People

Guy Raz

Guy Raz

Formal First Name
Guy
Dates
11/9/1975 - present

Guy Raz is an award-winning reporter and independent producer described by The New York Times as one of the most popular podcasters in history. He is the creator, editorial director, and host of three podcasts for NPR, including How I Built This, TED Radio Hour, and Wow in the World. Together, his shows are heard by more than 19 million people each month around the world. In 2017, Raz became the first person in the history of podcasting to have three shows in the top 20 on the Apple Podcast charts.

Professional Experience


Academic History

EARLY CAREER

  • Raz joined NPR in 1997 as an intern for All Things Considered. His first job was as the assistant to Daniel Schorr, a legendary news analyst at the news organization.
  • He then served as a general assignment reporter covering stories ranging from the early 2000 presidential primaries to a profile on the Doors' song "Light My Fire."
  • At age 25, he was made NPR's Berlin bureau chief where he covered Eastern Europe and the Balkans
  • He was later transferred to London as the bureau chief, where he covered the war in Iraq
  • He left NPR in 2004 to work as CNN's Jerusalem correspondent, covering everything from the rise of Hamas as a political power to the incapacitation of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Israel's 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. 
  • He returned to NPR in 2006 to serve as defense correspondent, where he covered the Pentagon and the US military.


CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

  • Raz has reported from over 40 countries, including the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Macedonia, and the ongoing conflict in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
  • He has interviewed and profiled more than 10,000 people including Bill Gates, Condoleezza Rice, Jimmy Carter, Shimon Peres, General David Petraeus, Al Gore, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Eminem, Taylor Swift, and many, many others.
  • He has anchored live coverage on some of the biggest stories in recent years, including the killing of Osama bin Laden, the Newtown School Shootings, and the 2012 presidential election.
  • During his tenure at NPR, he transformed the sound and format of the program, introducing the now-signature "cover story" and creating the popular "Three-Minute Fiction" writing contest.


PROGRAMS

  • Co-founder of Tinkercast, a children's media company that produces audio podcasts and educational content for kids. 
  • Creator and host of Wisdom from the Top, a biographical journey into the lives and minds of the greatest business managers and leaders in the world.
  • Creator and host of The Rewind on Spotify, a program that takes listeners inside the minds of today’s biggest music stars, including David Guetta, Kelly Clarkson, and Shawn Mendes.


    AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
    • In 2017, Raz became the first person in the history of podcasting to have three shows in the top 20 on the Apple podcast charts.
    • For his reporting from Iraq, he was awarded both the Edward R. Murrow Award and the Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize. 
    • For his reporting from Germany, he was awarded both the RIAS Berlin prize and the Arthur F. Burns Award. 
    • His reporting has contributed to two duPont awards and one Peabody awarded to NPR.
    • He has won the National Headliner Award and an NABJ Award.
    • He has been a finalist for the Livingston Award four times. 

    MEDIA
    • Raz has also been on the other side of the microphone as a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
    • He has been profiled by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Inc, The Today Show, and Forbes.
    • He has appeared as a guest on Real Vision.