Christiane Amanpour: Jounalism’s Savant
There are some characters in history that are beneficial to the social curation of world-
renowned organizations. For example, without Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the NAACP wouldn’t
have gained in cultural popularity so quickly and without Betty Friedman, the National
organization of Women ( NOW ) wouldn’t have sprung into the American sub-consciousness.
Similarly, without Christiane Amanpour, CNN certainly wouldn’t be where it is today with
truthful on the ground journalism. In a recorded conversation with Ralph Rannali on the Harvard
Kennedy School’s Policy Cast, Amanpour sat down to explain her completed relationship to
journalism from her subtle beginnings in the career to now having head her own CNN show: The
Amanpour Hour.
As Amanpour is the Chief International Anchor of CNN’s Flagship global affairs program, it
is not surprising when Rannali immediately starts digging into Amanpour's views of the western
world as an international journalist. Quick to respond, Amanpour chuckled at the question and
gave her takes on America’s subtle but unseemly shift towards authoritarianism. She then went
on to state how taking an outside look at America’s political state provides her more of an
observation-only basis on which to formulate her opinions. Furthermore, as the conversation
shifted from domestic politics and personal experiences, Amanpour didn’t stray from reiterating
the goal of journalism which she says is the act of "pursuing truth– not neutrality” in whatever
form that may be. This is critical for Amanmpour, as she explained how misinformation is
rampant not just in the states but in many European and middle eastern countries, making ethical
and observant journalism even more essential in this confused, online world.
However, Amanpour makes it clear towards the end of the short 29 minute interview that
despite the world's current disposition, she still has hope for the future as bands of new
journalists are hailing from across the globe to face larger than life issues head on, unafraid of the
potential social consequence that might come with spreading the unfiltered and ugly truth.
Works Cited:
“Christiane Amanpour | Biography & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/biography/Christiane-Amanpour.
“20 Best Public Policy Podcasts to Listen to in 2026.” FeedSpot for Podcasters, 13 Apr. 2020, podcast.feedspot.com/public_policy_podcasts/?_src=breadcrumb/. Accessed 14 June 2026.
