Since the inception of the motion picture, there have been countless movie and TV show news reporters that have perfectly captured the essence and determination of tried and true journalists. Look at some of the Best Picture winners and you’ll find reporters breaking massive scandals, or some of the best sitcoms of all time and you’ll see hilarious takes on the profession. Here are 32 memorable movie and TV show news reporters that have made an impact on us in one way or another.
Bob Woodward And Carl Bernstein (All The President's Men)
Alan J. Pakula’s All the President’s Men saw Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman portray legendary Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, respectively, as they broke the biggest political scandal of the 20th century. Based on the actual events that brought down the Nixon Administration, this newspaper thriller made journalists look like larger-than-life figures.
Megan Carter (Absence Of Malice)
Sally Field took on the role of Miami Standard reporter Megan Carter in Sydney Pollack’s 1981 thriller, Absence of Malice. One of the most influential and impactful journalism movies, this drama follows Carter as she begins to learn the consequences of her actions after being duped into writing an inaccurate story about a man suspected of a high-profile murder.
Annie Reed (Sleepless In Seattle)
Sleepless in Seattle, which was written and directed by the late journalist-turned-filmmaker Nora Ephron, is one of the best romantic comedies of all time, but it’s also a great film about newspaper reporters. Though we don’t see much of Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) breaking big stories for the Baltimore Sun, she does use her skills to track down Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) after hearing his story on a call-in radio show.
William Miller (Almost Famous)
Inspired by writer-director Cameron Crowe’s experience following bands in his teenage years, Almost Famous centers on William Miller (Patrick Fugit), a young Rolling Stone magazine freelancer as he travels with on-the-rise rock outfit Stillwater. Experiencing the ups and downs of life on the road and impending stardom, Miller embarks upon an epic coming-of-age story of his own.
Gray Grantham (The Pelican Brief)
Alan J. Pakula’s adaptation of the John Grisham classic, The Pelican Brief, is part legal thriller and part excellent journalism movie as it follows a reporter (played by Denzel Washington) and a young law student (played by Julia Roberts) as they try to uncover a massive conspiracy before they become the latest victims of some nasty killers.
Clark Kent (Superman Movies And Shows)
You can’t have Superman without his secret identity, Clark Kent, and luckily all the movies, TV shows, and cartoons about the iconic comic book character have done just that. Some may be better than others, but each portrayal has added a nice balance to the stoic and resilient man of steel.
Phil Connors (Groundhog Day)
Phil, Phil Connors? Yes, Bill Murray’s grumpy weatherman from Groundhog Day is a reporter we will never forget. Stuck in a time loop while covering the annual tradition in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, this short-tempered and curmudgeonly TV personality has been warming the hearts of audiences for the past 30-plus years.
Carrie Bradshaw (And Just Like That)
Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) has been writing columns about her love life and just about everything else since the days of her hit HBO show and she continues that trend in the follow-up series, And Just Like That. Though not technically a reporter – she’s not breaking earth-shattering news unless it’s about shoes – Carrie’s openness and willingness to write about everything should be marveled.
The Spotlight Team (Spotlight)
We couldn’t pick just one member from the titular team of investigative reporters from Spotlight, so we decided to throw in the entire bunch from the Boston Globe. The reporters and editors at the core of Tom McCarthy’s 2015 drama stop at nothing to uncover a story even if it means putting their professional and personal reputations on the line.
Aaron Altman (Broadcast News)
Though he’s lacking when it comes to social skills and had a terrible performance filling in as an anchor, Aaron Altman (Albert Brooks) in Broadcast News is one of the best reporters to ever grace the silver screen. Is he entirely likable? No, not really, but reporters aren’t typically in the business of making friends.
Bridget Jones (Bridget Jones's Diary)
A talented writer and hopeless romantic, Renée Zellweger’s titular character tries her hand at being a reporter in 2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary. In this modern spin on Pride & Prejudice, the fledgling reporter finds out that jumping careers is no easy task. Despite some trouble and embarrassing moments, Bridget does, in fact, find her way.
Bruce Nolan (Bruce Almighty)
Before obtaining the powers of God, Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) makes a living as a lowly TV reporter who never seems to get a serious or worthwhile story. But as he finds out time and time again in Bruce Almighty, sometimes that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Edward R. Murrow (Good Night, and Good Luck)
Edward R. Murrow was one of the greatest journalists and news anchors America has ever produced, and one of the shining moments of his career was told in beautiful detail in Good Night, and Good Luck. Portrayed by David Strathairn, Murrow is depicted as a man who’ll stop at nothing and make no compromises for the truth, even if it means risking it all.
Gale Weathers (The Scream Movies)
A couple of years after becoming one of the biggest stars on the planet with Friends, Courteney Cox added another iconic character to her resume with Gale Weathers from Scream. Is she a little self-serving? Yes! But does she know how to follow a lead and track down a story? Yes again.
Raoul Duke (Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas)
Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is perhaps the most iconic and over-the-top portrayal of a real-life journalist in the history of film. A stand-in for Hunter S. Thompson, this hopped-up and crazed sports reporter travels to Sin City for a desert motorcycle race but soon finds himself in a nightmarish hellscape filled with cops, lizard people, bats, and a crazed lawyer.
Henry Hackett (The Paper)
Ron Howard’s 1994 newspaper dramedy, The Paper is one of the great “set in 24 hours” movies of the 20th century and follows New York Sun editor Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton) as he and his team cover a major story with massive implications. Like any good newsman, Henry tries his best to get the story right and potentially save some innocent lives in the process.
