Born: 1954 (Chevy Chase, Maryland)
Biography:
Gayle King (born December 28, 1954) is an American television personality, author, and broadcast journalist for CBS News. She is best known for co-hosting its flagship morning program, CBS Mornings, and before that its predecessor CBS This Morning. In addition, she serves as an editor-at-large for O, The Oprah Magazine. King has made a significant impact on the media landscape and has been recognized as one of the most influential personalities in recent years.
Gayle King was born in Chevy Chase, Maryland to parents Peggy Tucker and Emmett Scott King. From the ages of six to eleven, she lived in Ankara, Turkey, where her father was deployed. In 1966, the family returned to the United States, and her father worked as an electrical engineer. King pursued her higher education at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she obtained a degree in psychology.
King’s career in broadcast journalism began at WJZ-TV in Baltimore, where she worked as a production assistant. It was during this time that she crossed paths with Oprah Winfrey, an anchor for the station. King then continued her training as a reporter at WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C. She later moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where she served as a weekend anchor and general-assignment reporter for WDAF-TV.
In 1981, King joined WFSB in Hartford, Connecticut, as a news anchor. She spent a remarkable 18 years there, during which time she also resided in Glastonbury, Connecticut. King’s talent and dedication earned her recognition, and she became a familiar face to viewers in the region.
Aside from her work in television news, King ventured into the world of talk shows. She worked as a special correspondent for The Oprah Winfrey Show and briefly co-hosted an NBC daytime talk show called Cover to Cover in 1991. However, the show was discontinued after 13 weeks. Undeterred, King was offered her own syndicated talk show, The Gayle King Show, in 1997. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after just one season due to low ratings.
In September 2006, King found a new platform on XM Satellite Radio, where she hosted The Gayle King Show. Her talent and ability to connect with her audience led to another opportunity in January 2011 when she began hosting a new show called The Gayle King Show on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). This show, too, had a short run and ended in November 2011.
However, the culmination of King’s career came when she joined CBS in January 2012 to co-anchor CBS This Morning alongside Charlie Rose. The show was initially met with skepticism but ultimately flourished, thanks in part to King and Rose’s on-air chemistry. The duo’s friendship extended beyond the screen, and they remained close even after Rose’s departure from CBS due to sexual misconduct allegations. King and her co-hosts, which included Norah O’Donnell at times, achieved great success in the ratings.
Apart from her work in television, King joined O, The Oprah Magazine as an editor in 1999. She brought her insight and expertise to the magazine, contributing to its content and continuing to inspire women through her work.
Gayle King’s contributions to broadcast journalism and her influence on the media industry have not gone unnoticed. In 2019, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, highlighting her significant impact and contribution to society.