Net Worth Ranker
What Is Deborah Norville’s Net Worth?
Deborah Norville, a multifaceted American personality recognized as a television anchor, journalist, producer, and author, has accumulated a net worth of $18 million. This figure reflects her diverse and enduring career in media and entertainment, spanning several decades.
Deborah Norville’s Career and Salary
Norville has been the host of “Inside Edition” since 1995, which is her primary role. For her work on “Inside Edition,” Deborah Norville earns an annual salary of $4 million. This syndicated television series has provided her with a consistent and substantial income stream for over two decades. Prior to this, she gained prominence as a host on NBC’s “Today” show and as an anchor for NBC News and CBS Evening News, contributing to her financial success and establishing her reputation in the broadcasting industry. From 2003 to 2005, Norville hosted “Deborah Norville Tonight” on MSNBC, where she also served as a producer. She has also worked as an executive producer on “Exposed with Deborah Norville” (2017) and “Executed with Deborah Norville” (2019) on the Reelz channel, and “The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother’s Hunt for Justice” (2021) for Lifetime, which further demonstrates her range of skills and contributions to television production.
Early Life and Education
Born on August 8, 1958, in Dalton, Georgia, Deborah Anne Norville is the daughter of Merle Lillian Olson and Zachary Samuel Norville. She has three sisters: Nancy, Cathy, and Patricia. As a high school senior, Deborah won Dalton’s Junior Miss contest and represented the state in the 1976 America’s Junior Miss pageant. Originally planning to pursue a law career, she was inspired to enter television journalism after observing the CBS Television production team at the pageant. In 1999, Norville returned to the America’s Junior Miss contest as its host. She attended the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, graduating summa cum laude in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. She completed her degree in just three years with a 4.0 GPA. During college, she joined the Delta Delta Delta sorority and served on the Student Judiciary’s Main Court.
Career Beginnings and Rise
Norville’s career started with an internship at Georgia Public Television, working on “The Lawmakers,” which covered the Georgia General Assembly. She then secured an internship at WAGA-TV in Atlanta. Just three days into her internship, she was asked to cover a news story due to a shortage of reporters, leading to her appearance on the six o’clock news that evening. She became a weekend reporter while still a college senior. In early 1979, she interviewed President Jimmy Carter. After graduating, Norville worked full-time as a reporter at WAGA-TV and was named a weekend anchor in October 1979. In 1982, she joined WMAQ-TV, the NBC affiliate in Chicago, as a reporter and later became an anchor. During her time at WMAQ-TV, Deborah appeared on a billboard briefly seen in the 1986 film “Running Scared.” Her hiring by NBC News in New York was announced that year, and Chicago’s then-mayor, Harold Washington, declared “Deborah Norville Week.” Starting as an anchor on NBC News in January 1987, she saw ratings increase by 40%. She occasionally filled in on “Today” before becoming a news anchor on the program in September 1989. In January 1990, she became a co-host on “Today” following Jane Pauley’s departure.
Transition and Continued Success
In 1991, Norville went on maternity leave after the birth of her first child and did not return to “Today.” Before returning to television, she hosted “The Deborah Norville Show: From Her Home to Yours” on ABC TalkRadio Networks from September 1991 to October 1992. She began working as a correspondent for CBS News in October 1992, reporting for “48 Hours” and “Street Stories,” and anchoring CBS Evening News, CBS Sunday Evening News, and “America Tonight.” In 1995, Deborah became the anchor of the syndicated series “Inside Edition.” By 2015, when the program celebrated her 20th anniversary, she was recognized as national TV’s longest-serving female anchor. From 2003 to 2005, she hosted “Deborah Norville Tonight” on MSNBC. She also made guest appearances as herself on “The Young and the Restless” in 2003 and “The Game” in 2015. Additionally, she hosted the Reelz channel shows “Exposed with Deborah Norville” in 2017 and “Executed with Deborah Norville” in 2019.
Authorial Works and Creative Pursuits
Deborah Norville is also an accomplished author, having written several books including “Back on Track: How to Straighten Out Your Life When It Throws You a Curve” (1997), “Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You” (2007), “The Power of Respect: Benefit from the Most Forgotten Element of Success” (2009), and “The Way We Are: Heroes, Scoundrels, and Oddballs from Twenty-five Years of Inside Edition” (2013). She has also written children’s books, such as “I Don’t Want to Sleep Tonight” (1999) and “I Can Fly!” (2001). Besides her literary contributions, Norville is known for her crafting skills. Her website mentions that she is a “lifelong crafter” who made much of her wardrobe early in her career and now enjoys sewing for her home. She also released the book “Knit With Deborah Norville” in 2009.
Personal Life and Health
Deborah Norville married Karl Gert Wellner, a Swedish businessman and the CEO of Papamarkou Wellner Asset Management, on December 12, 1987. The couple has three children: Niki (born 1991), Kyle (born 1995), and Mikaela (born 1998). In April 2019, Norville underwent surgery to remove a cancerous thyroid nodule. She shared in a video message that a viewer had noticed a lump on her neck, which led to the diagnosis and subsequent treatment. According to Norville, it was a localized form of cancer that required surgery, but no chemotherapy or radiation was needed.
Awards and Recognition
Norville has received two Emmy Awards, one during her time on “Today” for the network’s coverage of the 1989 Romanian revolution and another for coverage of the 1994 Mississippi floods while working for CBS News and reporting for “48 Hours.” In January 2024, the Broadcasters Foundation of America announced that Deborah would receive its Edward F. McLaughlin Lifetime Achievement Award, which is “given annually to an individual who has made invaluable contributions to the television and radio industries.”
Real Estate Investments
In March 2019, Deborah and Karl listed their 3,000 square foot Park Avenue apartment for $4.5 million. This residence features four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a library. The sale of this apartment contributed to Deborah Norville’s assets and overall net worth.
