Editing Kyra Phillips

{{Short description|American journalist}}
{{Undue weight|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Kyra Phillips
| image              = Kyra Philips in 2010.jpg
| caption            = Philips in 2010
| birth_name         = 
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1968|8|8}}
| birth_place        = [[Jacksonville, Illinois]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| spouses            = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|John Assad|2000|2008|end=divorced}}
* [[John Roberts (journalist)|John Roberts]]
}}
| children           = 2 (with Roberts)
| education          = University of Southern California
| occupation         = [[News anchor]], [[news reporter|reporter]]
| title              = Anchor
| credits            = [[Associated Press|AP]] Reporter of the Year, 1997
| URL                = {{URL|http://www.kyraphillips.com}}
}}

'''Kyra Phillips''' (born August 8, 1968) is a correspondent for [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]].

==Early life and career==
Phillips was born in [[Illinois]],<ref name=blair>{{cite news|last=Blair |first=Tom |title=Kyra Phillips |date=March 26, 2008 |magazine=San Diego Magazine |url=http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-Diego-Magazine/April-2008/Kyra-Phillips/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203095243/http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-Diego-Magazine/April-2008/Kyra-Phillips/ |archive-date=February 3, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> and grew up in the city of [[Jacksonville, Illinois|Jacksonville]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/cnr/date/2008-12-16/segment/05 |title=CNN.com - Transcripts |publisher=CNN |date=2008-12-16 |access-date=2013-10-23}}</ref> In the fourth grade, she moved to [[San Diego, California]], where her parents became professors at [[San Diego State University]].<ref name=blair/> After graduating from [[Helix High School]],<ref name="high cost">{{cite news|first=Tom |last=Blair |title=The high cost of losing... |date=October 15, 2010 |newspaper=The San Diego Union-Tribune |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/15/the-high-cost-of-losing/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110040323/http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/15/the-high-cost-of-losing/ |archive-date=November 10, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Phillips earned a [[bachelor's degree]] in [[journalism]] from [[University of Southern California]]. Among her first jobs in broadcasting were the positions of weekend anchor and reporter for [[WLUK-TV]] in [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]], before moving on to [[WDSU|WDSU-TV]] in [[New Orleans, Louisiana]], in 1994. Phillips has also held positions as morning anchor for [[KAMC|KAMC-TV]] in [[Lubbock, Texas]], field producer for CNN-[[Telemundo]]’s [[Washington, D.C.]], offices and a journalist of the special assignment unit of [[KCBS-TV]] in [[Los Angeles, California]]. Phillips participates in the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children, T.A.P.S. (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), Global Down Syndrome Foundation and [[Big Brothers Big Sisters of America]], which she has been involved with since 1992.<ref name="cnn.com">{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/phillips.kyra.html | title=CNN TV - Anchors/Reporters:Kyra Phillips | access-date=2010-05-07}}</ref>

==Career==

===CNN===
[[File:Kyra Phillips aboard CVN-72, October 31, 2002.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Phillips prepares to board an F-14 Tomcat aboard {{USS|Abraham Lincoln|CVN-72|6}} in October 2002.]]
Phillips joined [[Cable News Network|CNN]] in 1999.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/kyra-phillips-signs-off-cnn_b140296 | title=Kyra Phillips Signs off CNN | work=TVNewser | date=August 3, 2012 | access-date=October 23, 2013}}</ref> During her early years at CNN, Phillips was granted access to [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] Air Wing [[CVW-9]] in 2001 as they prepared for the war in [[Afghanistan]]. In January 2002, Phillips spent about a month in [[Antarctica]] to work on a television documentary to be featured on the program ''[[CNN Presents]]''. Later in 2002, Phillips produced reports focusing on the U.S. Navy's reconnaissance missions from the destroyer {{USS|Paul Hamilton|DDG-60|6}}, the Navy's Special Operations Command, the [[United States Navy SEALs|Navy SEALs]], and Special Warfare Combatant Crewman training, riding in an [[F-14 Tomcat]] during an air-to-air combat mission over the [[Persian Gulf]]. She has also participated in the Navy's [[United States Navy Fighter Weapons School|TOPGUN]] school, [[SWAT]] training, and other police and weapons training.

