Errol Barnett (born 3 April 1983) is a broadcaster on American television.[1] The Emmy-award winner is a British-born American anchor and national correspondent for CBS News based in New York City. He anchors the CBS Morning News solo.[2] Previously he covered the Trump administration in Washington D.C., anchored CNN Newsroom and hosted the cultural affairs program Inside Africa. Barnett is regularly invited to discuss his reporting on global issues and solutions at major forums for organizations like the UN, the Milken Institute and the Smithsonian.
Barnett was chosen as one of Teen People magazine's "20 Teens Who Will Change The World".[6] After being accepted to UCLA he left Channel One to complete his undergraduate studies.[7] At UCLA Barnett received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with a focus on international relations.[8] After graduation he was hired by CNN.
CNN (2008 - 2016)
Errol Barnett reporting for CNN with Anderson Cooper and Christian Amanpour during Nelson Mandela's memorial in South Africa on Dec. 10, 2013.
CNN initially assigned Barnett to report on the rise in influence of social media and in 2008 he was part of the most viewed streaming event in history during President Obama's Inauguration on CNN.com. In 2010, he anchored at noon ET on CNN International from CNN Abu Dhabi focusing on the Arab Spring, which was part of the network's Peabody-award winning coverage. As a CNN foreign correspondent, he was based in Johannesburg, South Africa covering the death of Nelson Mandela the Oscar Pistorius murder trial and various miner strikes.
Inside Africa
Barnett also hosted the network's longest running feature program Inside Africa from 2011 to 2014. During his time at the helm of the award-winning show Barnett reported from twenty-two countries including Senegal, Morocco, Ethiopia, and Madagascar.[9] The weekly half-hour documentary earned awards for its depiction of the continent,[10] with Barnett styling the program as a "journey of discovery."
CNN Newsroom
Errol Barnett at CNN Center in Atlanta, GA in 2015.
CBS News hired Barnett during the 2016 election as a Washington, D.C.–based correspondent and anchor appearing on CBS This Morning, the CBS Evening News and Face the Nation. Currently, he is based in New York City as a national correspondent and solo anchor of CBS Morning News airing daily on the channel's national streaming network.[12] His coverage includes the Presidencies of Donald Trump and Joe Biden, artificial intelligence, extreme weather and various breaking news events. He also conducts high-interest interviews; his chat with Wikipedia's top editor was viewed more than two million times.[13]
Secret Service incident
In 2018, the Secret Service issued a rare statement[14] after a viral interaction with Barnett, following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. As Barnett asked then-Presidential advisor Jared Kushner about his relationship with the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammad Bin Salman, a Secret Service agent "physically prevented" him. As the Washington Post reported, "Barnett can be seen attempting to ask Kushner a question as he makes his way off the plane, before a Secret Service agent appears to block his way. Barnett can then be seen showing his CBS and White House press credentials to one of the agents, who responds, 'I don’t give a damn who you are, there’s a time and a place.'"
In response to the backlash, the USSS said, "the actions were taken solely in response to an abrupt movement by an unknown individual who later identified themselves as a member of the media." On CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper, Barnett responded "the video speaks for itself".[14][15][16]
Joe Biden interview
During the 2020 U.S. Presidential election then-Vice President Joe Biden called Barnett a "junkie" in response to his question about cognitive abilities.[17] As part of a joint virtual convention between NABJ and NAHJ, Barnett asked Biden if he had taken a cognitive test, as his opponent, President Donald Trump, insisted.[18]
Biden replied, "No, I haven’t taken a test. Why the hell would I take a test? Come on, man. That’s like saying to you, before you got on this program if you had taken a test, were you taking cocaine or not? What do you think, huh? Are you a junkie?" Barnett pressed again to which Biden responded, "Well, if he can’t figure out the difference between an elephant and a lion, I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about."[19] The exchange was widely cited in the national press.[20]
CBS Morning News
Banner for the CBS Morning News starring Errol Barnett, streaming everywhere for free on CBS News 24/7 daily at 7a ET.
In 2024 Barnett was named solo anchor of the CBS Morning News, airing weekdays at 7a ET on the CBS streaming platform ahead of CBS Mornings.[21]Forbes wrote this places "Barnett in a class of anchors that include his colleagues Nate Burleson and Vladimir Duthiers, along with Craig Melvin, Al Roker, Bryant Gumbel, and Michael Strahan."[22]Variety called him a "veteran of CBS and CNN... who also worked as a fill-in on “CBS Mornings,” “CBS Saturday Morning” and the “CBS Weekend News,” and he has examined issues pertaining to technology, including documentary features examining cryptocurrency mining and the growth of e-sports."[23]
Speaker and Moderator
Errol Barnett addressing the UN's World Urban Forum in Cairo, Egypt. Nov. 2024.
Barnett regularly moderates discussions and speaks at conferences on the topics of freedom of the press, U.S. politics and various international issues. Events have included:
