Lester Holt, NBC – $12 Million
Lester Holt began his radio broadcasting career by spinning country music. He’s a far way from those days now, as the current anchor of NBC’s flagship newscast, Nightly News. When he became the first African-American to host his own news show, he made history. Holt took over as Weekend Nightly News host after Brian Williams was demoted. Holt, his replacement, has had stable ratings as the show’s anchor on weekdays. Stefan, one of his sons, is now a newscaster, thus he must have inherited the broadcasting gene.
Rachel Maddow, MSNBC – $20 Million
Rachel Maddow is the host of one of MSNBC’s most popular shows, The Rachel Maddow Show. Furthermore, since its debut in 2008, it has consistently broken audience records, exceeding its rivals. Rachel’s demeanor is straightforward, which fans appreciate. Rachel has also published a best-selling book and collaborated with various periodicals. Her work has featured in publications such as The Advocate and The Washington Post. Maddow has been open about her clinical depression diagnosis and how it affects her on a daily basis.