In 2003, she was an [[embedded journalist]] during the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], where she reported from the aircraft carrier {{USS|Abraham Lincoln|CVN-72|6}}. In 2006, Phillips was the last journalist to fly in an F-14 Tomcat before its official retirement from service in the U.S. Navy.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0609/22/cnr.05.html | work=CNN | access-date=2010-05-07 | title=CNN.com}}</ref>

Phillips was criticized for her insensitivity during an April 16, 2003, interview with Dr Imad al-Najada, the doctor of [[Ali Ismail Abbas]], a 12-year-old boy who lost 15 relatives and both arms when a U.S. missile hit his home in Baghdad.<ref name="timesofindiavaradarajan">{{cite news |author=Siddharth Varadarajan |date=2003-04-25 |title=Ungrateful Ali: Painful Paradox of Embedded Freedom |publisher=Times of India |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-04-25/edit-page/27281274_1_iraqis-chronicle-saddam-statue |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628041143/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-04-25/edit-page/27281274_1_iraqis-chronicle-saddam-statue |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |access-date=2007-03-29 }}</ref><ref name="abcmediawatch-ali">{{cite web |date=2003-04-21 |title=Media Watch: Saving Ali |url=http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s836791.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030501223505/http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s836791.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 1, 2003 |access-date=2007-03-29 |publisher=ABC Australia}}</ref><ref name="salonwalsh">{{cite news |author=Joan Walsh |date=2003-04-17 |title=The unfortunate poster boy |work=Salon.com |url=http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2003/04/17/ali_abbas/index.html |access-date=2007-03-29}}</ref> Discussing live images of the [[2006 labor protests in France]], in which it was later determined that no one was killed, she said that the images of the demonstrations "Sort of brings back memories of [[Tiananmen Square protests of 1989|Tiananmen Square]], when you saw these activists [[Tank Man|in front of tanks]]."<ref>{{cite news |date=2006-03-28 |title=French protests 'Tiananmen' |publisher=FIN24 |url=http://www.fin24.co.za/articles/companies/display_article.aspx?Nav=ns&lvl2=comp&ArticleID=1518-1783_1906730 |access-date=2007-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070406030728/http://www.fin24.co.za/articles/companies/display_article.aspx?Nav=ns&lvl2=comp&ArticleID=1518-1783_1906730 |archive-date=April 6, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> CNN's Chris Burns told French Foreign Minister [[Philippe Douste-Blazy]] that her comments were "regrettable."<ref>{{cite news |date=30 March 2006 |title=OBSERVER: Just a little comment |page=14 |publisher=Financial Times |url=http://search.ft.com/iab?queryText=%22Chris%20Burns%22&y=11&aje=true&x=14&id=060330000834&location=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ft.com%2FftArticle%3FqueryText%3D%2522Chris+Burns%2522%26y%3D11%26aje%3Dtrue%26x%3D14%26id%3D060330000834&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ft.com%2Fsearch%3FqueryText%3D%22Chris+Burns%22 |access-date=2007-03-29 |archive-date=2007-11-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120103431/http://search.ft.com/iab?queryText=%22Chris%20Burns%22&y=11&aje=true&x=14&id=060330000834&location=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ft.com%2FftArticle%3FqueryText%3D%2522Chris+Burns%2522%26y%3D11%26aje%3Dtrue%26x%3D14%26id%3D060330000834&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ft.com%2Fsearch%3FqueryText%3D%22Chris+Burns%22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On August 29, 2006, during a CNN broadcast of President [[George W. Bush]]'s speech on the first anniversary of [[Hurricane Katrina]]'s landfall, Phillips's [[Hot mic|microphone was left on]] while she was in the washroom.  Portions of a personal conversation were broadcast live, during which Phillips offered advice on men, criticized her sister-in-law for being a "[[control freak]]", and praised her then-husband.<ref name="timesonline">{{cite news |author=Tim Reid |date=2006-08-31 |title=Who wants to listen to Bush when you can hear what Kyra thinks of her control freak sister-in-law? |publisher=TimesOnline |location=London |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article623383.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070512165557/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article623383.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 12, 2007 |access-date=2009-03-31}}</ref><ref name="telegraph">{{cite news |author=David Cox and Gethin Chamberlain |date=2006-09-03 |title=If anyone's a control freak here, it's Kyra |publisher=Telegraph.co.uk |location=London |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1527930/If-anyones-a-control-freak-here-its-Kyra.html |access-date=2009-03-31}}</ref><ref name="npr">{{cite news |author=Brian Unger |date=2008-07-28 |title=How To Avoid A Hot Mic Disaster |publisher=National Public Radio |url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92993523 |access-date=2009-03-31}}</ref><ref name="washingtonpost">{{cite news |date=2006-09-01 |title=Flushing CNN Anchor Goes on Letterman |newspaper=Washington Post |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/01/AR2006090100482.html |access-date=2009-03-31}}</ref> The conversation audio was mixed with the President's audio feed and both were discernible. [[Daryn Kagan]] broke into Phillips's comments with an audio recap of Bush's speech. CNN immediately apologized for the on-air gaffe.<ref name="cbsnews">{{cite news |author=Dan Collins |date=2006-09-01 |title=CNN's Kyra Phillips Laughs It Off |publisher=CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cnns-kyra-phillips-laughs-it-off/ |access-date=2009-03-31}}</ref>  Phillips later appeared on [[CBS]]' ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'' poking fun at herself in retrospect.<ref name="washingtonpost" /><ref name="cbsnews" />

