Brian Karem

Brian J. Karem is an award-winning journalist, author, speaker and recognized defender of the First Amendment.

Karem is a veteran White House correspondent and former senior correspondent for Playboy Magazine. He currently writes a weekly column on the White House for Salon.com and is also a regular contributor and columnist for The Washington Diplomat. He was the first guest on CNN's "Reliable Sources" 30 years ago with Bernard Kalb and the last guest on "Reliable Sources" with Brian Stelter on the last show. He appears frequently on the country's top-rated television news shows as well as numerous radio shows throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.

His podcast, Just Ask the Question, generates high ratings through topical interviews with engaging, knowledgeable guests, including veteran journalist Sam Donaldson, Emmy-nominated comedian and singer Randy Rainbow, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Alexander Vindman and Hollywood legend Carl Reiner, among others.

Karem has worked in both newspaper and television as an investigative journalist covering politics, crime, refugee issues, and state and local news. His work experience includes "America’s Most Wanted" (as producer and correspondent); People magazine; Fox News; NBC News; and the Courier-Journal, among others.

Karem has received multiple awards for his work, including the prestigious Pieringer Award and the Freedom of the Press Award, and was nominated as “Journalist of the Year” by the Los Angeles Press Club.

Throughout his career, Karem has been a champion of free speech and vocal advocate for freedom of the press. He has testified in support of a federal shield law numerous times before state legislatures and is the founder of the “First Jailbird’s Club,” a group of 13 reporters who went to jail to defend a confidential source and who have toured the nation to rally for a federal shield law.

Karem is an author of seven books, a member of the White House Press Corps and the National Press Club and serves as president of the MDDC Press Association. He launched Just Ask the Question in late 2018.