WRITER

John Stossel

1947 - Today

Photo of John Stossel

Icon of person John Stossel

John Frank Stossel (born March 6, 1947) is an American libertarian television presenter, author, consumer journalist, political activist, and pundit. He is known for his career as a host on ABC News, Fox Business Network, and Reason TV. Stossel's style combines reporting and commentary. It reflects a libertarian political philosophy and views on economics which are largely supportive of the free market. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of John Stossel has received more than 2,009,758 page views. His biography is available in 29 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 27 in 2019). John Stossel is the 6,570th most popular writer (down from 6,123rd in 2019), the 12,742nd most popular biography from United States (up from 13,012th in 2019) and the 925th most popular American Writer.

Memorability Metrics

  • 2.0M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 40.05

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 29

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 1.38

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 5.01

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Notable Works

Give Me a Break
Biography, Fraud, Journalism
Ballooning government?Millionaire welfare queens?Tort lawyers run amok?A $330,000 outhouse, paid for with your tax dollars?John Stossel says, "Give me a break." When he hit the airwaves thirty years ago, Stossel helped create a whole new category of news, dedicated to protecting and informing consumers. As a crusading reporter, he chased snake-oil peddlers, rip-off artists, and corporate thieves, winning the applause of his peers.But along the way, he noticed that there was something far more troublesome going on: While the networks screamed about the dangers of exploding BIC lighters and coffeepots, worse risks were ignored. And while reporters were teaming up with lawyers and legislators to stick it to big business, they seldom reported the ways the free market made life better.In Give Me a Break, Stossel explains how ambitious bureaucrats, intellectually lazy reporters, and greedy lawyers make your life worse even as they claim to protect your interests. Taking on such sacred cows as the FDA, the War on Drugs, and scaremongering environmental activists -- and backing up his trademark irreverence with careful reasoning and research -- he shows how the problems that government tries and fails to fix can be solved better by the extraordinary power of the free market.He traces his journey from cub reporter to 20/20 co-anchor, revealing his battles to get his ideas to the public, his struggle to overcome stuttering, and his eventual realization that, for years, much of his reporting missed the point.Stossel concludes the book with a provocative blueprint for change: a simple plan in the spirit of the Founding Fathers to ensure that America remains a place "where free minds -- and free markets -- make good things happen."
2004
Give Me a Break CD
2004
Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity
Common fallacies, Quality of life, Social problems
The national bestseller! Consumer advocate, investigative reporter, and bestselling author John Stossel is back with a new book based on his top-rated 20/20 segment, “Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity,” that debunks popularly reported misconceptions. Singles have a better sex life than married people, right? Wrong! A University of Chicago study shows that married couples are having more sex--30% more--and better sex, than singles. But movies, TV shows, and other reporting about marriage never feature that fact. Do we have less free time than we used to? Countless news stories and anecdotes from friends and family make the overwhelming case that we're running ourselves ragged. But when people actually keep track of their activities in a time diary, studies show that we have significantly more free time per day than in 1965. So why is everyone out of time? Surburban sprawl is ruining America. Huge subdivisions and massive highway construction is eating up our free space and affecting our quality of life. Isn't that what you always hear? So why do you never hear that 95% of America is undeveloped, or that so-called 'smart development' prices lower-income families out of property ownership?
2006
No, they can't
Economic policy, Social control, Free enterprise
2012
Myths, lies, and downright stupidity
Common fallacies, Social problems, Quality of life
Myths and misconceptions covered in the book include: Is the media unbiased? Are our schools helping or hurting our kids? Do singles have a better sex life than married people? Do we have less free time than we used to? Is outsourcing bad for American workers? Suburban sprawl is ruining America; money makes people happier; the world is too crowded; we're drowning in garbage; profiteering is evil; sweatshops exploit people. Investigative reporter Stossel takes on these issues and many more.--From publisher description.
2006
Standard orthopaedic operations
Orthopedic surgery, Orthopedics
1975

Among WRITERS

Among writers, John Stossel ranks 6,570 out of 7,302. Before him are Irving Finkel, Ali Sardar Jafri, Mo Hayder, Gregory S. Paul, R. S. Thomas, and Robert Henryson. After him are Judith Hermann, Phil Donahue, Annie Dillard, Josephine Johnson, Terence Winter, and M. H. Abrams.

Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1947, John Stossel ranks 815. Before him are Lolo Matalasi Moliga, Martyn Poliakoff, Jana Bellin, Usha Uthup, Bob Weir, and J. Richard Gott. After him are Ronnie Montrose, Janet Mills, Michael Albert, Ramesh Sippy, László Réczi, and Chris Stringer.

Others Born in 1947

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In United States

Among people born in United States, John Stossel ranks 12,742 out of 20,380. Before him are Kevin Lima (1962), Alvin Robertson (1962), Gail O'Grady (1963), Carmine Giovinazzo (1973), Frances Gifford (1920), and Enrique Murciano (1973). After him are DJ Ashba (1972), Amy Coney Barrett (1972), Shawnacy Barber (1994), Kid Cudi (1984), Phil Donahue (1935), and Joan Marsh (1914).

Others born in United States

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Among WRITERS In United States

Among writers born in United States, John Stossel ranks 925. Before him are N. K. Jemisin (1972), John Burroughs (1837), Ronald D. Moore (1964), Stanley Kunitz (1905), Michael Pollan (1955), and Gregory S. Paul (1954). After him are Phil Donahue (1935), Annie Dillard (1945), Josephine Johnson (1910), Terence Winter (1960), M. H. Abrams (1912), and Vin Scully (1927).

American born Writers

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