Nightly news anchors—figures like Walter Cronkite, Diane Sawyer, and Edward R. Murrow, who guided the nation through crises with steady authority. But that era is fading, as revealed by the DailyMail+ Power List, which ranks America’s top news anchors based on exclusive polling of likeability, trustworthiness, perceived bias, and knowledge.
The media landscape is fracturing. While traditional TV anchors retain loyal audiences, viewers are increasingly turning to YouTubers, podcasters, and former network stars building their own platforms.
The Power List highlights who Americans trust for news—and how deeply divided the country is.CNN’s Anderson Cooper, 58, tops the list as America’s best-loved anchor, excelling in most categories except neutrality, a nod to his liberal stance.
Earning a reported $18 million annually, Cooper has been a CNN mainstay for 23 years, weathering layoffs under CEO Mark Thompson since 2023. An insider noted, “If Anderson left, it would be an earthquake. He’s CNN’s last true brand anchor—its face of credibility and class.”
However, the survey offers grim news for media executives. All anchors scored below 50% for bias, reflecting record-low trust in mainstream media. Jon Stewart of The Daily Show ranks second, followed by ABC’s David Muir (third), Fox News’ Harris Faulkner (fourth, the top woman), and CNN’s Wolf Blitzer (fifth). Fox News dominates the top ten, with Jesse Watters (sixth), Laura Ingraham (eighth), and Bret Baier (ninth). ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, despite a defamation lawsuit from Donald Trump, secures seventh. Charlie Kirk, a rising MAGA star from Turning Point USA, rounds out the top ten, boosted by his podcast and Fox & Friends guest-hosting.
Stewart, who returned to The Daily Show in 2024 after retiring in 2015, excels in likability and knowledge but ranks low on bias despite his efforts to critique both political sides. At the bottom, former MSNBC host Joy Reid is America’s least favorite, deemed least likable and knowledgeable, just below colleagues Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, who rank as the least truthful.