General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: DUer niyad asked me to make this an OP. Why my background makes me despise trump. [View all]calimary
(81,962 posts)I was still in it, actively and full-time, til 1996.
Dan Rather always said the mission was to "get it right and get it first." The "getting it right" part CAME first. And there were lots of times when wherever it was that I was working, they'd cover somebody else's breaking news, but would work to confirm it for themselves. And then, of course, it turns into "Outlet XYZ can confirm that..." so it's a handy way to keep the story alive. Always look for a fresh lead if you can find it or develop it.
It's really amazing - when Ted Turner launched CNN, everybody scoffed. "How on earth are you gonna fill 24 hours with news?" When I was at NBC, some would dismiss CNN as "Chicken Noodle News." But before too long, that became the go-to news outlet throughout the business. Soon enough, nobody was scoffing anymore. I worked there briefly during its early days and I can still remember a phone conversation with a former colleague who moved to San Diego for work. I told her I was at CNN. MAN! She was so excited and thrilled, and admitted being a little bit jealous. I kept thinking - "if you only knew what I did... and what I don't get to do, and the kind of individual running this joint here in L.A. into the ground right now..." (the violent and abusive nutcase from San Francisco was in charge by then).