Who was Mark Knoller? Katie Couric pays tribute as legendary CBS reporter passes away

Veteran radio journalist Mark Knoller passed away on Saturday, August 30, in Washington, DC, a close friend confirmed to CBS News. 

The representative didn’t report any cause of death, but the outlet highlighted the 73-year-old’s health struggles. Knoller reportedly had diabetes and had been unwell before his demise on Saturday. 

The longtime CBS News correspondent was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 20, 1952. Mark Knoller was an alumnus of New York University. After graduating, he began his media journey with WNEW Radio, per CBS News. 

Knoller was an intern and copy boy at the station before he joined the Associated Press Radio Network as a reporter. After remaining at AP for 13 years, Mark switched to CBS and remained employed by the network until 2020, when he was laid off, according to Mediaite. 

RIP Mark Knoller - a long-time pillar of the White House press corps and a true legend.

I first met Mark in the late 1990s. I was in awe of how quickly and decisively he worked. After a presidential event, reporters would rush to the press bus and the first thing you would hear… pic.twitter.com/pyRB2NjArw

— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) August 31, 2025

According to CBS News, Mark Knoller joined the network after a chat with journalist and TV news producer Susan Zirinsky. They were on a trip to Helsinki and Moscow with George Schult, the Secretary of State at the time. 

Mark Knoller later became CBS Radio’s White House correspondent. Tom Cibrowski, president and executive editor of CBS News, hailed the experienced news reporter for his longevity and hard work. He was quoted as saying (via CBS News): 

“Mark Knoller was the hardest-working and most prolific White House correspondent of a generation. Everyone in America knew his distinctive voice and his up-to-the-minute reporting across eight Presidential administrations.” 

Including his tenure at AP and CBS, Knoller covered eight presidencies – From Gerald Ford to Donald Trump. CBS News noted that Knoller was known as “unofficial presidential historian and statistician” among White House press corps. 

After the end of his tenure at CBS, the veteran journalist turned to Twitter and frequently reported news on the platform where he had nearly 300K followers. According to CBS News, during the correspondent’s final years, “his voice had begun to fail,” making it difficult to continue on the radio.  

Katie Couric pays tribute to Mark Knoller, after the legendary White House correspondent passes away at 73

The Wake Up Call publisher, Katie Couric, was among many who paid their tribute to the seasoned radio journalist after he passed away. She highlighted Knoller’s prominent role as a White House correspondent in a Facebook post and shared her condolences. Couric wrote: 

“Mark was one of a kind. Hardworking, funny, unfailingly kind, he was just wonderful.  He wasn’t a fancy, polished reporter/anchor - he always looked a bit like an unmade bed. (He wouldn’t be mad at me saying this…) Thank you Mark, for keeping track of everything Presidential and for your years of dedication.”

The Katie Couric Media co-founder continued: 

“You will be missed by everyone who benefited from your reporting, even if they only heard your distinctive voice on the radio or read your informative, sometimes sardonic posts on social media. And all your colleagues - through eight administrations - will miss your wisdom and generosity."

For those unaware, Couric is known for her past associations with CBS, NBC, and CNN, among others. She is currently known for her Wake Up Call newsletter and Next Question with Katie Couric podcast. 

Mark and Katie were colleagues at CBS for five years – between 2006 and 2011 – but didn’t collaborate.