Serena Altschul
A sharp-witted MTV News correspondent who brought journalistic depth to youth culture and later anchored CBS News coverage.
Born 1970 (age 56)·American broadcast journalist·Birthday: October 13·Generation X
Biography
Serena Altschul carved a distinct path in broadcast journalism by bridging the gap between serious reporting and the pulse of a younger generation. Beginning her career at MTV News in the 1990s, she covered music, politics, and social issues with an intelligence that refused to talk down to her audience. This foundation led to a long tenure at CBS News, where she contributed to 'CBS Sunday Morning' and '48 Hours,' bringing her calm, inquisitive presence to a wide range of human-interest and investigative stories. Her career is a study in adaptability, moving seamlessly from the frenetic energy of MTV to the measured pace of network newsmagazines, all while maintaining a signature thoughtful approach.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Serena was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Serena Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Serena's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as a prominent correspondent for MTV News during its influential peak in the 1990s.
- Contributed long-form reporting and features for the esteemed CBS News program 'Sunday Morning.'
- Reported on major stories for the investigative series '48 Hours,' covering crime and justice issues.
Did You Know?
She is the great-granddaughter of the founder of the Altschul family, prominent in investment banking.
Altschul was a competitive equestrian in her youth and considered a career as a professional rider.
She made a cameo appearance in the 2001 comedy film 'Zoolander.'
“A good story connects people, whether it's about a treaty or a track.”
