The Spectator Presents: Catherine Herridge

The Spectator Presents: Catherine Herridge

The award-winning investigative journalist will discuss “The State of Modern Journalism.”

(Herridge reporting from the United States Capitol Complex. | SOURCE: Catherine Herridge)

The Spectator is thrilled to announce that investigative journalist Catherine Herridge will be coming to campus to discuss “The State of Modern Journalism.” 

The event will be on October 24, at 4:30 p.m. in Leyburn Library’s Northen Auditorium. You can reserve free tickets using this link. 

The event, which is open to the public, is taking place during W&L’s Parents and Family weekend. Students, parents, faculty, staff and Lexington community members are encouraged to attend. 

An experienced national security reporter, Herridge most recently worked as a senior investigative correspondent for CBS News before starting her own media outlet, Catherine Herridge Reports. Previously, Herridge joined Fox News at its 1996 inception, eventually becoming the chief intelligence correspondent. 

Herridge has been honored with multiple awards for her journalism, including the Tex McCrary Award for Journalism from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

Herridge’s credentials go beyond the newsroom, as she was also the author of the 2011 book The Next Wave: On the Hunt for Al Qaeda’s American Recruits.

Before starting her professional career, Herridge obtained a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and a master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. 

Herridge has paid a personal price for her commitment to journalistic excellence. In February 2024, she was held in contempt of court for refusing to divulge the names of her sources on a story. On September 30, 2025, the DC Circuit Court upheld this ruling. 

The Freedom of the Press Association called the decision “a significant blow to press freedom for all journalists.” Fox News, her former employer, said that “forcing a journalist to reveal a source not only threatens press freedom but chills investigative reporting that holds the powerful accountable, which is the very foundation of our democracy.”

(Event poster. | SOURCE: The Spectator)

This is the first event in The Spectator’s Reclaiming Liberty Speaker Series, celebrating the United States' semiquincentennial. We are excited for many more informative events, covering all aspects of American life. 

We hope to see you on Friday, October 24, in Northen Auditorium!