John Stossel has an estimated net worth of $4 million. The American journalist and author built his wealth through a decades-long career in television journalism, broadcasting, writing and digital media.
Stossel became widely known during his nearly three-decade career at ABC News, where he worked as a consumer reporter and correspondent before becoming a co-anchor of “20/20.”
After leaving ABC News in 2009, Stossel joined Fox News and Fox Business Network. He hosted the weekly program “Stossel,” which focused heavily on economic and libertarian issues, while also appearing on other Fox programs.
Stossel has also earned income from his books. His best-known titles include Give Me a Break, Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity and No, They Can’t.
In 2019, he launched Stossel TV, an online channel producing videos focused on liberty, free markets and public policy.
| John Stossel Net Worth | $4 Million |
| Date of Birth | March 6, 1947 |
| Place of Birth | Chicago Heights, Illinois |
Early Life
John Frank Stossel was born on March 6, 1947, in Chicago Heights, Illinois.
His parents were Jewish immigrants who had left Germany before Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. After moving to the United States, his parents joined a Congregationalist church and raised John and his brother, Thomas, as Protestants.
His brother, Thomas Stossel, became a prominent physician and professor at Harvard Medical School.
John attended New Trier High School before enrolling at Princeton University.
Stossel has described himself as an indifferent student during his college years. He initially considered graduate school and was accepted into the School of Hospital Management at the University of Chicago but ultimately decided to enter the workforce instead.
Journalism Career
Stossel originally hoped to work for Seattle Magazine, but the publication closed before he graduated.
Through contacts at the magazine, he secured a position at KGW-TV in Portland.
He started as a gofer before becoming a researcher and writer. His career changed when the station’s news director gave him an opportunity to appear on television and present his own work.
Stossel later joined WCBS-TV in New York City.
However, he became frustrated with the station’s approach to news reporting. He felt there was less time for research and that assignment editors had too much influence over what was considered news.
His career took a major step forward in 1981 when he joined ABC News.
John Stossel at ABC News
At ABC News, Stossel worked as a consumer reporter on “Good Morning America” and as a correspondent for “20/20.”
His reporting style helped him develop a reputation for questioning popular assumptions and investigating consumer issues.
In May 2003, he was promoted to co-anchor of “20/20.”
Stossel remained with ABC News for 28 years, making the network one of the most important sources of his professional success and income.
During his television career, he became known for reports that examined consumer scams, government regulations, business practices and social issues.
John Stossel at Fox News
Stossel left ABC News in 2009 and joined Fox News Channel.
At Fox, he became a regular contributor to “The O’Reilly Factor” and hosted a weekly program on Fox Business Network.
He also presented several one-hour specials for Fox News Channel.
From December 2009 through December 2016, he hosted “Stossel” on Fox Business.
The program focused heavily on economic and libertarian ideas, including free markets, government regulation and individual freedom.
Stossel also wrote a blog called “Stossel’s Take,” which was published on Fox News and Fox Business websites.
Stossel TV
In 2019, Stossel launched Stossel TV, an online channel that publishes videos through digital and social media platforms.
The move allowed him to reach audiences outside traditional television.
Stossel explained that he wanted to focus on younger audiences who were less likely to watch traditional television but more likely to consume short-form online videos.
The channel has become an important part of his post-television career.
John Stossel’s Books
Writing has been another important part of Stossel’s career.
His books include Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media…, published in 2004.
He followed it with Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel – Why Everything You Know is Wrong in 2006.
In 2012, he published No, They Can’t: Why Government Fails – But Individuals Succeed.
The books expanded on many of the themes he explored during his television career, particularly government, individual responsibility and free-market economics.
John Stossel’s Awards
Stossel has received numerous awards during his journalism career.
He has won 19 Emmy Awards, five National Press Club awards, a Peabody Award and a George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting.
In 2012, Chapman University honored him with its Presidential Medal.
His television work also earned recognition at several international film and television festivals.
For the “20/20” special “Punishing Parents,” Stossel won a Silver Award for News in the Other Category at the 2000 World Media Festival.
Free-Market Advocacy
Stossel is a prominent advocate of libertarian ideas and free-market economics.
He has used his television programs, books and online platforms to promote individual freedom and criticize what he views as excessive government intervention.
He also launched a nonprofit initiative aimed at teaching young people about free-market ideas.
According to information cited by Stossel, the Stossel in the Classroom program reaches millions of students each year through classroom discussions about liberty and free markets.
John Stossel’s Facebook Lawsuit
In 2021, Stossel sued Facebook for defamation after fact-checkers placed labels on two of his videos.
The videos, titled “Government Fueled Fires” and “Are We Doomed?”, received labels questioning their accuracy and context.
Stossel argued that the labels damaged his reputation, viewership and advertising revenue.
The lawsuit was dismissed the following year.
Personal Life
John Stossel married Ellen Abrams on January 16, 1983. The couple has two children, Max and Lauren.
Stossel has spoken publicly about his religious views and said in 2010 that he was agnostic.
He also developed a stutter during childhood. While working at WCBS-TV in New York, he received assistance from the Hollins Communications Research Institute and eventually learned to manage the condition.
Stossel later became a spokesman for the Stuttering Foundation of America.
In April 2016, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and that surgery would remove a portion of one of his lungs.
Real Estate
In 2007, Stossel paid approximately $1.8 million for a home in Wallfleet, Massachusetts.
The property is estimated by the supplied source to be worth around $2.4 million today.
The home represents one of the notable real estate assets associated with Stossel’s wealth.
Author: Andrew Walyaula
Andrew Walyaula is a seasoned multimedia journalist. Email: [email protected]
