Ari Melber | |
---|---|
Born | Ari Naftali Melber March 31, 1980 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
Education | University of Michigan (AB) Cornell University (JD) |
Occupation | Journalist |
Employer | NBCUniversal |
Television |
|
Spouse | Drew Grant (m. 2013;div. 2017) |
Ari Naftali Melber [1] (born March 31, 1980) is an American attorney and Emmy-winning journalist who is the Chief Legal Correspondent for MSNBC and host of The Beat with Ari Melber.
"The Beat with Ari Melber" is "often the most-watched show on MSNBC," the A.P. reported in 2023, noting "the Emmy-winning NBC News legal analyst... brings a methodical, 'follow the facts' style to the issues he addresses." [2]
"The Beat" had the highest ratings of any show on MSNBC or CNN, "outranking everything else on MSNBC — the first time in the network’s 27 years that a show outside the prime-time window took top honors," the New York Times reported in 2023. [3]
Forbes reported The Beat was the highest rated show across all of MSNBC and CNN in January 2024, [4] and the show is widely viewed online, including its YouTube playlist (msnbc.com/ari). [5]
The Beat was "the highest-rated non-Fox News show in the demo" on cable news, AdWeek reported in November 2023. [6] Forbes [7] notes it has "MSNBC's best rating ever for the time slot." [8] [9] [10]
"The Beat" is one of "the most-watched news programs on cable," Variety noted in 2023, along with Fox's "The Five." [11] AdWeek reported The Beat's ratings made it one of "most watched cable news" shows in 2022. [12] [13]
"The Beat's" ratings were up 46%" in 2021, [14] performing better against Fox News "than any other show before it." [15] [16] In January 2021, The Beat hit No. 1 among cable news shows at 6 p.m., averaging 2.6 million viewers per night. [17] [18]
The Beat was nominated for a 2020 Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Interview. [19]
Melber is Jewish, the son of an Israeli immigrant. His grandparents were Holocaust survivors. [20]
Melber attended Garfield High School, in Seattle, Washington. He then attended the University of Michigan, where he graduated with an A.B. degree in political science in 2002. [21] After college, he moved to Washington, D.C. and worked for Senator Maria Cantwell. He then joined Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign, working the Iowa caucus and as California deputy political director. [22] [21] [23] When Kerry lost, Melber attended Cornell Law School, where he was an editor of the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy and graduated with a J.D. in 2009. [24] He interned at New York County Defender Services, a public defender's office.
Melber worked for First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams at Cahill Gordon & Reindel [21] from 2009 to 2013. [24] He also began writing for news outlets like The Nation , The Atlantic , Reuters , and Politico . [21] MSNBC asked him to serve as a guest host. [21] In April 2015, Melber was named their chief legal correspondent.
In April 2013, Melber was named a co-host of "The Cycle" with S.E. Cupp, Krystal Ball, Touré, and Steve Kornacki. [25] "The Cycle" was canceled in July 2015, and Melber continued working for the network as Chief Legal Correspondent. Melber was a substitute host for The Rachel Maddow Show and other programs. [21]
Melber is a legal analyst for NBC News as well as MSNBC's chief legal correspondent, [26] covering the Department of Justice, FBI and the Supreme Court. [27]
He has won an Emmy Award for his Supreme Court coverage. [28] In 2017, Melber hosted The Point on Sundays on MSNBC.
The Beat premiered on July 24, 2017, and became the "longest-running" show at "MSNBC's 6 p.m. hour in network history" in 2021.
Melber reported that the firing of FBI Director James Comey could trigger an investigation into obstruction of justice on May 9, 2017 — the day Comey was fired. [29] A probe was announced on May 18, 2017, which included an obstruction investigation.
