"What drove me was not being a pioneer. What drove me was my competitive nature to go out and be the best at what I could be in covering the story."

    About This Interview

    Ed Bradley says of his interviewing style: "My job is to put someone in a chair and get them to talk and tell their story, as if there are no cameras, no lights, not seven people in the room, just the two of us sitting there talking." In his nearly four-hour interview, Bradley (1941-2006) discusses his early career in radio in the 1960s. He describes his nervousness at reading the news on the air for the first time, and notes some of the field reporting he did, including stories related to the Civil Rights Movement. He talks about his first association with CBS radio in New York and as a stringer in Paris in the late 1960s/early '70s. Bradley acknowledges the rareness of African Americans in his field in radio at the time: "You could count on one hand the number of African Americans and not use up all your fingers." He speaks about his over three decades as a correspondent for CBS News and details his experiences as a correspondent in Cambodia and Vietnam during the Vietnam War, including the time he was wounded by shrapnel from a mortar shell. He talks about his work as an anchor on the CBS Sunday News, and as a producer for CBS Reports. Among the CBS Reports pieces he discusses is "The Boat People," about the plight of Vietnamese refugees, which was also excerpted on 60 Minutes. In part two of his interview, Bradley recounts how he was offered the job for 60 Minutes. On 60 Minutes, Bradley describes working with executive producer Don Hewitt, outlines the process by which pieces are created, and comments on the art of the interview. Among the 60 Minutes pieces he touches on are: "Lena" (1981; a profile of singer Lena Horne), "In the Belly of the Beast" (1982; about author and accused murderer Jack Henry Abbott), "Larry" (1983; a profile of actor Laurence Olivier), "Dirty Little Secret" (1984; about an abused man who killed his father), "Michele" (1984, a profile of Michele Duvalier, wife of the former Haitian dictator), "Made in China" (1991, a hidden camera expose of prison labor in China), "Big Man, Big Voice" (1997, a profile of a German man whose birth defects didn't prevent him from succeeding as a singer), and "Timothy McVeigh" (2000, the only television interview with the convicted Oklahoma City bomber). Bradley describes his choice of stories thusly: "My taste in stories is rather like my taste in music. I enjoy blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, rock 'n' roll, opera, classical, …I mean, there are even some Gregorian chants that I like, Bach chorales, gospel music. It's the same with stories. I can go from doing a story, on a chemical attack by Saddam Hussein or heroin in Pakistan, to a profile of Robin Williams. And the nice thing about 60 Minutes is that you have the latitude to do a range of stories." Don Carleton conducted the first session of the interview on May 12, 2000 in New York, NY. Michael Rosen conducted the second session of the interview on May 8, 2001 in New York, NY.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Ed Bradley

    Ed Bradley on the role television played in shaping public opinion about Vietnam

    01:46
    Thumbnail of Ed Bradley

    Ed Bradley on reporting from the field for a Philadelphia radio station during civil rights events

    01:16
    Thumbnail of Ed Bradley

    Ed Bradley on being told by his boss Ed Joyce at WCBS radio not to worry about losing his job after a second African-American man was hired there

    01:28
    Thumbnail of Ed Bradley

    Ed Bradley on being a pioneer, and what ultimately drives him

    00:39
    Thumbnail of Ed Bradley

    Ed Bradley on drawing a line between professionalism as a reporter and personal opinion

    00:50
    Thumbnail of Ed Bradley

    Ed Bradley on the "best chicken" he ever had--in Vietnam

    00:58
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On his childhood and early influences; on what he wanted to be when he grew up; on first seeing television

    03:52

    On high school and college years and his early career as a grade school teacher

    03:50

    On getting an early job in radio, finding his calling, and his first on-air experience -- on radio

    08:44

    On his first field reporting experience; on becoming a radio program manager at WDAS; on getting hired by WCBS In New York and moving to New York to work at CBS News

    13:09

    Chapter 2

    On leaving a career in education to become a newsman in New York

    01:58

    On the New York school story; on civil rights issues

    02:51

    On race issues while working at WCBS Radio; on his decision not to get personally involved in civil rights issues; on being a "pioneer"

