salaries for journalists and on-air talent at organizations like PBS:
- PBS NewsHour Salary: Public data on salaries for PBS employees can vary. Salary aggregators like ZipRecruiter show that the average annual salary for a “PBS NewsHour” employee in the United States is around $63,587. For those in Washington, D.C., where Brangham is based, the average is higher, at approximately $72,018. Top earners, like senior correspondents and anchors, can make over $90,000 to over $100,000 annually.
- Experience and Role: As a long-standing correspondent, producer, and substitute anchor with multiple Emmy and Peabody Awards, William Brangham is a senior member of the PBS NewsHour team. His salary would likely be on the higher end of the reported range for the organization’s journalists, reflecting his extensive experience and significant contributions.
Net Worth Estimates:
Vary across sources:
Approximately $1 million as of 2025
Another estimate puts it at around $2 million
Some suggest a broader range of $1 million to $5 million
Salary: Estimated annual salary at PBS NewsHour is around $100,000, though this figure is not officially confirmed
Is William Brangham Married?
Yes, William Brangham is married to Tory Brangham. They have three children—two sons and one daughter— and live in the Washington, D.C. area.
How Old Is William Brangham?
William Brangham was born in 1968, making him 57 years old as of 2025.
How Tall Is William Brangham?
He is estimated to be about 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Where Is William Brangham Working?
William Brangham works as a correspondent, producer, and substitute anchor for the PBS NewsHour. He joined the weekday program in Washington, D.C. in 2015, after previously working for PBS NewsHour Weekend.
In his role, he reports on a wide range of issues, including climate change, public health, gun violence, and social issues. He also conducts interviews and serves as a fill-in anchor for the show.
William Brangham is active on:
Twitter (X): @WmBrangham – shares PBS NewsHour updates and reporting.
Instagram: @wbrangham – posts behind-the-scenes moments and journalism highlights.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.