Melber reported President Trump's actions toward Ukraine provided a potential case of impeachment for "bribery" in October. [30] The next month, top Democrats began making the bribery case, showing "Democrats agreed with the MSNBC host" (Mediaite), [31] while a Republican congressman cited a bribery segment from The Beat at an impeachment hearing. [32]
A few months into the Mueller probe, [33] Melber broke the story that a state investigator was exploring jurisdiction to charge potential defendants in the Mueller probe with state crimes, meaning a conviction would not be eligible for a federal pardon. Politico followed up on Melber's scoop the next day, [34] and New York State prosecutors ultimately filed separate charges against Paul Manafort in 2019.
Melber interviewed former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski in February 2019 about whether Trump asked him to interfere in the Mueller probe, [35] and Melber later reported that Lewandowski's response was false. [36] In a 2019 congressional hearing, investigators aired the Beat clip and questioned Lewandowski about that false answer. [37]
Melber broke the story [38] of police repeatedly tasing a Virginia man until he died in police custody, an investigative report [39] that led to an FBI investigation of the officers' conduct. [40]
On the night of the 2018 midterms, Melber broke a story [41] that Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee [42] "intend to request President Trump's tax returns." [43] In April 2019, United States House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal carried out that plan. [44]
The Beat with Ari Melber has featured newsworthy interviews, such as Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who talked to Melber after receiving the first pardon of Trump's administration; [45] Eric Holder, Kamala Harris, Trump attorneys Jay Sekulow, Drew Findling and Joe Tacopina; WH aide Stephen Miller, Dave Chappelle, Robert De Niro, Meek Mill, Erykah Badu, Ken Starr, and a range of witnesses in the Mueller probe, including Steve Bannon, whose Beat interview was his first-ever appearance on MSNBC.
Melber has drawn attention for his interviewing skills, nominated for an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Live Interview," [19] for interviewing four key witnesses in the Mueller probe at once. [46]
Columbia Journalism Review stated Melber is "a remarkably effective interviewer", adding "his veins appear to contain ice water; he betrays no emotion at all" during intense exchanges. The A.P. reports "Melber is respected enough as a lawyer that some figures in Trump world, like Peter Navarro and lawyer Joe Tacopina, have appeared on “The Beat” to tell their stories." [47]
The New York Times columnist Peter Wehner, a former Republican official, said "Melber is an outstanding interviewer, among the best on television." [48] Director Lee Daniels got emotional in a 2019 interview about his life and career with Melber, saying it was the only time he would ever "cry on television". [49]
In June 2020, conservative commentator Tiana Lowe wrote "Ari Melber on MSNBC" runs a "good straight news hour." [50] Mediaite [51] wrote The Beat is a "thought-provoking" and "idiosyncratic show" that "avoids the singular focus on Trump's misdeeds that consumes some other hosts", [52] adding Melber's interviewing style uses "the facts of the story and logical reasoning, [not] partisan cheap shots" for "fascinating" exchanges. [53]
Melber conducted several newsworthy interviews [54] with former Trump aide Peter Navarro, and one of the interviews was cited as evidence by Congress to hold Navarro in contempt, which led to his DOJ indictment and subsequent conviction. [55] [56]
Melber wrote a foreword to the HarperCollins edition of the January 6 Report, [57] [58] which became a #1 New York Times bestseller. [59]
"Melber’s reach goes well beyond the dwindling number of people who watch cable television," wrote the Los Angeles Times in a 2023 profile, reporting The Beat's YouTube ratings were higher "than any other personality‘s at the network." [60] "The Beat" hit 1.5 billion total online views in 2024.