    06:58

    On leaving WCBS; on moving to Paris

    05:43

    On working as a stringer for CBS radio in Paris

    03:24

    On his first television piece for CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite

    04:29

    On his recollections about reporting on the Vietnam war

    04:03

    Chapter 3

    On the technical process of reporting from Vietnam

    02:53

    On preparing to go to Vietnam and coping with the situation

    01:37

    On getting wounded in Vietnam

    05:02

    On reporting from a Vietcong base

    06:04

    On leaving Vietnam for the CBS Washington Bureau; on getting assigned back to Cambodia

    04:52

    On the American pullout from Saigon

    08:48

    Chapter 4

    On returning to the U.S. after Vietnam to cover the presidential campaign in 1976

    08:36

    On being the "number two" man covering the White House at CBS news

    02:46

    On his take of Jimmy Carter's presidency

    02:28

    On leaving CBS Sunday Night News and joining 60 Minutes

    02:18

    On his first story for 60 Minutes: "the boat people"

    05:45

    On other stories he covered: "Three Mile Island"

    06:57

    Chapter 5

    On being hired at 60 Mintues

    07:02

    On his first few months at 60 Mintues

    06:23

    On how stories are developed for 60 Minutes; on his own process

    07:01

    On two 60 Minutes stories that stand out: Richard Jahnke and Lena Horne

    08:30

    Chapter 6

    On the importance of producers; on his segment producer for 60 Minutes, Jeanne Langley

    05:09

    On notable stories for 60 Minutes: Laurence Olivier, Little Richard, schizophrenia, Haiti; on his diverse interests in story ideas; on convincing people to appear on 60 Minutes

    23:15

    Chapter 7

    On hard-hitting investigative pieces like "Made in China"; on segments vs. hour-long pieces

    10:42

    On more specific stories for 60 Minutes, including "Big Man Big Voice"

    12:14

    On changes at 60 Minutes: the switch from film to videotape and 60 Minutes II

    06:44

    Chapter 8

    On interviewing Timothy McVeigh for 60 Minutes

    08:04

    On the working atmosphere at 60 Minutes; on being himself

    10:36

    60 Minutes

    Ed Bradley on becoming the host for CBS Reports, and his first brush with 60 Minutes

    01:26

    Ed Bradley on being hired at 60 Minutes

    02:38

    Ed Bradley on coming up with story ideas at 60 Minutes

    00:41

    Ed Bradley on Don Hewitt

    01:04

    Ed Bradley on his diverse interests in story ideas, and 60 Minutes' support of that

    01:41

    Ed Bradley on convincing people to appear on 60 Minutes

    01:06

    Ed Bradley on realizing the reach of 60 Minutes after airing the "boat people" story in 1979

    01:09

    Ed Bradley on why 60 Minutes continued to shoot with film long after the advent of videotape

    00:59

    Ed Bradley on how 60 Minutes has changed, and watching the show on Sundays

    01:32

    CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite

    Ed Bradley on his first television piece for CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite

    04:29

    CBS News

    Ed Bradley on being the anchor for the CBS Sunday Night News

    01:13

    CBS Reports

    Ed Bradley on becoming the host for CBS Reports, and his first brush with 60 Minutes

    01:26

    Ed Bradley on what was among the first stories for CBS Reports: the Vietnam refugees known as "boat people"

    01:15

    Ed Bradley on recognizing the reach of 60 Minutes after Don Hewitt excerpted a segment from CBS Reports and adapted it for 60 Minutes

    02:32

    Civil Rights Movement

    Ed Bradley on covering a Martin Luther King, Jr. speech during his first field reporting experience for a Philadelphia radio station

    03:09

    Ed Bradley on covering the fight for control of a local New York school board, while a reporter at WCBS radio in New York in the late 1960s

    02:51

    Creative Influences and Inspiration

    Ed Bradley on discovering his calling after meeting a Philadelphia disc jockey when Bradley was enrolled at a teacher training college

    02:15

    Ed Bradley on 60 Minutes executive producer Don Hewitt's beneficial influence on Bradley's work, and on his influence on television news programs in general

