Murray native and UK alum Andy Rose promoted to senior news desk reporter at CNN
Andy Rose, a Murray native and 1999 graduate of the School of Journalism and Media in the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information, has been promoted to senior news desk reporter at CNN, marking a significant milestone in his nearly two-decade career with the network.
Rose, who joined CNN in 2007, said the promotion reflects years of dedication to reporting and storytelling at the national level.
“It was a real honor to have the work I have been doing be recognized by my supervisors,” Rose said. “I work with people who have won top journalism awards — from the Emmy to the Peabody Award to the Pulitzer Prize — so to have them praise my stories is a wonderful feeling.”
In his new role, Rose has taken on greater responsibility in both content creation and newsroom leadership as CNN continues to expand its digital focus.
“When I first joined what was then called the national desk, I spent most of my time confirming information about developing stories that would be alerted within the newsroom, and others would turn them into finished TV packages and web articles,” Rose said. “Now, as our focus turns more toward digital platforms, I am fully involved in every step of the process, writing full articles and often helping to select the images, video and graphics that help tell the story.”
Rose also said the promotion allows him to pursue more in-depth reporting while mentoring other journalists.
“My senior role means I am now taking on more enterprise stories — going beyond daily news developments and working on pieces that explore the effects of those events more in-depth,” Rose said. “It also means I get to mentor other journalists in our group and learn more about some of my specialties, including legal cases and narrative writing.”
His day-to-day work varies widely, reflecting the unpredictable nature of national news coverage.
“My work focuses on stories for CNN’s website and mobile app, but it involves the same process as an on-camera reporter, interviewing people involved in a developing story, researching the background and writing articles that explain and contextualize complicated subjects,” Rose said.
That work can range from breaking news updates to long-form reporting.
“Sometimes I am calling local emergency officials to confirm damage from a natural disaster. Sometimes I am watching a lengthy trial. Sometimes I am interviewing experts and poring over hundreds of pages of documents or hours of recordings,” Rose said. “On some days, my reporting comes out in a series of brief news blog posts updating breaking news. At other times, the result is a 2,500-word article that took several days of reporting and hours of fact-checking and legal review.”
Despite nearly 18 years at CNN, Rose said covering breaking news at a global level continues to present challenges.
“CNN is the gold standard for delivering news anywhere in the world, so you truly never know what story will break from day to day,” Rose said. “At CNN, you have to learn how to quickly get up to speed on how to confirm information from any place it might happen. After 18 years with the company, it eventually gets easier, but it’s still a challenge.”
Rose’s path to CNN began in Kentucky, where he turned early opportunities into a long-term career in journalism. While at UK, he worked at WVLK radio, eventually moving into television and radio roles in Lexington and Louisville before relocating to Atlanta.
“I was a student reporter at WUKY radio, as well as a part-time announcer for a year, and I had some of my first professional field reporting experience there,” Rose said. “The most interesting experience was covering student celebrations on Euclid during our run of three straight Final Fours from 1996 to 1998.”
He later joined CNN’s radio network before transitioning into digital and affiliate reporting roles that led to his current position.
Looking back, Rose said he never expected to reach this level in his career.
“I grew up watching CNN and took the tour in Atlanta when I was 13 years old, and it all seemed so overwhelming,” Rose said. “But some adults who saw my interest in news as a kid used to say, ‘I’ll bet you end up at CNN one day.’ It just took me a while to believe them.”
Rose credits his education at UK for shaping his approach to journalism, particularly in ethics and critical thinking.
“I learned a lot about the history and ethical foundations of modern journalism at UK, and those are discussions I’m still having almost 30 years later,” Rose said. “One thing I appreciate about CNN is that we really do have serious, intense discussions about our ethical responsibilities and making sure we are approaching stories responsibly and humanely.”
As the media landscape continues to evolve, Rose encourages current students to develop a wide range of skills.
“There is more convergence in this field than ever, so learn how to write and report in every format you can,” Rose said. “Whether it is video production, podcasting, photography or writing for the Kernel, having the broadest skill set is important in an industry that is constantly shifting.”
Reflecting on his journey, Rose emphasized the importance of confidence and persistence.
“Have confidence in yourself. Take chances,” Rose said. “Watch the work of others carefully and learn from their experience, but don’t be intimidated by them. College sets a great foundation, but we’re all still learning as we go along.”
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
Andy Rose, UK College of Communication and Information alum, joined CNN in 2007. Photos provided.
