About
"I created a set of three rules about what criteria should be in deciding what's in an evening news program: 'Is my world safe? Is my home safe? If it is, what's happened in the last 24 hours to make life better or worse?' This is where all news stories then begin."
In his three-hour-and-fifteen-minute interview, Av Westin (1929-2022) talks about his early work in network radio news as a copy boy for Edward R. Murrow and his transfer to television news. He recalls co-creating the groundbreaking CBS Morning News with Mike Wallace, as well as his relationship with Wallace. He describes producing a variety of documentaries for CBS News and his eventual departure from the organization. Westin chronicles his brief stint at the Public Broadcasting Laboratory and outlines his arrival at ABC News, where he produced ABC News aka World News Tonight for several years before departing to save 20/20 with an innovative mix of hard news and investigative reporting. He recounts his departure from ABC News, which began with an eighteen-page memo requested by Capital Cities on the state of the organization. He speaks of executive producing the syndicated Inside Edition and touches on his work at the National Television Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Ralph Engelman conducted the interview on June 16, 2011 in New York, NY.
Highlights
Av Westin on being a copy boy for Edward R. Murrow
Av Westin on being in Berlin when the Berlin Wall went up
Av Westin on The ABC Evening News with Harry Reasoner and Barbara Walters
Av Westin on the changes he brought to 20/20
Av Westin on the early format of CBS News
Av Westin on advice to aspiring journalists
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his work in radio news; on his transition to television news
On becoming a producer/director for CBS News; on the early format of CBS News; on various people with whom he worked at CBS and the importance of the producer in television news
On his choice to be behind-the-scenes; on creating The CBS Morning News with Mike Wallace
On witnessing the construction of the Berlin Wall; on producing documentaries for CBS News; on departing CBS in 1969
Chapter 2
On the Public Broadcasting Laboratory; on joining ABC News; on various ABC News anchors
On The ABC Evening News with Harry Reasoner and Barbara Walters; on working with Barbara Walters; on sexism over female news anchors
On the changes technological innovations such as satellites brought to ABC News; on Roone Arledge and the "three anchor" World News Tonight
On serving as Executive Producer on 20/20; on the Capital Cities takeover of ABC; on Geraldo Rivera and 20/20
Chapter 3
On the eighteen page memo that resulted in his termination at ABC News; on leaving 20/20; on Nightline and Ted Koppel
On producing the ABC News documentary 45/85 and various other documentaries; on changes in network news; on producing the series Our World and The Eagle and the Bear
On various major news events in his career; on leaving ABC News; on executive producing Inside Edition
On working as a Vice President at Time Warner; on the Freedom Forum Fellowship and working with the National Television Academy of Arts and Sciences Foundation; on his feeling about network news since he left and the rise of 24/7 cable news
Chapter 4
On the impact of television news; on news covering entertainment stories; on advice to aspiring journalists
Shows
20/20
Av Westin on the creation of 20/20
Av Westin on the changes he brought to 20/20
Av Westin on comparing 20/20 and 60 Minutes
Av Westin on the stories 20/20 covered and competition from other news magazines
Av Westin on the firing of Geraldo Rivera from 20/20 and his thoughts on Rivera as a journalist
Av Westin on leaving 20/20
60 Minutes
Av Westin on comparing 20/20 and 60 Minutes
ABC News Nightline
Av Westin on Nightline and Ted Koppel
ABC World News Tonight
Av Westin on joining ABC News as Executive Producer and the changes he brought
Av Westin on ABC News anchors Howard K. Smith and Frank Reynolds
Av Westin on Harry Reasoner joining ABC News
Av Westin on The ABC Evening News with Harry Reasoner and Barbara Walters
Av Westin on Barbara Walters as a journalist
Av Westin on negative reactions to Barbara Walters and other female news anchors
Av Westin on the technological innovations and the impact of satellites during his tenure at ABC News
Av Westin on Roone Arledge's impact on ABC News
Av Westin on the "three anchor" version of World News Tonight
CBS Morning News
Av Westin on creating the CBS Morning News and innovating a new news format
Av Westin on working with Mike Wallace
CBS Reports
Av Westin on producing CBS Reports and other documentaries for CBS News
Inside Edition
