Mediaite’s Most Influential in News Media 2022
55. Charles Barkley
Having inked a new contract with TNT in October that could pay him nearly $200 million over 10 years, Charles Barkley now gets paid more money to talk about basketball than all but a handful get to play basketball. The retired NBA great called it “life-altering” money, and he earned it — given that he’s the key cog to the best sports studio show of all-time, Inside the NBA. Barkley and Co. took their zany antics to a whole new level in 2022, and on that basis alone, every single edition of Inside the NBA is a content-fest for the sports blogosphere. But what separates Barkley from his brilliant castmates — and, for that matter, just about every other broadcaster in sports — is the gravity he brings to serious subjects. The NBA and the Brooklyn Nets dragged their feet suspending Kyrie Irving for promoting a film with anti-Semitic tropes, but soon after Barkley called the league out for dropping the ball, Irving was suspended. His is a voice the NBA can never ignore and he wields major influence well beyond sports with news programs regularly asking him to weigh in on a variety of topics.
54. Keith Poole
Brad Wakefield/The Sun
When Rupert Murdoch named a new editor to lead the New York Post last year, effectively replacing the infamous Col Allan, you would be forgiven for not recognizing the new chief’s name. Keith Poole, after all, had come from England. While there, he achieved remarkable success with The Sun, another tabloid with a ribald enthusiasm for sex, celebrity, and right wing politics. But where Allan saw boosting Trump as vital to the Post’s survival, Poole has drummed up remarkable buzz by breaking away from the man whose public persona was arguably crafted by the Post several decades ago. The tabloid’s brutal series of front pages savaging Trump, and its mocking coverage of his 2024 re-election campaign, are the talk of the town. Has Rupe finally dumped Trump? It’s hard to say. But Keith certainly has, and for Trump’s favorite newspaper, that matters a whole lot.
53. Andy McCarthy
Fox News legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy emerged as perhaps the most influential conservative voice on legal issues in 2022. A regular on Fox News and in the pages of the National Review, his clear-eyed analysis on news ranging from protecting Supreme Court justices to Trump’s legal troubles often made headlines themselves. The issues McCarthy discussed on air were also tackled in more depth in widely-read columns and his podcast, The McCarthy Report. McCarthy’s forceful opinions on Trump’s handling of classified documents – and his prediction Trump would be indicted – sent shockwaves, no less because of his reputation as a conservative who plays it straight. With the former president facing possible prosecution and the Supreme Court top of America’s mind, legal analysis is front and center of the news cycle – and will continue to be as we approach the 2024 election cycle. McCarthy demonstrated throughout the year that his view of those issues make news.
52. Alex Wagner
When MSNBC needed to find a host to replace the irreplaceable, the network turned to Alex Wagner. She was tapped to succeed Rachel Maddow at 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, after the network’s biggest name dropped down to one night a week. Alex Wagner Tonight made its debut on MSNBC back in August, and it drew an initial audience of 2 million viewers. While in the months since Wagner has not matched the audience of her predecessor, she’s been a safe addition to the MSNBC prime time lineup. It takes time to grow an audience, something Wagner and MSNBC leadership are keenly aware of. Wagner has been candid about that, describing her new show as a “work in progress.” Despite her humility, Wagner is now in charge of the most coveted hour of cable news programming on a network that remains a go-to for millions of progressive Americans.
51. Gayle King
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
There wasn’t a single major moment this year where Gayle King didn’t feature prominently in coverage throughout CBS News. While she co-anchors CBS Mornings throughout the week with Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson, King’s omnipresence extended far beyond the glow of the news screen weekday mornings. Her interviews with Vice President Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, Cherelle Griner, Megan Thee Stallion, Johnny Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez, and viral video subject Miya Ponsetto, built on her already legendary reel of high profile sit downs. Not to mention King’s appearance at the U.S. Open honoring Serena Williams or at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner presenting a new award honoring two of the first Black women to report on the White House. King has clearly settled into a stateswoman role within television journalism, which is why she’s receiving the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism early next year. While she was reportedly courted by Jeff Zucker to take over CNN’s 9 p.m. time slot from the ousted Chris Cuomo (before Zucker’s own ouster), King signed a multi-million dollar contract extension with CBS at the beginning of the year, cementing her status as a mainstay at the network for years to come.
