A professional American television journalist, Bill Whitaker is a great personality. He is well recognized for serving as a correspondent on the CBS News program ‘60 Minutes’ since 2014. He has been serving CBS News as a journalist for four decades, covering several news stories domestically and across the globe. Currently, he serves as an interim guest host on ‘Jeopardy!’, playing for the media fellowship house.
Early Life
Talented media personality Bill Whitaker was born on 26th August 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA to his proud parents Mary and William Whitaker. Bill belongs to African-American ethnicity. He always wanted to make his career in the field of journalism since he was a toddler. He attended Hobart College where he got graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American History. Later went to Boston University to opt for his qualification with a master’s degree in African-American studies. He then attended a graduate journalism program in 1978 at the University of California, Berkeley.
Bill Whitaker Career
Whitaker’s broadcast journalism career began in 1979 at KQED in San Francisco, California where he worked as a producer, associate producer, and researcher. He served as a correspondent for WBTV in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1982. Later moved to Atlanta, Georgia to cover politics from 1985 to 1989. During this, he joined CBS News in 1984 as a reporter. Later through his ongoing determination and dedication, he got appointed as the CBS News 60 minutes correspondent in march 2014.
Throughout his 60 minutes travel, he visited various countries namely, Asia, Europe, Africa, Mexico, and the middle east in his four seasons. He also covered a fantastic interview with the highest-ran North Korean official to a fault in decades and a prompt investigation of the screening process the Syrian refugees go through before coming to the US. Bill covered the most sensitive topic about the Fukushima nuclear tragedy and Haiti following the disastrous earthquake while reporting from Japan.
He also reported throughout the early stages of the war in Afghanistan while covering from Kabul. One of his biggest investigations at Washington helped to disclose about the DEA’s attempt to restrain the opioid epidemic were held back by a law pushed by drug industry lobbyists. Later in 2021, After the demise of the host Alex Trebek, it was announced that he would guest-host ‘Jeopardy!’.
Bill Whitaker Biography |
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| Real Name | Bill Whitaker |
| Birth Date | 26 August 1951 |
| Age | 69 Years |
| Birth Place | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Journalist |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sun sign | Virgo |
Physical Statistics |
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| Height | in feet inches – 6’ 1” – in Centimetres – 185 cm |
| Weight | in Kilograms – 83 kg – in Pounds – 182 lbs |
| Chest Size | 40 inches |
| Waist Size | 36 inches |
| Biceps Size | 15.5 inches |
| Shoe Size | 12 (U.S.) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Body Type | Average |
Family |
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| Father | William Whitaker Sr. |
| Mother | Mary Whitaker |
| Sister | Not Known |
| Brother | Not Known |
Qualification/Education |
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| School | Not Known |
| College | Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Boston University |
Relationship Status |
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| Marital Status | Married |
| Affair | No |
| Is he a Gay? | No |
| Wife | Terry |
| Children | Two (Gail Whitaker, Lesley Whitaker) |
Personal Life
According to the research, it is known that Bill is married to his wife Terry and is a father of two children, a son William and a daughter Lesley. However, there is not much information available concerning the couples dating history.
Bill Whitaker Net Worth
The media personality is still on his journey to become the best of the rest and is expecting more. Whitaker got fame, which he always dreamt of. He has been able to gather a decent amount of wealth over these years. Bill has an estimated net worth of $2 million and his annual salary is estimated at around $200,000. He amassed his wealth from the income he makes from his professional journalism career.
Trivia
- He spreads awareness into the divisive issue of race and policing in America from Cleveland, Chicago, and lately from Tulsa through his reported stories.
- Whitaker was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 1997.
- In June 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from Knox College in Illinois.
- He is well-recognized as the 2018 winner of the Paul White Award which is the RTDNAS highest honor for career achievement.
- Bill won numerous awards namely the Dupont-Columbia University award, an RTDNA Murrow award, and the Peabody Emmy.