About
"Don't think that you can just do these stories and there won't be consequences. And I don't mean by that things will change."
In this three-hour interview, Lowell Bergman recalls his early years and his time as a print journalist for the underground press and Rolling Stone. He recounts making the transition to broadcast news when he moved over to ABC to produce for 20/20, Nightline, and World News Tonight. He discusses switching over to CBS as a producer for 60 Minutes where he worked primarily with Mike Wallace and executive producer Don Hewitt. Bergman recounts his infamous Brown & Williamson 60 Minutes story, which later served as the basis for the feature film The Insider. He describes being at odds with Wallace and Hewitt, which eventually lead to his exit from the show. He discusses being a producer for PBS' Frontline and opines on the then-current state of television news and what he feels news needs to do more of. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on August 22, 2011 in Berkeley, CA.
Highlights
Lowell Bergman on his opinion of network news when he joined ABC and investigating Chappaquiddick
Lowell Bergman on working for 20/20 and the differences between reporters and producers
Lowell Bergman on producing the 60 Minutes story on Brown & Williamson tobacco which served as the basis for the feature film "The Insider"
Lowell Bergman on producing the 60 Minutes story "Three Days in Beirut"
Lowell Bergman on advice to an aspiring journalist
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on writing for the underground press
On becoming an associate editor at "Rolling Stone"; on The Center For Investigative Reporting; on his transition to broadcast journalism
On his opinion of network news; on reporting for 20/20
On reporting for ABC World News Tonight and Nightline; on working for Roone Arledge at ABC News
Chapter 2
On the origins of 20/20 and Nightline; on going to work for 60 Minutes; on the process of producing stories for 60 Minutes
On working with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes; on big stories he covered for 60 Minutes
On producing the story "Three Days in Beirut" on 60 Minutes; on producing news stories from dangerous parts of the world
On producing the 60 Minutes story on Brown & Williamson tobacco which served as the basis for the feature film "The Insider"
Chapter 3
On the legitimacy of print news vs. television news; on the decision to kill his 60 Minutes piece on Brown & Williamson tobacco
On CBS' decision to finally air the 60 Minutes piece on Brown & Williamson tobacco; on his decision to leave 60 Minutes
On the feature film "The Insider"; on going to work for Frontline
On producing news for network vs. producing news for PBS; on the then-current state of the network nightly news programs and cable news networks; on advice to aspiring journalists and his legacy
Shows
20/20
Lowell Bergman on working for 20/20 and the differences between reporters and producers
Lowell Bergman on the investigative stories he covered at 20/20 and ABC News
Lowell Bergman on the freedom he had at ABC and CBS to do investigative stories
Lowell Bergman on the origin of 20/20
60 Minutes
Lowell Bergman on going to work for 60 Minutes
Lowell Bergman on the process of producing stories for 60 Minutes
Lowell Bergman on working with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes
Lowell Bergman on the big stories he covered for 60 Minutes
Lowell Bergman on producing the 60 Minutes story "Three Days in Beirut"
Lowell Bergman on producing news stories from dangerous places
Lowell Bergman on producing the 60 Minutes story on Brown & Williamson tobacco which served as the basis for the feature film "The Insider"
Lowell Bergman on the decision to kill his 60 Minutes piece on Brown & Williamson tobacco
Lowell Bergman on CBS' decision to finally air the 60 Minutes piece on Brown & Williamson tobacco
Lowell Bergman on his decision to leave 60 Minutes
Lowell Bergman on the feature film "The Insider"
Lowell Bergman on the impact "The Insider" had on his career
ABC News Nightline
Lowell Bergman on reporting for ABC World News Tonight and Nightline
Lowell Bergman on the advent of Nightline
ABC World News Tonight
Lowell Bergman on reporting for ABC World News Tonight and Nightline
Lowell Bergman on reporting for ABC News and dealing with media savvy subjects
Topics
Advice
Lowell Bergman on advice to an aspiring journalist
Historic Events and Social Change
Lowell Bergman on his opinion of network news when he joined ABC and investigating Chappaquiddick
Pop Culture
Lowell Bergman on his opinion of network news when he joined ABC and investigating Chappaquiddick
Television Industry
Lowell Bergman on advice to an aspiring journalist
Lowell Bergman on the then-current state of the network nightly news programs and cable news networks
Professions
Journalists & News Producers
Lowell Bergman on dealing with deadlines
Lowell Bergman on working for 20/20 and the differences between reporters and producers
Lowell Bergman on reporting for ABC News and dealing with media savvy subjects
Lowell Bergman on producing news stories from dangerous places
Lowell Bergman on advice to an aspiring journalist
News Producer
Lowell Bergman on dealing with deadlines
Lowell Bergman on working for 20/20 and the differences between reporters and producers
Lowell Bergman on reporting for ABC News and dealing with media savvy subjects
Lowell Bergman on producing news stories from dangerous places
Lowell Bergman on advice to an aspiring journalist
Genres
News and Documentary
Lowell Bergman on working for 20/20
Lowell Bergman on reporting for ABC World News Tonight and Nightline
Lowell Bergman on reporting for ABC News and dealing with media savvy subjects
Lowell Bergman on producing for 20/20 and Nightline
Lowell Bergman on producing for 60 Minutes (Part 1)
Lowell Bergman on producing for 60 Minutes (Part 2)
People
Roone Arledge
Lowell Bergman on working for Roone Arledge at ABC News
Don Hewitt
Lowell Bergman on producing the 60 Minutes story "Three Days in Beirut"
Lowell Bergman on the decision to kill his 60 Minutes piece on Brown & Williamson tobacco
Lowell Bergman on CBS' decision to finally air the 60 Minutes piece on Brown & Williamson tobacco
Michael Mann
Lowell Bergman on the feature film "The Insider"
Al Pacino
Lowell Bergman on the feature film "The Insider"
Mike Wallace
Lowell Bergman on working with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes
Lowell Bergman on producing the 60 Minutes story "Three Days in Beirut"
Lowell Bergman on the decision to kill his 60 Minutes piece on Brown & Williamson tobacco
Lowell Bergman on CBS' decision to finally air the 60 Minutes piece on Brown & Williamson tobacco
Lowell Bergman on the feature film "The Insider"