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Brian Karem        

White House Reporter, CNN Political Analyst, Podcast Host, Former Producer for "America's Most Wanted" & Emmy Nominee for Best Investigative Work

Brian J. Karem is an award-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated reporter and author of seven books.

Brian is a veteran White House correspondent and former senior correspondent for Playboy Magazine. He currently writes a weekly column on the White House for Salon.com and is also a regular contributor and columnist for The Washington Diplomat. He was the first guest on CNN's "Reliable Sources," 30 years ago with Bernard Kalb and the last guest on "Reliable Sources" with Brian Stelter on the last show. Brian appears frequently on the country's top-rated network news shows, as well as numerous radio shows throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.

His podcast, “Just Ask the Question,” generates high ratings through topical interviews with engaging, knowledgeable guests, including veteran journalist Sam Donaldson, Emmy-nominated comedian and singer Randy Rainbow, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Alexander Vindman and Hollywood legend Carl Reiner, among others.

Karem is an accomplished First Amendment advocate and has testified before numerous state legislatures as well as Congress in support of free speech and a federal shield law for reporters. He is the founder of the “First Jailbirds Club,'' celebrating the accomplishments of reporters who have gone to jail to protect the First Amendment, and is a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors, the National Press Club and the White House Press Corps.

In addition, Karem is a recipient of numerous journalism awards, including the prestigious National Press Club Freedom of the Press Award and the Pieringer Award for Valor and Journalistic Excellence. Throughout his career, Karem has served on a number of volunteer boards. He is a former president of the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Press Association.

Karem has spoken, lectured and participated as a panelist at various college and university engagements as well as at many corporate and press events. He served as master of ceremonies for the Rene Moawad Foundation’s annual benefit gala and was a featured speaker at Detroit’s annual Images and Perceptions Diversity Conference. Karem has been the keynote speaker at several conferences, including Big Brothers Big Sisters in Louisville, Ky., and locally has moderated panel debates for candidates running for Congress, county executive and mayor, among others.

Speech Topics


Free the Press

We all know the press is in bad shape. Author and Award-winning White House correspondent Brian Karem discusses how government and big business have conspired during the last 40 years to destroy journalism and he presents concrete options on how to save the profession. Audiences leave with a new understanding of how the press works and what they can do to be responsible news consumers.

Deal with Politicians

Next to the press, politicians get most of the derision from the American public. Long-time award winning author, television personality, anchor and reporter Brian Karem talks about the problems of politics and how we can better understand and get involved in politics.

Stories from the front lines

Humorous, dramatic and insightful. Award winning author, and reporter Brian Karem tells stories of covering news during the last 40 years. From illegal immigration to the hunt for Drug Kingpin Pablo Escobar. From City Hall to the White House. From high school to professional sports. From comedy and music to riots, insurrections and the Gulf War. Using humor and reality Brian talks about the nuance of news and how we’ve come to disassociate ourselves from the news we’re all involved in.

All Together Now

Growing up a Middle-Eastern boy in a southern city, Karem underscores the stories and news that binds us all together and how we’ve lost the feeling of community as the news has declined in the last 40 years.

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