Reid Butler

Reid Butler brings an investigative television sensibility to entertainment coverage, treating red carpets and celebrity interviews with the same on-the-ground focus he applies to major news events. He is a US Correspondent for Nine News and a Walkley Award-winning journalist whose reports for Nine’s entertainment platforms bridge Hollywood spectacle with clear, accessible storytelling for a broad audience. His recent work is defined by marquee film and television events, exclusive sit-downs with screen personalities, and first-person pieces that describe what it is like to move inside those worlds.

US correspondent with a television-first approach

Butler’s current role as US Correspondent for Nine News places his entertainment coverage inside a wider brief of reporting stories from across North America for viewers at home. His background is firmly in television news and current affairs: he started in Nine’s newsroom as an associate producer, moved through producing roles on major programs, and then into on-air reporting. That path shows in his entertainment work, which often arrives as television packages or extended clips for programs like Today, with him framing the story directly to camera and providing context around the event or interview. He is comfortable shifting from hard news to lighter segments and uses that experience to keep entertainment stories anchored in clear facts and a sense of place rather than gossip or commentary.

Hollywood awards, red carpets and celebrity moments

Butler’s entertainment reporting is closely tied to major Hollywood events and the infrastructure around them.

He has covered the Oscars from the ground, including segments that focus on his own arrival and movement through the ceremony environment, turning the logistics and atmosphere of the night into part of the story. His work around the Hollywood Walk of Fame has highlighted Australian and international actors, such as reporting from the ceremony where Naomi Watts received a star and relaying how figures like Nicole Kidman were woven into the occasion. Butler’s pieces often foreground the experience of being there - how stars interact, how the industry presents itself on its biggest stages - while still delivering the basic news, whether it is an award, a milestone, or a key moment in a performer’s career.

In print and online he extends this by writing first-person reflections on encounters with major stars and on singular experiences that stand apart from routine junkets and premieres.

Long-form television stories and entertainment franchises

Before taking up the US correspondent brief, Butler built a substantial body of work on Nine’s long-form current affairs programming, and that structure carries over into his entertainment coverage. He has produced and reported extended television stories that unpack why certain formats endure, such as a feature marking the long-running quiz program Millionaire Hot Seat reaching a two-decade milestone.

In that piece he revisited archival moments, interviewed host Eddie McGuire, and drew out recurring themes in how contestants approach the game, treating a familiar entertainment franchise as a subject worthy of close reporting rather than simple promotion. This long-form approach makes his entertainment stories more narrative-driven than standard event round-ups, often combining interviews, history and behind-the-scenes detail into a cohesive package.

His current entertainment beat therefore includes not just film and celebrity news but also the culture around television formats and the way those shows shape audience habits over time.

Investigations and serious news grounding

Butler’s coverage is distinguished by a background in investigative and serious news reporting that continues alongside his entertainment work. He was part of the Building Bad team that exposed wrongdoing within a major construction union, reporting across multiple locations and contributing to a project that went on to win two Walkley Awards, including the Gold Walkley in 2024.

Earlier reporting in Nine’s newsroom included coverage of significant natural disasters and public health crises, giving him experience in complex, high-pressure stories before he expanded his remit to include entertainment. That grounding shapes his tone: even when covering stars or ceremonies, he keeps the language direct and the focus on verifiable details, and he is equipped to pivot back to hard news when events at an entertainment venue overlap with broader social or political issues.

The combination of investigative credentials and entertainment access makes his work stand out from generic showbiz reporting, especially for stories that sit at the intersection of culture, media and accountability.