{{Short description|American journalist (born 1968)}} {{Infobox person | name = William Brangham | image = William Brangham.png | alt = | caption = Brangham while anchoring the ''PBS NewsHour'' on January 3, 2018 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1968}} | birth_place = | nationality = | other_names = | citizenship = | alma_mater = Colorado College (BA) | occupation = Journalist<br />Producer | years_active = 1990s—present | spouse = Tory Brangham | children = 3 | parents = | relatives = }}
'''William Brangham''' (born 1968)<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://search.alexanderstreet.com/preview/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C4216517 |title =Climate Activist Greta Thunberg On The Power Of A Movement |access-date =22 May 2020 |website =Alexander Street }}</ref> is an American journalist who is currently a correspondent, producer, and substitute anchor<ref>{{Cite web |title=William Brangham {{!}} Author |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/author/william-brangham |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-us}}</ref> for the ''PBS NewsHour''. He also hosts the weekly science series "Horizons on PBS." <ref>{{cite web |title=Horizons on PBS |url=https://www.pbs.org/show/horizons/ |website=Horizons on PBS |publisher=PBS News}}</ref>Before, he worked as a producer for several other television programs, mostly for PBS. He has won three Peabody Awards (in 2015, 2022, and 2025) and three News & Documentary Emmy Awards (in 2017, 2019, and 2020).
== Education and career == Brangham studied English language and literature at Colorado College between 1986 and 1990, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts.<ref name="Alumni">{{Cite web |url =https://alumnius.net/colorado_college-7994-61 |title =Colorado College |website =Alumni US |access-date =18 December 2017 }}</ref> He started his career as a research assistant and field producer for a number of Bill Moyers documentaries in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Those included ''Listening to America with Bill Moyers'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://billmoyers.com/series/listening-america-1992/|title=Listening to America {{!}} Shows {{!}} BillMoyers.com|work=BillMoyers.com|access-date=23 January 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> ''Close to Home: Moyers on Addiction'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://billmoyers.com/series/moyers-on-addiction-close-to-home-1998/|title=Moyers on Addiction: Close to Home {{!}} Shows {{!}} BillMoyers.com|work=BillMoyers.com|access-date=23 January 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> and ''On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying in America''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://billmoyers.com/series/on-our-own-terms-moyers-on-dying/|title=On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying {{!}} Shows {{!}} BillMoyers.com|work=BillMoyers.com|access-date=23 January 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="imdb"/> Additionally, Brangham worked on a variety of documentary films and projects for ABC News, National Geographic's ''Explorer'' series, several documentaries for PBS's ''Frontline'' series(1995/1996), and ''The New York Times'' documentary series ''Science Times'' (2001).<ref name="imdb"/>
After 9/11, Brangham re-joined Moyers' production company for the PBS newsmagazine ''Now'', where he shot, wrote, and produced dozens of broadcast stories and interviews over a period of six years.<ref name="imdb"/> After that, he was a producer on ''Bill Moyers Journal'', when it was revived in 2007, and later joined the PBS magazine show ''Need to Know'' in 2010.<ref name="imdb">{{Cite web |url =https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1000494/ |title =William Brangham |website =IMDb |access-date =18 December 2017 }}</ref> Brangham was a producer, cameraman, and occasional correspondent on ''Need to Know'' for its entire run. Separately, he taught as an adjunct professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism for a year.<ref name="Alumni"/>
In 2013, Brangham joined the weekend edition of ''PBS NewsHour'' in New York City as a producer, correspondent, and occasional substitute anchor. After two years, he become a correspondent for the ''PBS NewsHour'' in Washington, D.C., reporting on general events, conducting studio interviews, and occasionally filling in as anchor of the program.<ref>{{Cite web |url =https://www.pbs.org/newshour/press-releases/pbs-newshour-weekend-producer-william-brangham-join-weekday-program-correspondent |title =PBS NewsHour Weekend Producer William Brangham To Join Weekday Program As Correspondent |website =PBS |date =23 April 2015 |access-date =18 December 2017 }}</ref><ref name="smashcut">{{Cite web |url =https://www.smashcut.com/about/ |title =About |website =Smashcut |access-date =19 December 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/pbs-newshour-full-episode-january-3-2018|title=PBS NewsHour full episode January 3, 2018|website=PBS NewsHour|date=3 January 2018|language=en-US|access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref>
Brangham's reporting on the Syrian refugee crisis in Europe was among the programs cited for the ''NewsHour's'' 2015 Peabody Award.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/press-releases/pbs-newshour-named-peabody-award-recipient-for-desperate-journey-series|title=PBS NewsHour Named Peabody Award Recipient for Desperate Journey Series|website=PBS NewsHour|language=en-US|access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref>
In 2017, ''PBS NewsHour's'' six-part series "The End of AIDS?",<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pbs.org/newshour/features/end-of-aids/|title=The End of AIDS?|website=PBS|access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref> of which Brangham was the correspondent, won a News & Documentary Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding Science, Medical and Environmental Report".<ref>{{Cite web |url =http://emmyonline.com/download/News_38th_winners_Rev_12.06.17.pdf |access-date =18 December 2017 |page =15 |date =5 October 2017 |title =THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS AND SCIENCES ANNOUNCES WINNERS AT THE 38th ANNUAL NEWS & DOCUMENTARY EMMY® AWARDS |website =The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |archive-date =22 December 2017 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20171222051614/http://emmyonline.com/download/News_38th_winners_Rev_12.06.17.pdf |url-status =dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url =https://www.pbs.org/newshour/press-releases/pbs-newshours-end-aids-series-named-news-documentary-emmy-award-recipient |website =PBS |access-date =18 December 2017 |date =6 October 2017 |title =PBS NewsHour's "The End of AIDS?" Series Named News & Documentary Emmy Award Recipient }}</ref> That series also received several other awards, including the National Academies Communication Award in the category "Film/Radio/TV".<ref>{{Cite web |url =https://www.keckfutures.org/awards/2017winners.html |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20171022032807/https://www.keckfutures.org/awards/2017winners.html |url-status =usurped |archive-date =October 22, 2017 |website =Keck Futures Initiative |title =Communication Awards: 2017 Winners |access-date =19 December 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/awards|title=Awards|website=PBS NewsHour|language=en-US|access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref>
