News Producer

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

From the Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Television originally published 1997

"I decided that instead of thinking about reporting I really wanted to be a producer because that’s where - behind the scenes - you got the whole picture and that was always what interested me." - Betty Cole Dukert, Producer

The successful production of each newscast is the responsibility of a producer, who in the smallest markets may double as anchor or news director. The producer must ensure that every element of the production is ready at airtime, and deal with any problems or changes while the newscast is on the air. In large news departments this involves the coordination of dozens of reporters, videographers (often also known as photojournalists or photographers), writers, feature producers, videotape editors, graphic artists, and other specialized staff. They work closely with the on-air talent--the anchors and sports and weathercasters--to develop the lineup (story order) of the newscast and write portions of the show not provided by reporters or news writers.

-Chris Paterson

Highlights

Betty Cole Dukert on advice to aspiring news producers

00:47

Av Westin on the importance of the producer in television news

03:09

Lowell Bergman on working for 20/20 and the differences between reporters and producers

06:28

Jeff Fager on concerns over libel claims as a news producer: "these aren't legal issues, they're fairness issues"

00:52

Sanford Socolow on his role and Don Hewitt's role as producers of CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite

02:59

Robert MacNeil on editing news stories

03:37

Who talked about this profession

Lowell Bergman

Lowell Bergman on dealing with deadlines

01:19

Lowell Bergman on working for 20/20 and the differences between reporters and producers

06:28

Lowell Bergman on reporting for ABC News and dealing with media savvy subjects

04:44

Lowell Bergman on producing news stories from dangerous places

02:38

Lowell Bergman on advice to an aspiring journalist

00:25

Linda Bell Blue

Linda Bell Blue on her management style as a producer

01:27

Linda Bell Blue on the format of Entertainment Tonight and keeping the audience tuned in

04:01

Linda Bell Blue on how ideas go from pitch to actual story on Entertainment Tonight

01:22

Linda Bell Blue on advice to aspiring news producers

04:34

Betty Cole Dukert

Betty Cole Dukert on setting ground rules for the reporters on Meet the Press

06:51

Betty Cole Dukert on advice to aspiring news producers

00:47

Jeff Fager

Jeff Fager on his first job as a producer on the 11 o'clock news at KPIX in San Francisco

01:09

Jeff Fager on his first job at CBS News, on the overnight news show, Nightwatch

03:42

Jeff Fager on stories he worked on as producer of CBS Evening News with Dan Rather in London

09:18

Jeff Fager on how Don Hewitt's philosophy of news influenced him as producer of 60 Minutes

02:36

Jeff Fager on producing hard news versus entertainment stories: he prefers "entertaining stories" on CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes

01:24

Jeff Fager on the production of 60 Minutes: pitching stories and how he approves or rejects story ideas

04:22

Jeff Fager on the process of developing stories for 60 Minutes

03:27

Jeff Fager on the process of editing and occasionally reshooting stories on 60 Minutes

03:54

Jeff Fager on moving from producer to executive producer after having gathered enough experience in the field to be an effective editor of others' stories

03:41

Jeff Fager on being executive producer of CBS Evening News with Dan Rather at a time when news was becoming more sensational

03:18

Jeff Fager on the responsibility he felt in producing news stories in the wake of 9/11

02:17

Jeff Fager on bringing on younger correspondents when he became executive producer of 60 Minutes and the importance of diversity

01:27

Jeff Fager on balancing his roles as Chairman of CBS News and executive producer of 60 Minutes and his proudest achievements as Chairman

04:19

Jeff Fager on concerns over libel claims as a news producer: "these aren't legal issues, they're fairness issues"

00:52

Jeff Fager on the most difficult and the most exciting part about being executive producer of 60 Minutes

01:27

Jeff Fager on the best advice he received on producing a story, from Don Hewitt

01:42

Murray Fromson

Murray Fromson on what was involved with being the field producer for CBS News' coverage of Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign

00:40

Don Hewitt

Don Hewitt on the most rewarding aspect of being a producer of television news, and on what represents the best of television

03:06

Lucy Jarvis

Lucy Jarvis on what makes a good news/documentary program

02:12

Lucy Jarvis on advice to aspiring documentarians

00:37

Robert MacNeil

Robert MacNeil on editing news stories

03:37

Robert MacNeil on the logistics of The MacNeil Lehrer NewsHour and hiring staff for the show

02:03

Robert MacNeil on doing the assignments for The MacNeil Lehrer NewsHour and writing his scripts

02:21

Robert MacNeil on how he goes about researching a story he's covering and his interview technique

06:17

Robert MacNeil on the difference between serious journalism and not serious journalism

02:20

Robert MacNeil on the journalist's code of ethics

02:32

Bill Monroe

Bill Monroe on covering politics at WDSU in New Orleans, and on setting up camera in the legislature

06:01

Bill Monroe on the introduction of editorials on local news shows, like WDSU, and on their editorials on school desegregation

08:43

Sanford Socolow

Sanford Socolow on his role and Don Hewitt's role as producers of CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite

02:59

Sanford Socolow on not becoming Executive Producer of CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite when producer Ernie Lizer stepped down

02:19

Sanford Socolow on advice to an aspiring news producer

01:07

Av Westin

Av Westin on the importance of the producer in television news

03:09

Av Westin on advice to aspiring journalists

01:08

Av Westin on the career path he'd take if he were starting out in 2011

00:54

Perry Wolff

Perry Wolff on Standards and Practices he applies to television documentaries

04:05

Perry Wolff on his greatest achievement and his advice to aspiring television documentary filmmakers

02:24

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