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United States Lester Holt is an award-winning American broadcast journalist and news anchor, widely recognized for his authoritative presence and extensive experience in reporting on global events and significant national stories.
Lester Holt has a long-standing career with NBC News, having anchored 'NBC Nightly News' since 2015 and 'Dateline' since 2011, establishing himself as a prominent journalist within the network. He has also engaged in various campaigns and collaborations, leveraging his role for brand endorsements and social media activations.
Lester Holt became the first ambassador for Poynter's MediaWise project, an initiative focused on educating younger generations on digital literacy and how to consume news responsibly.
Lester Don Holt Jr., born on March 8, 1959, in Marin County, California, embarked on his journalism career shortly after attending California State University, Sacramento, where he majored in government. His professional journey began in 1981 as a reporter for WCBS-TV in New York City. Over the next 19 years, Holt honed his skills at CBS, working as a reporter, anchor, and international correspondent. This period included a stint in Los Angeles at KNXT (1982–1983) before returning to WCBS-TV and a significant 14-year tenure as an evening news anchor at WBBM-TV in Chicago. During his time at CBS, Holt reported from various international locations, including Iraq, Northern Ireland, Somalia, El Salvador, and Haiti, establishing himself as a journalist capable of covering complex global issues.
In 2000, Holt transitioned to MSNBC, and by 2003, he assumed full-time duties at NBC News. He initially served as a substitute anchor for ‘NBC Nightly News’ and ‘Today.’ Following the passing of David Bloom, Holt became a full-time co-anchor of ‘Weekend Today.’ His role at NBC expanded further in 2007 when he was named anchor of the weekend edition of ‘NBC Nightly News,’ a position he held for eight years. In 2011, he also took on the role of anchor for ‘Dateline NBC,’ a program he continues to host. These early roles solidified his versatile presence across NBC’s news and current affairs programming.
A pivotal moment in Holt’s career occurred in 2015 when he was appointed interim anchor of the weekday ‘NBC Nightly News’ after Brian Williams’s suspension. By June of the same year, Holt was made the permanent anchor, becoming the first Black male solo anchor for a major network newscast. During his tenure, he moderated a presidential debate in 2016 and conducted a notable interview with President Donald Trump in 2017. He covered significant events from the COVID-19 pandemic to the January 6 Capitol Attack, delivering monologues that garnered media attention. Holt stepped down from ‘NBC Nightly News’ in May 2025 to focus entirely on ‘Dateline NBC,’ marking nearly a decade at the helm of the network’s flagship evening newscast.
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