Semafor reported on the "enormous numbers," noting "on YouTube, The Beat just crossed 1.5 billion views, and averages more than 500,000 views a clip — good engagement by any measure of YouTube success." [61]
AdWeek asked Melber about the show's large YouTube audience, and he discussed the show's 1.6 billion views, and why interviews with Bill Gates, 50 Cent and Robert De Niro did well. ("The Internet likes quality, length and 'big' people or topics.") [62] [63]
Melber's show is one of the most viewed shows online (Daily Beast), [64] [65] and drawing over a billion streams is a "notable feat for a cable news program" (Reliable Sources). [66] The Beat has been credited as the "most streamed MSNBC show on YouTube"; [67] with some of the most watched MSNBC segments online. [68] [69]
Melber regularly uses hip hop lyrics to explain political or legal scenarios. [70] [71] [72] A Vanity Fair article about MSNBC dubbed him the "secret fourth Beastie Boy", writing he is "shockingly smart and well read." [73]
Apple Music launched a music show hosted by Melber, Nevuary Radio, [74] in 2019. [75]
In 2022, Melber did a special report on the song "God Did" by Jay-Z and DJ Khaled, [76] with "acutely detailed dissection" of his verse, and Jay Z then released audio of Melber's report as a new Jay-Z track, "Hov Did," on streaming music platforms. [77] Meek Mill references The Beat in his music video "Mandela Freestyle," [78] as does rapper Benny The Butcher in another song; Harlem rapper Dave East cites the show in the chorus of his song "Eyes Can See." [79]
Melber was a correspondent for The Nation ; and he has been published in The Atlantic , Reuters and Politico and several books; he wrote a report about Organizing for America. [24]
Melber attended Garfield High School in Seattle, WA. [80] Melber lives in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. He has been divorced from Drew Grant, the Managing Editor of Passionfruit, [81] [82] [83] since 2017. [84] He is a member of the New York Bar. [85]
The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American multinational conservative news and political commentary television channel and website based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owned by the Fox Corporation. It is the most-watched cable news network in the U.S., and as of 2023 generates approximately 70% of its parent company's pre-tax profit. The channel broadcasts primarily from studios at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan. Fox News provides a service to 86 countries and territories, with international broadcasts featuring Fox Extra segments during advertising breaks.
MSNBC is an American news-based television channel and website headquartered in New York City. It is owned by NBCUniversal — a subsidiary of Comcast — and provides news coverage and political commentary. The network produces live broadcasts for its channel from studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, New York City, and aggregates its coverage and commentary on its website, msnbc.com.
NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, a division of NBCUniversal, which is, in turn, a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's various operations report to the president of NBC News, Rebecca Blumenstein. The NBCUniversal News Group also comprises MSNBC, the network's 24-hour general news channel, business and consumer news channels CNBC and CNBC World, the Spanish language Noticias Telemundo and United Kingdom–based Sky News.
Charles Joseph Scarborough is an American television host and former politician who is the co-host of Morning Joe on MSNBC with his wife Mika Brzezinski and Willie Geist. He previously hosted Scarborough Country on the same network. A former member of the Republican Party, Scarborough was in the United States House of Representatives for Florida's 1st district from 1995 to 2001. He was appointed to the President's Council on the 21st Century Workforce in 2002 and was a visiting fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He was named in the 2011 Time 100 as one of the most influential people in the world.
Daniel Abrams is an American media entrepreneur, television host, and author. He is currently the host of the prime-time show Dan Abrams Live on NewsNation, On Patrol: Live on Reelz and The Dan Abrams Show: Where Politics Meets The Law on SiriusXM's P.O.T.U.S. channel. He is also the Chief Legal Analyst of ABC News.
Jacob Paul Tapper is an American journalist. He is the lead Washington anchor for CNN, hosts the weekday television news show The Lead with Jake Tapper, and co-hosts the Sunday morning public affairs program State of the Union.
Charles David Todd is an American television journalist who was the 12th moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He also hosted Meet the Press Now, its daily edition on NBC News Now and is currently the Chief Political Analyst for NBC News. Before taking the helm of Meet the Press, Todd was Chief White House correspondent for NBC as well as host of The Daily Rundown on MSNBC. He also serves as NBC News' on-air political analyst for NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt and Today.
Morning Joe is an American morning news talk show, which airs weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the cable news channel MSNBC. It features former US Representative (Independent) Joe Scarborough reporting and discussing the news of the day in a panel format with co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Willie Geist, who regularly co-hosts from Tuesdays to Fridays, along with recurring and special guests.
