Lester Holt
Lester Holt
Lester Don Holt, Jr., is an American journalist. He anchors the weekday edition of NBC Nightly News. He is also the anchor for Dateline NBC. On February 9, 2015, he became the interim weeknight NBC Nightly News anchor, filling in for suspended anchor and managing editor Brian Williams. On June 18, 2015, he was made the permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News after NBC decided to keep Brian Williams as MSNBC breaking news anchor and reporter and fill-in NBC News...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNews Anchor
Date of Birth8 March 1959
CityMarion County, CA
CountryUnited States of America
enjoy interview journalist people places south
The problem with being a journalist is you go places and you're working. You don't get to appreciate everything. But I got enough of a sampler of South Africa; I thought, 'I want to come here when I don't have to interview people for a living so that I can really enjoy it.' Because I think it was just a magnificent place.
based beat firing job judgments people perspective position priority provide
My first priority is to provide perspective, ... This story is so broad-reaching and there are so many elements. I don't want people to make their judgments based on one report. We should never be in a position where we're firing up a mob. I don't think it's our job to beat people up.
anchors best events expect introduce level people saying striving top
I really bristle when I get called to events and people introduce me as one of the top black anchors in the country. You know, that's very insulting. I'm striving to be one of the best anchors in the country. Handcuff me like that. What you're saying is, 'You're black. You should only expect to rise to the level of the best at being black.'
exactly people telling
You can't exactly do it from your hotel room. It's the weather; you've got to get out in it. You're telling people that there are 70 mile-per-hour winds. So it's like, 'Let's prove it.'
empty experience fleeing hurricane invincible lane looking opposite order people seeing spill toward toxic
There's no experience like going down an empty freeway toward a hurricane and then looking in the opposite lane and seeing bumper-to-bumper traffic, people fleeing that scene. Or going to a toxic spill and seeing people go the other way. You talk yourself into thinking you're invincible in order to do that.
afternoon consume double helps love people reserve settling surprises wake water weekend
The one thing I don't consume during 'Today' - which surprises many people - is coffee. I find that a lot of water helps wake me up, without the buzz. I love coffee, but usually reserve a double espresso as an afternoon pick-me-up before settling in to do the weekend 'Nightly News.'
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People are now beginning to voice what we've all been seeing with our own eyes -- the majority of people left in New Orleans are black, they are poor, they are the underbelly of society. When you look at this, what does this say about where we are as a country and where our government is in terms of how it views the people of this country? ... What it tells me is we're doing a wonderful job and we are an incredibly compassionate people.
people important honored
I am honored to have this role [of the moderator], but this evening belongs to the candidates and, just as important, to the American people.
worry people stories
The biggest thing I worry about is the unsubstantiated story. You have to tell the people what you know -- and acknowledge what you don't know.
running people stories
You have to go where the story is to report on it. As a journalist, you're essentially running to things that other people are running away from.
skills people important
One of the most important skills at [reporting] is not so much what comes out of your mouth but what you hear. To listen. When you interview people, it's very important to understand the nuances of what they're saying and to understand when they have actually made news-when they've told you something that they haven't told anybody else.
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UC Merced is the University of California's newest campus and lies among farm fields in the San Joaquin Valley, 2 1/2 hours east of San Francisco and not far from where I spent most of my childhood. It's a part of California that has suffered deeply from the recession with high unemployment and a skyrocketing home foreclosure rate.
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But now I'm kind of like, 'Gee, I can't wait to watch it to see how it turns out.'
assignment equally general government ignorant means reporter schooled simply
For 30 years I've been schooled in everything from government, and economics, to medicine and international relations. But don't be impressed. Someone once said being a general assignment reporter simply means you are equally ignorant about most everything. In other words, I know a little about a lot.