Av Westin on Executive Producing Inside Edition and working with Bill O'Reilly
Topics
9/11
Av Westin on 9/11
Civil Rights Movement
Av Westin on various major news events in his career
Cold War
Av Westin on being in Berlin when the Berlin Wall went up
Av Westin on various major news events in his career
Hollywood Blacklist
Av Westin on the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Av Westin on the Hollywood Blacklist
JFK Assassination and Funeral
Av Westin on various major news events in his career
Korean War
Av Westin on various major news events in his career
Media Consolidation
Av Westin on the Capital Cities takeover of ABC
Moon Landing
Av Westin on various major news events in his career
Network Creation
Av Westin on the Public Broadcasting Laboratory
Representation on Television
Av Westin on negative reactions to Barbara Walters and other female news anchors
Technological Innovation
Av Westin on the technological innovations and the impact of satellites during his tenure at ABC News
Av Westin on the impact of the internet on television news
Av Westin on Executive Producing the A&E documentary The Eagle and the Bear and the impact of cable television
Television Industry
Av Westin on the Public Broadcasting Laboratory
Av Westin on the Capital Cities takeover of ABC
Vietnam War
Av Westin on various major news events in his career
War
Av Westin on being in Berlin when the Berlin Wall went up
Av Westin on various major news events in his career
Women
Av Westin on negative reactions to Barbara Walters and other female news anchors
Professions
Journalists & News Producers
Av Westin on the importance of the producer in television news
Av Westin on advice to aspiring journalists
Av Westin on the career path he'd take if he were starting out in 2011
News Producer
Av Westin on the importance of the producer in television news
Av Westin on advice to aspiring journalists
Av Westin on the career path he'd take if he were starting out in 2011
Genres
News and Documentary
Av Westin on creating the CBS Morning News
Av Westin on Executive Producing ABC News aka World News Tonight
Av Westin on Executive Producing ABC's 20/20
Av Westin on the impact of the internet on television news
Av Westin on Executive Producing Inside Edition and working with Bill O'Reilly
People
Roone Arledge
Av Westin on Roone Arledge's impact on ABC News
Av Westin on the "three anchor" version of World News Tonight
Av Westin on the creation of 20/20
Av Westin on the eighteen page memo that resulted in his termination at ABC News
Av Westin on changes made by Roone Arledge during Westin's tenure at ABC News
Katie Couric
Av Westin on negative reactions to Barbara Walters and other female news anchors
Walter Cronkite
Av Westin on various people with whom he worked at CBS News
Hugh Downs
Av Westin on the creation of 20/20
Linda Ellerbee
Av Westin on Executive Producing Our World for ABC News
Fred Friendly
Av Westin on various people with whom he worked at CBS News
Av Westin on working with Mike Wallace
Av Westin on producing CBS Reports and other documentaries for CBS News
Av Westin on leaving CBS News in 1969 and Fred Friendly's departure
Av Westin on the Public Broadcasting Laboratory
Don Hewitt
Av Westin on the early format of CBS News
Av Westin on Don Hewitt's role in creating television news
Av Westin on various people with whom he worked at CBS News
Av Westin on working with Mike Wallace
Peter Jennings
Av Westin on the "three anchor" version of World News Tonight
Ted Koppel
Av Westin on Nightline and Ted Koppel
Roger Mudd
Av Westin on various people with whom he worked at CBS News
Edward R. Murrow
Av Westin on being a copy boy for Edward R. Murrow
Av Westin on the early format of CBS News
Bill O'Reilly
Av Westin on Executive Producing Inside Edition and working with Bill O'Reilly
Harry Reasoner
Av Westin on Harry Reasoner joining ABC News
Av Westin on The ABC Evening News with Harry Reasoner and Barbara Walters
Frank Reynolds
Av Westin on ABC News anchors Howard K. Smith and Frank Reynolds
Av Westin on the "three anchor" version of World News Tonight
Geraldo Rivera
Av Westin on the changes he brought to 20/20
Av Westin on the firing of Geraldo Rivera from 20/20 and his thoughts on Rivera as a journalist
Bob Shanks
Av Westin on the creation of 20/20
Howard K. Smith
Av Westin on ABC News anchors Howard K. Smith and Frank Reynolds
Sander Vanocur
Av Westin on various people with whom he worked at CBS News
Mike Wallace
Av Westin on creating the CBS Morning News and innovating a new news format
Av Westin on working with Mike Wallace
Barbara Walters
Av Westin on The ABC Evening News with Harry Reasoner and Barbara Walters
Av Westin on Barbara Walters as a journalist
Av Westin on negative reactions to Barbara Walters and other female news anchors