Laura Kuenssberg
Encyclopedia
Laura Kuenssberg is a Scottish
journalist
, currently working as the Business Editor for ITV News
.
, her paternal grandfather was German
-born Dr. Ekke von Kuenssberg
, a founder and president of the Royal College of General Practitioners
. Her maternal grandfather was Ian Robertson
.
Kuenssberg was born in Italy
, while her father was assigned there by Coats Viyella. She grew up in Glasgow
, with her brother and sister.
Kuenssberg studied history
at the University of Edinburgh
, followed by a journalism
course at Georgetown University
in Washington D.C., where she worked on an NBC News
political programme.
in March 2000. Kuenssberg won a regional Royal Television Society
award for her work as Home Affairs correspondent, and went on to produce segments for the Social Affairs editor Niall Dickson. Kuenssberg reported for Channel 4
news prior to moving to the BBC
.
After being appointed Chief Political Correspondent for BBC News
, Kuenssberg reported for BBC One
bulletins, The Daily Politics
and BBC News Channel. In May 2010, her presence was so ubiquitous in the period between the general election and the formation of a coalition government
under David Cameron
that journalist David Aaronovitch
coined the term "Kuenssbergovision."
, replaced at BBC News by Norman Smith
from BBC Radio 4
. She joined on 1 September 2011, she will also contribute towards business reporting on ITV
's current affairs strand, Tonight
.
page she lists her interests as Irn Bru, Partick Thistle and The West Wing.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, currently working as the Business Editor for ITV News
ITV News
ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. Since 1955, ITV's news bulletins have been produced by Independent Television News . The channel's news coverage has won awards from the Royal Television Society, Emmy Awards and BAFTAs. Between 2004 and 2008, the...
.
Early life
The daughter of Scottish businessman Professor Nick Kuenssberg OBE, and his wife Sally Kuenssberg CBECBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, her paternal grandfather was German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-born Dr. Ekke von Kuenssberg
Ekkehard von Kuenssberg
Ekkehard von Kuenssberg MB ChB CBE PRCPG FRCOG FRCP , was a German-born pioneering Scottish medical doctor...
, a founder and president of the Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of General Practitioners
The Royal College of General Practitioners is the professional body for general practitioners in the United Kingdom. The RCGP represents and supports GPs on key issues including licensing, education, training, research and clinical standards. It is the largest of the medical royal colleges, with...
. Her maternal grandfather was Ian Robertson
Ian Robertson, Lord Robertson
Ian MacDonald Robertson was a High Court of Justiciary judge who contributed greatly to Scottish law.-Early life:Robertson was the youngest of six children, born in Edinburgh when his father was already 66...
.
Kuenssberg was born in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, while her father was assigned there by Coats Viyella. She grew up in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, with her brother and sister.
Kuenssberg studied history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, followed by a journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
course at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington D.C., where she worked on an NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
political programme.
BBC: 2000-2011
After returning to Britain, she worked for local radio and then cable television in Glasgow, before joining BBC North East and CumbriaBBC North East and Cumbria
BBC North East and Cumbria is the BBC English Region covering Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, North Yorkshire, Teesside and all but the southern part of Cumbria...
in March 2000. Kuenssberg won a regional Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
award for her work as Home Affairs correspondent, and went on to produce segments for the Social Affairs editor Niall Dickson. Kuenssberg reported for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
news prior to moving to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
After being appointed Chief Political Correspondent for BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, Kuenssberg reported for BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
bulletins, The Daily Politics
The Daily Politics
The Daily Politics is a British television show launched by the BBC in 2003. Presented by Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn, the programme takes an in-depth and sometimes irreverent look at the daily goings on in Westminster and other areas across Britain and the world, and includes interviews with leading...
and BBC News Channel. In May 2010, her presence was so ubiquitous in the period between the general election and the formation of a coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
under David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
that journalist David Aaronovitch
David Aaronovitch
David Aaronovitch is a British author, broadcaster, and journalist. He is a regular columnist for The Times, and author of Paddling to Jerusalem: An Aquatic Tour of Our Small Country and Voodoo Histories: the role of Conspiracy Theory in Modern History...
coined the term "Kuenssbergovision."
ITN: 2011-present
In June 2011, ITN announced that Kuenssberg will take up the newly created role of Business Editor for ITV NewsITV News
ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. Since 1955, ITV's news bulletins have been produced by Independent Television News . The channel's news coverage has won awards from the Royal Television Society, Emmy Awards and BAFTAs. Between 2004 and 2008, the...
, replaced at BBC News by Norman Smith
Norman Smith (journalist)
Norman Smith is a British journalist, currently the Chief Political Correspondent for BBC News. Smith joined the BBC as a local radio reporter in 1986. He became a parliamentary correspondent in 1993, presenting Today and Yesterday in Parliament on BBC Radio 4. Smith has reported for the BBC from...
from BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
. She joined on 1 September 2011, she will also contribute towards business reporting on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's current affairs strand, Tonight
Tonight (TV series)
Tonight is a British television newsmagazine, produced by ITV Studios and ITN for the ITV network. Since 1999, Tonight replaced the long-running investigative series World in Action...
.
Personal life
On her FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page she lists her interests as Irn Bru, Partick Thistle and The West Wing.