Les Nessman (WKRP In Cincinnati)
WKRP in Cincinnati has a retro theme song that still slaps but it also has one of the funniest reporters with Less Nessman (Richard Sanders). Like, his famous line, “I really don’t know how to describe it; it was like the turkeys mounted a counter-attack” made “Turkeys Away” one of the most iconic Thanksgiving episodes of all time.
Lois Lane (Superman Movies And Shows)
Lois Lane, who has been portrayed by the likes of Margot Kidder, Amy Adams, and Teri Hatcher over the years, is one of the best reporters to ever grace the pages of DC Comics and various film and TV Superman adaptations over the years. The fearless yet compassionate Daily Bugle newswoman is an inspiration to us all.
Brandon Walsh (Beverly Hills, 90210)
Brandon Walsh (Jason Priestly) was at the center of several of Beverly Hills, 90210’s major plotlines, and during that time he was an intrepid reporter as both a student and a young professional. Though the iconic ‘90s series isn’t the first to come to mind when talking about journalism, Brandon was extremely passionate about his profession and quite talented.
Lowell Bergman (The Insider)
More than a decade after making a really good move on his first try with Thief, Michael Mann gave us one of the best 1999 movies with The Insider. In this thriller, which was inspired by a true story, Al Pacino played American journalist Lowell Bergman as he interviewed a tobacco industry whistleblower (played by Russell Crowe). Though forced to overcome some serious obstacles, Bergman never kept his eye off the prize and truth.
Ford Perfect (The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy)
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is one of the most beloved sci-fi books of all time, and its 2005 adaptation features a hilarious and unforgettable performance by Mos Def as Ford Perfect. The way the rapper-turned-actor brings the alien reporter to life is absolutely wonderful and is equal parts charming and hilarious.
Rita Skeeter (The Harry Potter Movies)
One of the absolute worst Harry Potter characters, Rita Skeeter (Miranda Richardson) is often depicted as a sensationalistic, opportunistic, and morally bankrupt reporter for the Daily Prophet newspaper. If she has to bend a truth or make up a lie to sell a paper, she’ll do it and then some.
Kimberly Wells (The China Syndrome)
A movie that shows the power of journalism, The China Syndrome follows TV reporter Kimberly Wells (Jane Fonda) as she uncovers a series of coverups at a nuclear plant and the fallout of her discovery. Despite everything that is thrown her way, this fearless and gutsy reporter does not let anything or anyone bring her down.
Vicki Vale (Batman)
Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) is not only one of the best reporters from a DC Comics movie, but she’s also one of the best characters. Newly arrived in Gotham City when she meets Batman and his secret identity, Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton), Vale inadvertently gets a little too close to the story, especially when the Joker (Jack Nicholson) gets involved.
Murphy Brown (Murphy Brown)
Over the course of 11 seasons, Candice Bergen played the titular journalist on CBS’ hit sitcom, Murphy Brown. A tough-as-nails yet sincere investigative reporter and news anchor, Murphy was a trailblazer when the show launched in 1988 and didn’t let anything get in her way.
The French Dispatch Staff (The French Dispatch)
Some of Wes Anderson’s most prolific collaborators were on the staff of this fictional news magazine in his 2021 anthology film, The French Dispatch. With travel writers, investigative reporters, art critics, and a group of tireless editors and fact-checkers, this rowdy outfit headed up by Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray) made each issue a must-read, or must-watch in this case.
April O'Neil (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
Present in all the different variations of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, April O’Neil is a great reporter and an even better friend. The trusted ally of the “Heroes in a Half-Shell,” this reporter with a “go get ‘em” attitude has been known to break a big story or two over the years, all while hanging with some radical friends.
Paul Avery (Zodiac)
Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.) from Zodiac is a journalist who cares about his work deep down, no matter how much he tries to tell you otherwise. One of the core figures of David Fincher’s underrated crime film, this San Francisco Chronicle writer became obsessed with tracking down the mysterious killer, even if it meant giving up everything in return.
Louis 'Lou' Bloom (Nightcrawler)
Louis “Lou” Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) in Nightcrawler is memorable for all the wrong reasons. Lacking the formal training, moral compass, and self-control of other journalists, Lou was more of a coyote than a human in this 2014 thriller about videographers and the great lengths they take to capture brutality on the streets of Los Angeles.
Brian Fantana (Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgandy)
Paul Rudd’s Brian Fantana is honestly one of the best things about Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and manages to not be overshadowed by Will Ferrell’s titular newsman. Though his cologne choices are a crime against humanity and his professionalism is lacking, this San Diego reporter has a special place in our hearts.
Stephen Glass (Shattered Glass)
Shattered Glass, which is based on a true story, is a cautionary tale about what not to do as a journalist as seen in the fall from grace experienced by Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen). More infamous than famous, Glass stops at nothing to make a name for himself as a young promising journalist, even if it means fabricating or completely making up stories and sources.
Jerry Thompson (Citizen Kane)
Jerry Thompson (William Alland) might not be the first character that comes to mind when talking about Citizen Kane, but the reporter is a key part of the Orsen Welles classic. Tasked with uncovering the meaning of Charles Foster Kane’s (Welles) final words, “Rosebud,” Thompson embarks upon a journey to uncover the truth.
