Meredith Vieira

Meredith Vieira
Jakeprzespo · CC BY 2.0 · source
Name	Meredith Vieira
Caption	Vieira in 2014
Birth date	30 December 1953
Birth place	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma mater	Tufts University
Occupation	Journalist, television personality, talk show host, game show host
Years active	1975–present
Spouse	Richard M. Cohen (m. 1986)

Meredith Vieira is an American broadcast journalist, television personality, and author known for her roles on national news programs and daytime and syndicated television. She built a career spanning local news, national journalism, morning shows, daytime talk, and game show hosting, becoming a prominent figure in NBC News, ABC News, and CBS-affiliated programming. Vieira's work earned recognition across broadcast journalism, entertainment, and public advocacy circles.

Early life and education

Vieira was born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised in the Dorchester neighborhood before relocating to East Providence, Rhode Island. She is the daughter of Carmen (née Cozza) and Larry Vieira, and she grew up in an Italian-American family with ties to Providence, Rhode Island. Vieira attended Lincoln School and later graduated from Tufts University with a degree in English, where she participated in campus media and developed interests in reporting alongside contemporaries who entered fields such as broadcast journalism and print journalism.

Broadcasting career

Vieira began her professional career at local stations including WPRI-TV in Providence, Rhode Island and WJAR-TV, moving to network work with positions at NBC News and CBS News. She served as a correspondent for Today and as an anchor and reporter for Dateline NBC, contributing to segments that intersected with coverage by programs such as 60 Minutes and publications like The New York Times. Vieira later joined ABC News as a co-host of The View and as a contributor to Good Morning America, before returning to CBS for roles including hosting duties on syndicated and network projects and guest appearances on 60 Minutes II and 20/20-type newsmagazines.

Notable television programs

Vieira has hosted and co-hosted a range of high-profile programs across networks, beginning with local newscasts at WPRI-TV and then national exposure on NBC News programs like Today and Dateline NBC. She transitioned to daytime television as a co-host of The View on ABC and later led the syndicated talk show The Meredith Vieira Show, which followed the lineage of daytime hosts such as Oprah Winfrey and Phil Donahue. In addition to talk formats, Vieira became the first female host of the syndicated revival of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on ABC and hosted the syndicated game show 25 Words or Less, joining a tradition of game show hosts including Regis Philbin and Alex Trebek.

Awards and honors

Throughout her career Vieira has received recognition from journalism and entertainment institutions, including awards from organizations such as the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and honors from regional press clubs like the Rhode Island Press Association. Her work in broadcast journalism and television entertainment earned nominations and wins in categories frequented by recipients such as Barbara Walters and Katie Couric, and she has been recognized on lists compiled by media outlets including Television Week and industry bodies like the Broadcasting & Cable magazine. Vieira has also been honored for public service and advocacy with acknowledgments from health organizations and civic groups similar to awards given by Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the American Cancer Society.

Personal life

Vieira married journalist and author Richard M. Cohen in 1986; Cohen is known for his work at The Washington Post and CBS News and for books chronicling his experiences with illness. The couple has three children and has resided in the New York metropolitan area, maintaining connections to institutions such as Tufts University and organizations like Women in Film and The Paley Center for Media. Vieira's family life has intersected publicly with health advocacy related to diseases discussed by figures like Michael J. Fox and organizations such as the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Philanthropy and activism

Vieira has been active in philanthropic and advocacy efforts, supporting causes linked to health care, childhood education, and media literacy through partnerships with organizations including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, March of Dimes, and regional nonprofits in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She has appeared at benefit events and fundraisers alongside public figures like Hillary Clinton and entertainers who support causes promoted by groups such as UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders. Vieira's advocacy work reflects collaborations with foundations and charities that overlap with campaigns by celebrities and journalists involved in public-awareness initiatives, akin to efforts led by Bob Woodruff and Robin Roberts.

Category:American television journalists Category:American game show hosts Category:Tufts University alumni