    02:29

    Ed Bradley on his mentor Del Shields, from WDAS radio in Philadelphia

    01:33

    Emmy Awards

    Ed Bradley on his attitude toward winning awards

    00:34

    Historic Events and Social Change

    Ed Bradley on covering a Martin Luther King, Jr. speech during his first field reporting experience for a Philadelphia radio station

    03:09

    Ed Bradley on the impact of the "boat people" story about Vietnamese refugees, and recognizing the reach of 60 Minutes

    02:20

    Jimmy Carter

    Ed Bradley on covering the 1976 Democratic primary campaign for CBS

    02:25

    Ed Bradley on being one of the "boys on the bus" covering Jimmy Carter, and why Carter was a strong candidate

    02:42

    Pivotal Career Moments

    Ed Bradley on covering a Martin Luther King, Jr. speech during his first field reporting experience for a Philadelphia radio station

    02:15

    Ed Bradley on 60 Minutes executive producer Don Hewitt's beneficial influence on Bradley's work, and on his influence on television news programs in general

    02:29

    Ed Bradley on his mentor Del Shields, from WDAS radio in Philadelphia

    01:33

    Technological Innovation

    Ed Bradley on why 60 Minutes continued to shoot with film long after the advent of videotape

    00:59

    Television and the Presidency

    Ed Bradley on being one of the "boys on the bus" covering Jimmy Carter, and why Carter was a strong candidate

    02:42

    Ed Bradley on covering the 1976 Democratic primary campaign for CBS

    02:25

    Underrepresented Voices

    Ed Bradley on being told by his boss Ed Joyce at WCBS radio not to worry about losing his job after a second African-American man was hired there

    01:28

    Vietnam War

    Ed Bradley on covering the New York aspect of major news stories like the Vietnam war while a reporter at WCBS radio during the late 1960s and early 1970s

    01:19

    Ed Bradley on reporting from Vietnam during the war, his personal experience during that time, and his impressions of the region

    03:50

    Ed Bradley on keeping his personal opinions about war out of the reporting on the Vietnam conflict

    00:48

    Ed Bradley on getting wounded while covering Vietnam

    03:22

    Ed Bradley on seeing activity on the Ho Chi Minh trail and the determination of the Vietcong

    02:02

    Ed Bradley on being among the reporters who left Saigon from the roof of the American embassy

    06:03

    Ed Bradley on the role television played in shaping public opinion about Vietnam

    01:46

    Ed Bradley on the impact of the "boat people" story about Vietnamese refugees, and recognizing the reach of 60 Minutes

    02:20

    War

    Ed Bradley on the impact of the "boat people" story about Vietnamese refugees, and recognizing the reach of 60 Minutes

    02:20

    We Considered

    Ed Bradley on the role television played in shaping public opinion about Vietnam

    01:46

    Correspondent

    Ed Bradley on his first television piece airing on the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite, and on being hired by CBS Television as a correspondent reporting from Vietnam

    02:40

    Ed Bradley on how news was filed from Vietnam

    00:54

    Ed Bradley on access to the military while covering Vietnam

    01:23

    Ed Bradley on getting wounded while covering Vietnam

    03:23

    Ed Bradley on not wanting to cover politics after his return from covering Vietnam, thinking about quitting, and why he decided to stay

    02:21

    Ed Bradley on being among the reporters who left Saigon from the roof of the American embassy

    06:03

    Ed Bradley on his concept of the television documentary as he became head correspondent of CBS Reports

    01:37

    Ed Bradley on coming up with documentary subjects for CBS Reports

    00:30

    Journalists & News Producers

    Ed Bradley on getting his first on-camera interview at WCBS

    03:20

    Ed Bradley on developing journalistic impartiality during the Civil Rights Movement

    00:50

    Ed Bradley on the difference between reporting for radio versus television

    00:57

    Ed Bradley on keeping his personal opinions about war out of the reporting on the Vietnam conflict

    00:48

    Ed Bradley on his concept of the television documentary as he became head correspondent of CBS Reports