Phillips co-anchored [[CNN Radio]]'s November 4, 2008, [[2008 United States presidential election|election]] coverage with Capitol Hill correspondent [[Lisa Desjardins]].

In March 2012, Phillips moved to the 11am Newsroom, and her timeslot was shortened to one hour.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 27, 2012 |title=Dayside Shifts at CNN |work=TVNewser |url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/dayside-shifts-at-cnn_b113804 |access-date=October 23, 2013}}</ref> However, on June 26, 2012, it was officially announced that she would leave CNN and launch her own show at its sister channel [[HLN (TV channel)|HLN]].<ref>{{cite news |date=June 26, 2012 |title=CNN Moves Ashleigh Banfield & Kyra Phillips, Adds John Berman |work=Deadline |url=https://deadline.com/2012/06/cnn-moves-ashleigh-banfield-kyra-phillips-adds-john-berman-292495/ |access-date=October 23, 2013}}</ref>  She soon returned to CNN as an "investigative correspondent".

===ABC===
On April 2, 2018, Phillips left CNN to join ABC News as a "D.C.-based correspondent".<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/kyra-phillips-leaves-cnn-for-abc-news/360504 | title=Kyra Phillips Leaves CNN for ABC News | work=CNN | date=April 2, 2018 | access-date=April 5, 2018}}</ref>

On July 19, 2019, Phillips posted a tweet praising President Trump for "giving us [journalists] access on a regular basis and the ability to ask any question." Democrats and other journalists criticized the comment as being overly deferential.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Howe |first1=Caleb |title=Journos, Dems Savage ABC's Kyra Phillips for Thanking Trump for 'Access': 'This is Stockholm Syndrome' |url=https://www.mediaite.com/politics/journos-dems-savage-abcs-kyra-phillips-for-thanking-trump-for-access-this-is-stockholm-syndrome/ |website=Mediaite |date=20 July 2019 |access-date=15 April 2020}}</ref>

==Awards==
In 1997, Phillips was named Reporter of the Year by the [[Associated Press]].<ref name="cnn.com"/> She has also won four [[Emmy Award]]s, two [[RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award|Edward R. Murrow Awards]] for investigative reporting,<ref name="cnn.com"/> the top documentary award from the Society of Professional Journalists for her coverage of Jena, Louisiana and multiple Golden Microphones.

==Personal life==
Having been married to John Assad from 2000 to 2008, Phillips became engaged to Fox News correspondent [[John Roberts (journalist)|John Roberts]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shea |first1=Danny |title=John Roberts, Kyra Phillips Dating: Reports |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/16/john-roberts-kyra-phillip_n_175484.html |website=HuffPost |access-date=30 September 2019 |date=16 April 2009}}</ref><ref>[http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/cnns_kyra_phillips_and_john_roberts_engaged_159498.asp TV Newser]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100429152412/http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/cnns_kyra_phillips_and_john_roberts_engaged_159498.asp |date=2010-04-29 }}</ref>  She gave birth to their twins in March 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://people.com/parents/kyra-phillips-john-roberts-cnn-expecting-twins/|title=Kyra Phillips and John Roberts Expecting Twins|website=People|date=2012-03-13 |access-date=2019-09-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=CNN's Kyra Phillips, Fox News' John Roberts Welcome Twins|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cnns-kyra-phillips-fox-news-167707|access-date=2020-06-04|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 15, 2011 |language=en}}</ref> As of 2018, the couple are married.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kyra Phillips: 'Sarah, Did You Just Call on Me Before My Husband?'|url=https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/kyra-phillips-john-roberts-are-first-husband-wife-duo-to-attend-white-house-press-briefing//|access-date=2024-05-24|website=TVNewser|date=July 2, 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Kyra Phillips}}
*{{official website|http://www.kyraphillips.com}}
{{CNN Anchors}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Kyra}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:American television reporters and correspondents]]
[[Category:CNN people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Television anchors from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Television anchors from New Orleans]]
[[Category:Mass media people from San Diego]]