Richard Coolidge Bio
Richard Coolidge is an acclaimed American television news producer, multimedia journalist, and media executive based in Washington, D.C. He is best known for his long-standing leadership roles at PBS NewsHour, where he served as a Senior Producer and Senior Managing Producer. In his role, he directed nightly broadcast content, spearheaded the network’s digital and social media expansion, and cultivated vital content-sharing partnerships with PBS member stations and independent, non-profit newsrooms across the country.
Coolidge has cultivated a legendary media footprint spanning more than three decades behind the scenes of national and international broadcasting. Before joining the team at public television in April 2015, he spent over twenty-six years as a veteran producer for ABC News. During his illustrious tenure at ABC, he orchestrated high-stakes field coverage from major global conflict zones—including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and deep humanitarian crises in Yemen, Pakistan, and Darfur. He also directed on-the-ground news teams through four consecutive U.S. presidential campaign cycles, capturing pivotal political histories during the Bush and Obama administrations.
Throughout his career, Coolidge’s editorial vision has earned some of journalism’s highest honors. Across his network and digital portfolios, his newsrooms have secured three News & Documentary Emmy Awards, three George Foster Peabody Awards, two Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Awards, and an Edward R. Murrow Award. He also managed the specialized NewsHour West team based at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. In February 2026, after thirty-two years of distinguished storytelling and operational leadership, he officially retired from daily news production.
Beyond his professional life, Coolidge is a passionate outdoorsman, an avid skier, a self-described “powderhound,” and a dedicated supporter of animal rescue organizations. His academic foundation comes from Middlebury College in Vermont, where he graduated before launching his multi-decade trajectory in television journalism. Â
Richard Coolidge Age
Richard Coolidge is in his late 50s or early 60s as of mid-2026. Because he maintains a strictly behind-the-scenes professional profile, his exact birth date and city of birth are not disclosed in public network directories. However, his college graduation timeline and over 32 years of executive broadcasting experience point to a birth timeline around the mid-1960s.
Richard Coolidge Family
Coolidge was born into a supportive American household that encouraged civic awareness and academic curiosity. He chooses to keep specific personal details regarding the public names of his parents and siblings secure to preserve their privacy away from the intense spotlight of national political journalism and network media production.
Richard Coolidge’s Wife
Coolidge is married to his wife, with whom he has built a shared domestic life in Northern Virginia. Together, the couple has two children—a teenage son and a teenage daughter. The close-knit family currently resides in a private home located in the rural community of Middleburg, Virginia, where they regularly enjoy outdoor activities and escapes to island beaches.
Richard Coolidge’s Height
Coolidge stands at an approximate height of 5 feet 11 inches.
Richard Coolidge Net Worth
Coolidge has an estimated net worth of between $1 million and $3 million as of 2026. This solid financial foundation has been built through his extensive thirty-year broadcasting career, consisting of senior producer contracts with ABC News and his high-level executive producer agreements with PBS and WETA.
Richard Coolidge’s Salary
Coolidge received an estimated annual salary ranging from $130,000 to $185,000 prior to his retirement. This pay scale directly aligns with national industry standard baselines for senior managing producers, operations directors, and veteran news curators managing major evening television news syndicates.