In 2018, Brangham worked with several NewsHour colleagues on an investigation into rape, harassment, and retaliation within the U.S. Forest Service.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/they-reported-sexual-harassment-then-the-retaliation-began|title = They reported sexual harassment. Then the retaliation began| website=PBS |date = March 2018}}</ref> That broadcast and online series, "On the Fire Line," prompted changes in how the Forest Service reports and investigates assault and harassment allegations and it led to the immediate resignation of the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/08/591807164/u-s-forest-service-chief-resigns-amid-sexual-misconduct-allegations|title = U.S. Forest Service Chief Resigns Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations|newspaper = NPR|date = 8 March 2018|last1 = McCallister|first1 = Doreen}}</ref> This reporting won a 2019 News & Documentary Emmy Award for "Outstanding Investigative Report in a Newscast",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/press-releases/pbs-newshour-named-recipient-of-two-news-documentary-emmy-awards|title=PBS NewsHour Named Recipient of Two News & Documentary Emmy Awards|website=PBS }}</ref> won a Webby Award,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/articles/2019/04/pbs-honored-with-webby-award-nominations/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402185215/https://www.pbs.org/articles/2019/04/pbs-honored-with-webby-award-nominations/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 2, 2019|title=PBS and Local Stations Honored with Webby Award Nominations|website=PBS }}</ref> was nominated for a Peabody, and won the 2018 Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://awards.journalists.org/entries/on-the-fire-line/|title = On the Fire Line}}</ref>
In 2019, Brangham and his NewsHour colleagues produced a three-part series called "Stopping a Killer Pandemic"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-another-flu-pandemic-is-likely-just-a-matter-of-when|title=Why another flu pandemic is likely just a matter of when|website=PBS |date=18 June 2019}}</ref> which looked at U.S. preparations for a flu pandemic. That series won a 2020 News & Documentary Emmy Award for "Outstanding Science, Medical and Environmental Report."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/press-releases/pbs-newshours-stopping-a-killer-pandemic-named-news-documentary-emmy-award-recipient|title = PBS NewsHour's "Stopping a Killer Pandemic" Named News & Documentary Emmy Award Recipient| website=PBS }}</ref> (Brangham's and his colleague's multi-part series about climate change in Antarctica, "Warnings from Antarctica",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/antarctic-penguins-have-existed-for-60-million-years-can-they-survive-climate-change|title = Antarctic penguins have existed for 60 million years. Can they survive climate change?| website=PBS |date = 3 April 2019}}</ref> was also nominated for an Emmy<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/press-releases/pbs-newshour-named-recipient-of-seven-news-documentary-emmy-award-nominations|title = PBS NewsHour Named Recipient of Seven News & Documentary Emmy Award Nominations| website=PBS }}</ref> in that same category, and became the NewsHour's first originally-produced podcast series, "The Last Continent".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts/the-last-continent|title = The Last Continent| website=PBS |date = 16 April 2019}}</ref>)
Brangham was part of the NewsHour team that won a 2022 Peabody Award for its coverage of guns and gun violence in America.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Guns in America |url=https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/guns-in-america/ |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=The Peabody Awards |language=en-US}}</ref> His reporting that year culminated in the NewsHour documentary, “Ricochet: An American Trauma.”<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-10 |title=Ricochet: An American Trauma |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/series/ricochet-an-american-trauma |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-us}}</ref>
Brangham's reporting on the Trump Administration's immigration crackdown was among the stories that helped the News Hour win a 2025 Peabody Award, which was cited for "its sweeping, authoritative, and balanced coverage of one of the most divisive issues of our time." <ref>{{cite web |title=Winner 2025 PBS News Hour Immigration Crackdown |url=https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/immigration-crackdown/ |website=Peabody Awards |publisher=peabody awards}}</ref>
== Personal life == Brangham is married. His wife is Tory, and they have two sons and one daughter.<ref>{{Cite web |url =https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/changes-afoot-amid-fears-concussions-youth-soccer |title =Does youth soccer need to change to prevent head injury? |date =28 February 2015 |website =PBS |access-date =18 December 2017 }}</ref> He lives in the Washington, D.C. area.<ref name="smashcut"/>
==Accolades== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Category ! scope="col"| Nominee(s) ! scope="col"| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Ref heading}} |- |2022 |Peabody Awards |News |''Guns in America'' |{{won}} |<ref>{{Cite web |title=83rd Peabody Award Nominees |url=https://peabodyawards.com/awards/nominees/ }}</ref> |}
== See also ==
==References == {{Reflist|2}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brangham, William}} Category:1968 births Category:21st-century American journalists Category:American television journalists Category:American television news producers Category:Colorado College alumni Category:Journalism teachers Category:Journalists from New York City Category:Living people Category:News & Documentary Emmy Award winners Category:PBS producers Category:Peabody Award winners Category:Television producers from New York City Category:PBS reporters Category:PBS hosts