Anjali Rao anchors CNN’s prime-time program, WORLD NEWS ASIA, live from the network’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. She also hosts TALK ASIA, CNN’s weekly flagship half-hour program that features revealing, in-depth interviews and topical discussion with leading political, business and entertainment figures from across the region.
Since joining CNN in January 2006, Rao has consistently led CNN’s coverage from Hong Kong of the biggest regional and global stories including explosions in Jakarta, ethnic riots in Xinjiang, the US election, the attack on Sri Lankan cricketers and the death of Michael Jackson. Around the region she has reported live from locations including Beijing before and during the 2008 Olympics, India for CNN’s EYE ON INDIA week of special programming and the Philippines during a hostage crisis
For World News Asia and notably Talk Asia, she has interviewed some of the world’s top newsmakers. From the world of politics, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou and Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang. From the sporting arena Wimbledon champions Roger Federer, Venus Williams, Indian cricket star Sachin Tendulkar, Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and NBA basketball star Kobe Bryant. From the world of entertainment prominent figures include Indian screen legend Amitabh Bachchan martial arts superstars Jackie Chan and Jet Li and Hong Kong actor Edison Chen who was at the center of Asia’s biggest sex scandal.
Prior to joining CNN, Rao worked for a decade at broadcasters in Australia, Asia and Europe. She started her career as a producer and reporter at Hong Kong’s Wharf Cable Television (now i-cable) and worked on Channel 7’s ‘Today Tonight’ program based in Melbourne, Australia. She then joined Hong Kong’s Star News Asia as principal anchor before moving to London to anchor for Sky News and Five News.
Whilst at Star TV she won the top prize at the 2004 Amnesty International Human Rights Press Awards for her story ‘Toxic Trail’, a ‘Focus Asia’ piece on the effects of widespread use of pesticide in southern India.
Born in Hong Kong, Rao was educated mainly in the UK. She received a bachelor’s degree with honors in Sociology and Media Studies from London’s City University.
|
 |
|
