What Time is Lester On? Tuning in to the Esteemed Broadcast Journalism Career of Lester Holt
If you flip on NBC at 6:30 pm ET on a weekday, you‘ll see the familiar face of Lester Holt delivering the day‘s top news stories as anchor of NBC Nightly News. The seasoned journalist also leads NBC‘s long-running newsmagazine Dateline on Friday nights at 9 pm ET.
Lester‘s steady presence in our living rooms five nights a week might make you wonder – what‘s his background, how did he get to NBC, and what‘s a news anchor salary like his worth nowadays?
In this article, we‘ll explore Lester Holt‘s respected broadcast news career and take a look at his current net worth of $35 million. You‘ll learn how the California native worked his way up through the TV news ranks and ended up one of the most well-known and highly compensated anchors.
Before the Bright Lights – Holt‘s Early Broadcasting Aspirations
As a kid growing up near Sacramento, Lester Holt dreamed of a career in radio. He was drawn to the DJs and personalities who came through the speakers of his transistor radio.
In high school, Holt landed his first media job delivering on-air updates for a local radio station. He eventually made his way to New York City where he majored in government at California State University.
To earn money during college, Holt worked at a San Francisco radio station as a disc jockey and news reporter. These early broadcasting experiences lit the spark for his future illustrious journalism career.
Paying His Dues – A 19-Year CBS News Tenure
After graduating in 1981, Lester Holt was hired by CBS News Radio in New York City. He quickly rose through the ranks as a reporter and fill-in anchor. By 1986, he was named co-anchor of CBS‘ flagship morning news show.
In the 1990s, Holt transitioned to TV and started substituting on CBS This Morning and the CBS Evening News. His skilled anchoring earned him Emmy awards and helped make him a familiar face to viewers.
From 2000 to 2003, Holt cemented his status as a CBS News pillar – leading coverage of the Bush vs. Gore election recount, the September 11th attacks, and the start of the Iraq War. He gained widespread praise for his calm and steady presence during these historic events.
By the early 2000s, Lester had spent nearly two decades at CBS and was making an annual salary around $1 million. But he was about to move to a rival network for the next phase of his high-flying broadcast news career.
Joining NBC – A Springboard to Nightly News Anchor
In 2003, Lester Holt jumped ship to NBC News where he initially anchored the weekend editions of Today and Nightly News. His versatility covering breaking news and conducting interviews made him a perfect fit for NBC.
Within a few years at NBC, Holt‘s profile expanded as he was named host of Dateline NBC in 2011. This prominent role helming the newsmagazine show further displayed his skills as an interviewer and narrator.
In 2015, Lester got the call every news anchor dreams of. NBC asked him to take the reins of NBC Nightly News, the #1 most-watched evening newscast. He brought immediate gravitas to anchor chair vacated by Brian Williams.
Since taking over as lead anchor, Holt has helped NBC Nightly News stay atop the ratings. He averages over 8 million viewers a night with his straightforward delivery of the day‘s news.
Lester Holt‘s Current Salary and Estimated Net Worth
In 2019, NBC re-signed Lester Holt to a multi-year contract paying him $15 million per year. This salary places him among the top 3 highest paid news anchors in television behind only Fox‘s Sean Hannity at $40 million.
Holt‘s annual income is more than 4 times the median base salary for TV news anchors of $3.5 million. His lucrative deal reflects his value to NBC as the face of the network‘s news division.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Holt boasts an estimated personal net worth of $35 million. This derives primarily from his decades of high salaries at CBS and NBC.
It‘s a long way from his college DJ days. Through hard work and poise under pressure, Lester Holt has become an authoritative voice in broadcast journalism.
| Year | Est. Net Worth |
|---|---|
| Early 1990‘s at CBS | $1 Million |
| 2000 at CBS | $5 Million |
| 2010 at NBC | $12 Million |
| 2015 as NBC Nightly News anchor | $20 Million |
| Current in 2022 | $35 Million |
At only 62 years old, it‘s likely Holt‘s net worth will continue rising in tandem with his undisputed standing as a top news anchor.
What‘s Next for the Esteemed Lester Holt?
Lester Holt shows no signs of slowing down. He seems to relish his role delivering the day‘s headlines into America‘s living rooms.
Looking ahead, NBC will surely keep Holt in the NBC Nightly News anchor chair for the foreseeable future. Viewers associate his credibility and steadiness with the NBC news brand.
Beyond the daily news grind, Holt appears up for tackling interesting projects like last year‘s interview with actor Will Smith. He also enjoys spending time with his wife and labradoodle dog when off the air.
As television news evolves in the digital age, anchors with Lester Holt‘s poise and gravitas are as crucial as ever. We‘ll keep happily tuning in at 6:30 pm ET on weeknights for Holt‘s authoritative yet amiable delivery of the latest news.