50. Cecilia Vega
ABC/Martin H. Simon
Cecilia Vega, the renowned ABC News White House correspondent, was not deterred from pressing administration officials in the White House briefing room after then-President Trump infamously insulted her during a press conference in 2018. But her tough disposition was not reserved for the Trump White House. When the Biden administration took charge, Vega maintained her reputation as a dogged reporter who holds presidents accountable — regardless of party (or personal insults). She has confronted the current administration on everything from the state of Ukraine to the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. Vega continued to prove this year that she’ll press hard, no matter which party is in the White House. She’s also shown a different side to her broadcasting talents by stepping up and filling in for Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. Vega can banter as easily as she can interrogate.
49. Chris Cuomo
Theo Wargo/Getty Images for THR
Chris Cuomo sat on the sidelines for most of the year after he was ousted by CNN in December 2021 amid a storm of controversy. The decision was a difficult one for the network: Cuomo was its top-rated anchor. Since his ouster, ratings have declined and new leadership has yet to fill his old time slot with a permanent host. After leaving CNN, Cuomo visited war-torn Ukraine and launched a podcast, The Chris Cuomo Project. In October, he made his comeback official, launching a prime time show on NewsNation. He vowed the show would be a forum for all voices in a media landscape ruled by partisanship. The show is new and still finding its footing, but has had no problem booking big-name guests almost every night. As Kanye West began embracing anti-Semitism, Cuomo was the first to really challenge the rapper on air — bringing to the interview the same pugilistic fervor that made him a CNN star. But most importantly, when it comes to influence, Cuomo ends 2022 as he began it: generating headlines from a TV near you.
48. Martha MacCallum
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Generally speaking, the more entertaining moments on cable news tend to occur in primetime, but Martha MacCallum has made The Story a frequent platform for spirited and compelling debate. The host of Fox News’s 3 p.m. time slot embraced on-air conflict numerous times in 2022. Frequent guests included White House economic advisers Jared Bernstein and Gene Sperling, with whom MacCallum and guests did battle. MacCallum isn’t reluctant to grill Republicans, either. Speaking with Sen. Rick Scott, she confronted him by citing a report about his handling of money as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “Where did all that money go?” she asked him, two months before the GOP failed to retake the Senate. MacCallum’s ratings aren’t too shabby either, as The Story routinely drubs its CNN and MSNBC counterparts. What’s more, she was a crucial component of Fox’s election night coverage alongside Bret Baier.
47. Jim Acosta
CNN Newsroom weekend anchor Jim Acosta is wrapping up a year that featured numerous interviews of prominent figures, a stamp of approval from the network’s Powers That Be, and even a blessing from a Jedi. Acosta’s wide-ranging coverage included thought-provoking chats with Garry Kasparov and veteran anchor Sam Donaldson, clashes with Trump’s former DHS chief and the America First Policy Institute comms chief, and an on-the-ground interview with a fascinating Florida Man nicknamed “Chainsaw” who successfully rescued three people during Hurricane Ian. One highlight for the Star Wars fan was his interview with Mark Hamill, who has been partnering with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky to help raise funds for drones. Acosta busted out his Yoda impression and drew a laugh and praise from Luke Skywalker himself. While Acosta remains a regular target for conservatives, it’s hard to argue with his results. He has delivered strong ratings for CNN across the six hours he’s on air over the weekend, a performance that earns him the distinction of being the only host on CNN that can beat Fox News in both total viewers and the younger demo. When rumors swirled online that the anchor would be one of the boldface names to get axed under the new CNN regime, sources within the network were quick to smack down the chatter, with one person close to CNN leadership memorably telling Mediaite the rumors were “absolute bullsh*t.”
46. Jonathan Swan
Jonathan Swan shocked the Beltway media in November when he joined the New York Times from Axios, where he spent six years establishing himself as a preeminent political reporter with big scoops and bigger interviews. The Times boasted about poaching the Australia-born journalist by referring to him as “a gifted, dogged and high-impact reporter” who is “one of the biggest news breakers and best-sourced reporters in Washington.” His source-building metabolism is almost legendary at this point, but in 2022 he scored a series of impressive interviews that made headlines. In April, Swan relentlessly grilled Mitch McConnell for saying he’d support Trump if he were the 2024 nominee after the senator accused the former president of being “morally responsible” for inciting the Capitol riot. “How do you go from saying that to two weeks later saying you would absolutely support Donald Trump if he is the Republican nominee in 2024?” Swan asked. The question led to a tense exchange, which is typical of Swan’s discussions with powerful figures who wish they were talking to almost anyone else.
