Ben Wedeman Biography
Ben Wedeman is CNN’s Senior International Correspondent, currently based in Rome. His extensive career with CNN began in 1994 when he joined the network as a fixer, producer, and sound technician in Amman, Jordan. Before joining CNN, Wedeman worked as a freelance print journalist in Amman, reporting on Syria, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, and Sudan.
Ben Wedeman Age
Wedeman is 63 years old. He was born on September 1, 1960, in Washington, D.C., United States.
Ben Wedeman Height
He is approximately 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 meters) tall.
Ben Wedeman Nationality
He is American.
Ben Wedeman Education
Wedeman earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Oriental Languages and Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin. He also holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Ben Wedeman Parents
Ben’s parents were both American and had distinguished careers that significantly influenced his path. His father, Miles G. Wedeman (January 23, 1923 – October 23, 2013), was a prominent diplomat from Pennsylvania who worked extensively in the Middle East. A devout Quaker, Miles G. Wedeman’s career with USAID also took him to the Ivory Coast and Syria. His mother’s career was equally impactful; Martha Jean Wedeman was a reporter for The Washington Post and also worked as an author and educator. Their international experiences and dedication to their professions played a crucial role in shaping Ben’s global perspective and career in journalism.
Ben has one sibling, a brother named Quintin Wedeman, who has pursued a career outside journalism, although details about his professional background are not widely publicized.
Ben spent much of his childhood abroad. The family moved to South Korea in 1968, and later lived in Bangkok and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, during the Cambodian Civil War. These formative years in diverse and tumultuous environments contributed to Ben’s deep understanding of global affairs and his successful career as a foreign correspondent.
Ben Wedeman Wife
Ben is married to Yasmine Perni. Yasmine Perni is an accomplished journalist, author, and filmmaker. She has a rich background in media, particularly focusing on the Middle East, much like her husband. Yasmine has written and produced documentaries, with a keen interest in social issues and history. She is also known for her book “The Nights of Tino Rossi,” which explores themes of identity and belonging.
The couple have three children together. Their family life has been shaped by their extensive time spent in the Middle East, where both have pursued their careers while raising their children.
Ben Wedeman CNN
Wedeman is CNN’s Senior International Correspondent, currently based in Rome. His role in Rome has seen him cover significant events, including the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the election of Pope Francis, numerous Italian political crises, and the ongoing migrant crisis.
Wedeman’s experience extends far beyond Europe. He has reported from the frontlines of the Syrian civil war, the military-backed overthrow of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, the 2014 Gaza war, the conflict against ISIS in Iraq, and the failed Turkish coup d’état in 2016.
Previously stationed in Cairo, Wedeman led CNN’s coverage of the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak. He was the first Western journalist to enter Libya shortly after the revolution began and spent extensive time covering the downfall of Moammar Gadhafi’s regime in 2011.
Before his time in Cairo, Wedeman was based in Jerusalem, focusing on Palestinian affairs. He was the first to break the news of the release of kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston in Gaza in 2007 and was the first Western reporter to enter Gaza from Egypt during Israel’s offensive in late 2008-2009.
In 2006, Wedeman was CNN’s senior reporter in Tyre, Lebanon, during the war between Israel and Hezbollah. His career has also seen him cover the Balkan wars, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Second Intifada, numerous crises in Iraq, and humanitarian disasters in Africa, including the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone, for which he won multiple awards.
In 2003, Wedeman reported on the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq from Kurdish territory in the north, where he was among the first journalists to cover the fall of Kirkuk. He continued to report on the complex post-Saddam era, including being the first to interview Iraqi prisoners tortured by American soldiers in the infamous Abu Ghraib scandal.
In 2002, he played a crucial role in CNN’s coverage of Israel’s Operation Defensive Shield, which saw the reoccupation of the West Bank following a series of suicide bombings. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, Wedeman covered the collapse of the Taliban in Afghanistan and was the only Western journalist to interview Al-Qaeda fighters holed up in the mountains of Tora Bora.
Wedeman joined CNN in 1994 as a fixer/producer/sound technician in Amman, Jordan. In 1995, he became the Amman Bureau Chief, covering Jordan’s evolving relationship with Israel post the 1995 peace deal, and reporting on Iraq under Saddam Hussein. He secured an exclusive interview with Udai Saddam Hussein, the notorious son of the Iraqi dictator.
His exceptional reporting has earned him numerous accolades, including Emmy and Peabody awards for coverage of the Egyptian revolution and the Syrian civil war, as well as awards for his work in Sierra Leone, the Israel-Lebanon war, and the Mosul offensive.
Before joining CNN, Wedeman was a freelance print journalist in Amman, covering Syria, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, and Sudan. He also worked in an agricultural research center in Aleppo, Syria, and as a demolition expert for a French oil prospecting company near Raqqa, Syria.
Fluent in Arabic and Italian, with a working knowledge of ancient Egyptian and Hebrew, and experience studying Japanese, Russian, and Mongolian, Wedeman has lived in the Middle East since 1974.
Ben Wedeman Salary
Wedeman’s exact salary at CNN is not publicly disclosed. However, as a Senior International Correspondent with decades of experience, his salary is likely in the higher range for journalists in similar roles, which can be estimated to be between $100,000 and $200,000 per year.
Ben Wedeman Net Worth
Wedeman’s net worth is not publicly disclosed, but it is estimated to be in the range of $1 million to $5 million.
