John Stossel has built a distinguished career as an Emmy-winning journalist, transitioning from consumer reporting to becoming a prominent libertarian pundit and author. His career includes significant time at ABC News, Fox Business Network, and his current venture, StosselTV, demonstrating a career dedicated to investigative journalism and advocating for free-market principles.
John Stossel began his journalism career as a researcher for KGW-TV in Portland, Oregon.
He was a consumer reporter at WCBS-TV in New York City.
Stossel joined ABC News as a consumer editor and reporter on 'Good Morning America' and later became an ABC News correspondent, joining '20/20' as co-anchor.
Stossel left ABC News in 2009 to join the Fox Business Network, hosting a weekly news show called 'Stossel' and contributing to Fox News programming.
Stossel moved on to help produce content for Reason TV after his show 'Stossel' concluded.
Threshold Editions, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, published Stossel's third book 'No, They Can't: Why Government Fails – But Individuals Succeed'.
Since February 2011, Stossel has written a weekly newspaper column for Creators Syndicate.
With financial support from the libertarian Palmer R. Chitester Fund, Stossel and ABC News launched a series of educational materials for public schools in 1999 entitled 'Stossel in the Classroom'.
The 'Stossel in the Classroom' program was taken over in 2006 by the Center for Independent Thought, which releases a new DVD of teaching materials annually.
Stossel is a faculty member of the Charles Koch Institute.
Fox Business Network host John Stossel was interviewed by The Heritage Foundation about his work at FBN and why he left ABC.
John Stossel joined the ABC newsmagazine 20/20 in 1981, and began his critically acclaimed series of one-hour prime-time specials in 1994, which was mentioned in an Imprimis article by Hillsdale College.
John Stossel is an Emmy award-winning journalist, Fox News contributor, and keynote speaker on current affairs, represented by Leading Authorities.
His articles appear in online publications such as Newsmax.
His articles appear in online publications such as Townhall.
Prior to joining FBN, Stossel co-anchored ABC's primetime newsmagazine show, 20/20. Earlier in his career, Stossel served as consumer editor at Good Morning America, as mentioned on Open To Debate.
Born on March 6, 1947, in Chicago Heights, Illinois, John Frank Stossel began his journalism career at KGW-TV in Portland, Oregon, working his way from newsroom gofer to on-air reporter. Despite struggling with stage fright and a childhood stutter, he developed a unique reporting style, inspired by figures like David Brinkley and Jack Perkins, and received therapy that helped him manage his speech impediment. His early experiences at WCBS-TV in New York City honed his focus on story ideas that challenged conventional thinking, leading him to investigate systemic issues rather than daily news, a turning point that shaped his journalistic approach and philosophical leanings.
Stossel’s career progressed significantly when he joined ABC News in 1981, first as a correspondent for “20/20” and a consumer reporter for “Good Morning America.” He became widely recognized for his “Give Me a Break” segments, which critically examined topics ranging from government regulations to pop culture, and which eventually led to a series of prime-time specials starting in 1994. During this period, Stossel’s exposure to “Reason” magazine influenced his shift towards libertarianism, a perspective he openly embraced, often challenging established liberal viewpoints and traditional media narratives. He was named co-anchor of “20/20” in May 2003, further solidifying his role as a prominent, often controversial, voice in American journalism.
In October 2009, Stossel left ABC News to join the Fox Business Network and Fox News Channel, seeking more airtime to explore his libertarian principles and advocate for individual freedom, free-market capitalism, and small government. He hosted “Stossel,” a weekly news show on Fox Business from December 2009 to December 2016, where he continued to investigate and comment on current affairs through a free-market lens. Following his departure from Fox, Stossel launched StosselTV in 2017, an online channel distributing weekly videos via social media platforms, extending his reach and continuing his mission to educate a younger generation on his principles. He has authored three books, “Give Me a Break” (2004), “Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity” (2007), and “No, They Can’t: Why Government Fails – But Individuals Succeed” (2012), all of which explore his libertarian views and critique government overreach. Stossel has been honored with 19 Emmy Awards and five awards from the National Press Club for his contributions to journalism.
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