The Rachel Maddow Show is an American news television program that airs on MSNBC, running in the 9:00 pm ET time slot Monday evenings. It is hosted by Rachel Maddow, who gained a public profile via her frequent appearances as a progressive pundit on programs aired by MSNBC. It is based on her former radio show of the same name. The show debuted on September 8, 2008.
Ayman Mohyeldin is an Egyptian-born political commentator based in New York for NBC News and MSNBC. Previously the anchor of an MSNBC weekday afternoon show, Ayman Mohyeldin Reports, he currently hosts Ayman on weekend evenings on MSNBC, and Fridays on Peacock. He previously worked for Al Jazeera and CNN. He was one of the first Western journalists allowed to enter and report on the handing over and trial of the deposed President of Iraq Saddam Hussein by the Iraqi Interim Government for crimes against humanity. Mohyeldin has also covered the 2008–09 Gaza War as well as the Arab Spring.
The Five is an American conservative political talk show on Fox News Channel in which full-time hosts Greg Gutfeld, Dana Perino, Jesse Watters, Jeanine Pirro and alternating hosts Jessica Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr. discuss current stories, political issues, and pop culture. The one-hour show premiered on July 11, 2011, and airs live weekdays at 5 p.m. ET, with repeat episodes airing at 5 a.m. ET and 5 p.m. ET on Saturdays.
Now with Alex Wagner is a political opinion program on MSNBC presented by progressive host Alex Wagner. The show debuted on November 14, 2011, and aired on weekdays at noon ET. Starting on January 13, 2014, Now aired at 4 P.M. due to the resignation of former MSNBC host Martin Bashir.
The Cycle was an ensemble news and political talk show that was broadcast on MSNBC and hosted by four network analysts/commentators: Republican Abby Huntsman, author and culture critic Touré, The Nation correspondent Ari Melber, and former congressional candidate turned Democratic strategist Krystal Ball. Per its ensemble format, all four hosts appear on every show, with each host taking turns to facilitate the discussions.
Newsmax TV is an American conservative television channel owned by Newsmax. The network primarily focuses on political opinion-based talk shows. It carries a news/talk format throughout the day and night, with documentaries and films on weekends. During and after the 2020 United States presidential election, it grew rapidly by broadcasting conspiracy theories and allegations of voter fraud.
Katherine Bear Tur is an American author, and broadcast journalist working as a correspondent for NBC News. Tur is an anchor for MSNBC, where since 2021 she has hosted Katy Tur Reports. She has also reported for the NBC news platforms Early Today, Today, NBC Nightly News, Meet the Press, and WNBC-TV, and for The Weather Channel.
The Beat with Ari Melber is an American news and politics program hosted by Ari Melber, who is the chief legal correspondent for the network MSNBC.
Hugo Lowell is a Senior Political Correspondent for The Guardian in Washington, D.C. He covers former President Donald Trump and the US Department of Justice, and has broken several high-profile stories. He frequently appears on MSNBC.
Saturday Night Politics with Donny Deutsch was an American politics program hosted by Donny Deutsch and airing on Saturday night at 8 PM eastern time on MSNBC. The program first aired in May 2019 as part of MSNBC's expansion of its weekend programming. Following the August 17, 2019 show MSNBC and Deutsch announced that the show would not be returning in spite of strong ratings in its time slot.
The Donlon Report was a nightly American television news program on NewsNation, which premiered on March 1, 2021. The one-hour-long program was hosted by Joe Donlon, and aired at 6 p.m. ET.
CNN Tonight is the title of several news programs that were broadcast by U.S. cable network CNN. The CNN Tonight branding has primarily been used for transitional programs aired by CNN in the evening and prime time hours as part of changes to its programming lineup—including the departure or reassignment of anchors. It was first used for a short-lived program in 2001 anchored by Bill Hemmer.
He's the son of an Israeli, grandson of Holocaust survivors. He went to a Jewish Day School.
The senator plans to fight for every Jewish vote, said Ari Melber, a Southern California deputy political director on the Kerry campaign who's responsible for Jewish outreach. Melber and other staff members have assembled a group of prominent Jewish Democratic supporters to spread the word about Kerry in the community.