Mike Schneider

Mike Schneider is an American television news anchor, currently working for Bloomberg Television. He created and hosts "Night Talk", a one hour prime time talk show broadcast throughout the US and internationally.

Career

Born in December, 1952, Schneider was educated at Temple University. He began his TV career in 1975 as a news writer for WPVI in Philadelphia. From 1975 to 1976 Mike worked as the weekend news anchor at WTAJ Television in Altoona, PA, followed by a similar post at WKBW-TV, Buffalo, NY in the later part of 1976. From 1977 to 1982 Mike Schneider worked as a reporter/anchor for WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh PA, documenting the decline of America's steel industry, the effects of the energy crisis, Pittsburgh's re-birth as a world class medical center, and travelling to Germany to cover the return of the hostages from Iran. From 1982 to 1986, he worked as the evening news co-anchor and reporter on WPLG in Miami, Florida, where he reported on the cocaine wars that wracked that community, the influx of Caribbean refugees, and the 1982 riots. It was during those riots that a news cruiser carrying Schneider and his photographer was attacked, but both survived without injury. In August, 1983, Mike Schneider and co-anchor Ann Bishop were cited by the trade magazine "Electronic Media" as one of the best news teams in the country. Schneider was recruited in 1986 by WCBS, the flagship station of CBS in New York City, where he anchored the 5:30 and 11pm nightly newscasts. During his career at the station, he also moderated the 1988 New York Presidential debate, and covered the 1987 stock market crash, and Pope John Paul's historic first trip to the United States.

In 1989, he became news anchor for ABC's "World News This Morning" and "Good Morning America", where he served as the regular substitute for host Charles Gibson. He also contributed reports to ABC's "20/20" news magazine and "Nightline", including live reports from the landfalls of Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew. Schneider also anchored ABC's overnight and morning coverage of the Persian Gulf War, splitting anchor duties with Peter Jennings and Ted Koppel. Schneider anchored ABC's morning coverage of the 1992 Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

Schneider left ABC to join NBC News in 1993, co-anchoring "Weekend Today" with Jackie Nespral from 1993 to 1995, and with Giselle Fernandez in 1995. During that time, he also reported for "Dateline NBC", was a substitute anchor for "NBC Nightly News", "Meet the Press", guest hosted on CNBC's "Equal Time with Mary Matalin", and on the "Tom Snyder Show". He also hosted a CNBC summer replacement series entitled "Mike Schneider'.

Leaving NBC News in 1995, Schneider became a national political correspondent for the Fox News Channel, joining the channel before its launch in 1996. During this time at the network, he reported extensively on the Presidential campaign trail, and anchored Fox's coverage of the Presidential primaries, Democratic and Republican National Conventions, and Election Night. He also anchored the network's flagship nightly news program, "The Schneider Report", which featured guest interviews and general news coverage.

Schneider left daily broadcasting in 1998, devoting himself to outside business and education interests. He was approached by Democratic Party officials who wanted him to return to Pennsylvania and challenge incumbent Gov. Tom Ridge. Schneider declined that, but did seek and obtain the Democratic nomination for Congress in his home district, the 5th District of New Jersey, where he refused to take special interest money, spoke out for campaign finance reform, and for an overhaul of America's health insurance system. Schneider doubled the vote totals of previous Democratic challengers, but lost in a district Republicans continue to control after more than a quarter of a century. The non-partisan nature of his campaign prompted some elected Republicans to ask him to run again for another office on the GOP ticket. But Schneider decided to turn his energy back to broadcasting, helping develop a mental health documentary entitled "Tough Times/Resilient Kids', which was a finalist in the 2002 "Telly" Awards.

Schneider joined Bloomberg TV in January, 2003, first anchoring the morning broadcasts, and then shifting to evenings when "Night Talk" premiered in April, 2007. The program's guests have ranged from political heavyweights such as Sen. John McCain to business titans like David Rockefeller, and some of the world's most acclaimed actors, musicians, writers, and artists. Audio podcasts of his "Night Talk" interviews are available at Bloomberg.com [ [http://www.bloomberg.com/tvradio/podcast/night_talk.html Audio podcasts of interviews on "Night Talk" are at Bloomberg.com] ] . He has also anchored and reported for a series of Bloomberg TV specials, including one on the struggles at General Motors, and a highly acclaimed 2007 special "Phantom Shares', documenting a controversial marketing technique known as 'naked shorting'. That earned him and the show's producers an Emmy nomination, and recognition by the Foreign Press Association in London.

Recognition

Schneider's career includes Emmy, Headliner, Associated Press, U-P-I, and Deadline Club awards, along with the highest honor in automotive journalism, the Detroit Press Club's Golden Wheel Award for Bloomberg's coverage of General Motors.

References

* [http://www.bloomberg.com/tvradio/podcast/night_talk.html Podcasts of "Night Talk" interviews at Bloomberg.com]