Ken Dilanian

Ken Dilanian is an American journalist. As of 2024, he is based in Washington, D.C., serving as justice and intelligence correspondent for MS NOW.

Early life and education Dilanian was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He is of Armenian descent. He was a starting senior right guard and defensive end on his high school football team and graduated from East Longmeadow High School in 1986. While a student there, he was sports editor of the school paper, The Spartan Spectator. He is a 1991 graduate of Williams College, where he majored in political science. Dilanian played football at Williams and is credited with a major role in helping the Ephmen achieve their first unbeaten and untied season in a century.

Career Dilanian's first professional position after graduating from Williams was at The Philadelphia Inquirer According to Dilanian, his first published article at the Inquirer was a story on a pet funeral. According to The Intercept, Dilanian explicitly promised "positive news coverage ... In at least one instance, the CIA's reaction appears to have led to significant changes in the story."

After leaving the Los Angeles Times, Dilanian worked briefly as lead national security reporter for the Associated Press before joining NBC News and MSNBC (now MS NOW) in 2015 as justice and intelligence correspondent, a role he continues to hold . In May 2025, he was moved to MS NOW in the same role in preparation for its spinoff from NBCUniversal and NBC News.

Recognition Dilanian is the recipient of the 2007 Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism for a series he co-authored on Philadelphia's child welfare system.

Personal life Dilanian is married and has two children.