    01:37

    Ed Bradley on coming up with documentary subjects for CBS Reports

    00:30

    Ed Bradley on 60 Minutes executive producer Don Hewitt's editorial style

    01:04

    Ed Bradley on his interviewing style

    01:11

    Ed Bradley on the importance of segment producers

    00:56

    Ed Bradley on professional standards in broadcast journalism

    01:03

    News and Documentary

    Ed Bradley on getting his first on-camera interview at WCBS, and on that station instituting a new style of interviewing as a result

    03:20

    Ed Bradley on keeping his personal opinions about war out of the reporting on the Vietnam conflict

    00:47

    Ed Bradley on how news was filed from Vietnam

    00:54

    Ed Bradley on access to the military while covering Vietnam

    01:23

    Ed Bradley on being the "number two" man covering the White House for CBS behind Bob Schieffer

    01:44

    Ed Bradley on his concept of the television documentary as he became head correspondent of CBS Reports

    01:37

    Ed Bradley on former 60 Minutes executive producer Don Hewitt

    01:04

    Ed Bradley on notable stories for 60 Minutes: Laurence Olivier, Little Richard, schizophrenia, Haiti; on his diverse interests in story ideas; on convincing people to appear on 60 Minutes

    23:15

    Ed Bradley on realizing the reach and impact of 60 Minutes after airing the "boat people" story in 1979

    02:32

    Ed Bradley on professional standards in broadcast journalism

    01:03

    Walter Cronkite

    Ed Bradley on the role television played in shaping public opinion about Vietnam, and on Walter Cronkite's role as communicator

    01:46

    Don Hewitt

    Ed Bradley on meeting Don Hewitt at the Democratic and Republican Conventions in 1976

    01:17

    Ed Bradley on the powerful, but publicly unseen presence of Don Hewitt on 60 Minutes

    01:08

    Ed Bradley on Don Hewitt's ability to make 60 Minutes correspondents' stories better, and his "seat of the pants editorial style"

    02:29

    Ed Bradley on initial resistance from Don Hewitt to his Little Richard interview on 60 Minutes

    01:41

    Ed Bradley on recognizing the reach of 60 Minutes after Don Hewitt excerpted a segment from CBS Reports and adapted it for 60 Minutes

    02:32

    Ed Bradley on Don Hewitt, after being swept away by Hewitt during Bradley's interview to record a "tease" for 60 Minutes

    01:02

    Anita Hill

    Ed Bradley on interviewing Anita Hill, a "get" for 60 Minutes

    00:50

    Lena Horne

    Ed Bradley on one of his best pieces for 60 Minutes -- his 1981 interview with Lena Horne

    02:41

    Ed Joyce

    Ed Bradley on being told by his boss Ed Joyce at WCBS radio in the late 1960s not to worry about losing his job after a second African-American man was hired there

    01:28

    Peter Kalischer

    Ed Bradley on being hired as a stringer in Paris by CBS correspondent Peter Kalischer

    01:39

    Ed Bradley on advice given by CBS correspondent Peter Kalischer while covering the Vietnam war

    00:46

    Robert F. Kennedy

    Ed Bradley on covering the New York aspect of Robert F. Kennedy's assassination and other major news stories, while a reporter at WCBS radio during the late 1960s and early 1970s

    01:19

    Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Ed Bradley on covering a Martin Luther King, Jr. speech during his first field reporting experience for a Philadelphia radio station

    03:09

    Laurence Olivier

    Ed Bradley on the challenge of interviewing Laurence Olivier for 60 Minutes

    02:29

    Little Richard

    Ed Bradley on his Little Richard interview for 60 Minutes

    01:41

    Richard S. Salant

    Ed Bradley on becoming the head correspondent for CBS Reports, his first brush with 60 Minutes, and his relationship with Dick Salant

    02:17

    Bob Schieffer

    Ed Bradley on being the "number two" man covering the White House for CBS behind Bob Schieffer

    01:44

    Howard Stringer

    Ed Bradley on working with Howard Stringer on coming up with documentary subjects for CBS Reports, and on Stringer promoting documentaries at CBS

    02:57

    Hunter S. Thompson

    Ed Bradley on becoming friends with Hunter S. Thompson, and on "gonzo journalism"

    03:40

    Mike Wallace

    Ed Bradley on Mike Wallace, the person most publicly associated with the success of 60 Minutes when Bradley joined the program

    01:08

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