Quick Facts
Biography
Peter Gert Johannes Kloeppel (born October 14, 1958 in Frankfurt am Main) is a German journalist and former chief editor of RTL Television. He currently is the chief anchor of RTL's flagship daily television news program, RTL Aktuell.
Life and work
After completing his Abitur in Bad Homburg in 1977, Kloeppel studied agriculture in Göttingen. He attended the Henri Nannen School for Journalism in Hamburg from 1983 to 1985, making his first experiences with RTL. From 1985 onwards, he worked in the network's Bonn studio, before becoming RTL's first correspondent in New York City, covering the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991. In April 1992, Kloeppel became head anchor of the RTL evening news, and from 1994 on covered all federal and state elections in Germany.
He gained fame and respect for his enduring coverage of the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001; he remained on air all night and the following morning, not sleeping for more than 24 hours, and was later awarded the prestigious Grimme Preis. He also received an Emmy nomination for this very show. On November 1, 2004 he was made chief editor of RTL. On 30 July 2014 he stepped down from this position to have more time with his family. He remains the chief anchor of RTL Aktuell.
Kloeppel also founded the RTL Journalistenschule für TV und Multimedia in 2001. He is the school's director and CEO.
Personal life
Peter Kloeppel has been married to American television producer Carol Sagissor since 1993. Their daughter Geena was born on 21 June 1996.
Awards
- 1993: New York Festival (Best News Anchor)
- 1996, 2008: Goldener Löwe, Bambi
- 1997: Bayerischer Fernsehpreis, Telestar
- 2002: Spezial-Grimme-Preis (for the reporting of September 11 attacks), Goldener Gong
- 2009: RIAS-Preis
- 2012: Bayerischer Fernsehpreis (for a documentary about the life changing effects of the September 11 attacks)