Buhrow studied history and political science in Bonn.
In 1978, he worked at the local newspaper Bonner General-Anzeiger.
 In 1985, he volunteered at the largest television station in North Rhine-Westphalia, WDR.
 Since 1986 he was the editor, reporter and bureau chief of the shows Aktuelle Stunde and West 3 Aktuell.
After that he worked as an editor and reporter at the most-seen German nightly news, the Tagesschau.

In 1992/1993, Buhrow became the correspondent of the ARD bureau in Washington D.C. in the midst of the Presidential Elections 1992.

Between January 2000 and 2002, Buhrow worked as a correspondent at the ARD bureau in Paris.
On July 1, 2002, he took over from Claus Kleber as chief of the ARD bureau in Washington; Kleber went to ZDF as the anchorman for the news programme Heute Journal.

On September 1, 2006, he replaced Ulrich Wickert as the host of the news programme Tagesthemen.
 He published a book about his years in the United States, Mein Amerika, Dein Amerika (My America, your America).

On 29 May 2013 Tom Buhrow was elected intendant of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR).
Buhrow studied history and political science in Bonn. In 1978, he worked at the local newspaper Bonner General-Anzeiger.  In 1985, he volunteered at the largest television station in North Rhine-Westphalia, WDR.  Since 1986 he was the editor, reporter and bureau chief of the shows Aktuelle Stunde and West 3 Aktuell. After that he worked as an editor and reporter at the most-seen German nightly news, the Tagesschau.
In 1992/1993, Buhrow became the correspondent of the ARD bureau in Washington D.C. in the midst of the Presidential Elections 1992.
Between January 2000 and 2002, Buhrow worked as a correspondent at the ARD bureau in Paris. On July 1, 2002, he took over from Claus Kleber as chief of the ARD bureau in Washington; Kleber went to ZDF as the anchorman for the news programme Heute Journal.
On September 1, 2006, he replaced Ulrich Wickert as the host of the news programme Tagesthemen.  He published a book about his years in the United States, Mein Amerika, Dein Amerika (My America, your America).
On 29 May 2013 Tom Buhrow was elected intendant of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR).
Tom Buhrow