Glenn Beck is an American conservative media personality, political commentator, entrepreneur, author, television and radio host, and media mogul. Born on February 10, 1964, in Everett, Washington, and raised in Mount Vernon, Washington, he experienced a turbulent childhood marked by his parents' divorce and the tragic death of his mother, Mary Clara Beck, by drowning in 1979, which was ruled a suicide and deeply affected him. Beck began his career in radio as a teenager, working at various stations across the country before gaining national prominence. He launched his nationally syndicated radio show, The Glenn Beck Radio Program, in 2000 on Premiere Radio Networks (now Premiere Networks), which remains one of the most-listened-to talk radio shows in the United States. He hosted a show on CNN Headline News (HLN) from 2006 to 2008, then moved to Fox News Channel where his program became one of the highest-rated cable news shows from 2009 to 2011. After departing Fox News, he founded TheBlaze (originally GBTV) in 2011 as an independent subscription-based online television network and media company, pioneering the digital subscription model. TheBlaze later merged with CRTV to form Blaze Media in 2018. Beck operates his sprawling media empire through Mercury Radio Arts, a multimedia production company based in studios in Irving (later Dallas), Texas, overseeing his radio program, publishing imprints, digital platforms, and generating substantial revenue through subscriptions, advertising, merchandise, live events, and book sales.

Beck is known for his high-energy, often emotional delivery, libertarian-leaning commentary on politics and culture, and focus on constitutional principles, libertarian-conservative values, religious conservatism, patriotism, and perceived threats from progressivism, globalism, Islam, and historical figures like Woodrow Wilson. He significantly shaped the Tea Party-era political landscape as a prominent figure in the movement, organizing the 'Restoring Honor' rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 2010, which drew tens of thousands of attendees and controversy for coinciding with the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech. Beck has been a polarizing figure in American media, drawing both passionate support and sharp criticism, including accusations of promoting conspiracy theories around progressive political figures and movements, commentary on George Soros that drew antisemitism accusations from organizations like the Anti-Defamation League, and a notable defamation lawsuit related to his coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing, where he accused Saudi national Abdulrahman Alharbi of involvement. He was previously more aligned with the Republican Party establishment but became a notable critic of Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican primary before softening his stance and expressing some support. In recent years, he has emphasized geopolitical and economic theories, notably 'The Great Reset,' while maintaining one of the largest digital audiences in conservative media through his alternative platforms, positioning him as a central figure in the American 'New Media' movement that emphasizes alternative information networks and self-reliance.

A prolific author, Beck has numerous New York Times bestsellers in fiction and non-fiction, including 'An Inconvenient Book' (2007), 'Common Sense' (2009), 'Arguing with Idiots' (2009), 'The Overton Window' (2010), 'Broke,' and 'Liars' (2016). He is an advocate for Christian and pro-Israel causes and has featured the research of CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America) extensively on his programs. Beck's personal life has been marked by tragedy and transformation: he struggled publicly with alcohol and drug addiction in the 1990s, leading to his first marriage to Claire Beck ending in divorce, followed by various health challenges including a neurological condition diagnosed around 2014-2015 that affected his cognitive functions but improved with treatment. He became sober in 1994, converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1999—the same year he married his current wife, Tania, who influenced his conversion—and has credited his sobriety, faith, and recovery journey for his personal transformation. Despite high-profile legal settlements, he remains influential in conservative media.