Journalism's 'Crisis Of Confidence'
NBC's Andrea Mitchell Talks About Journalism's 'Crisis Of Confidence'
MARK WASHBURN
TV/Radio Writer
Charlotte Observer
Andrea Mitchell, veteran correspondent for NBC and newly published author, criticized her own business -- cable news networks in particular -- in a Novello series speech Saturday night.
Reflecting on the decline in respect and credibility for the media, Mitchell said that much of the good work network news divisions do is tarnished by the excesses of "food fight" cable news shows.
She was interrupted by applause only once in her hourlong speech at Queens University when she declared: "I think we have underestimated our audience. I think people want real information, but not as much opinion as they get."
Mitchell said that advances in technology have fostered the advent of 24-hour news channels, a development that in some ways has changed the tenor of basic reporting.
"To compete for ratings for viewers on cable, cable puts a premium on people who say the most provocative thing," she said, without naming any particular networks.
"I think we have a crisis of confidence in journalism -- TV and print," said Mitchell, author of a memoir titled "Talking Back."
Her book recounts her career, which began in reading school announcements from the principal's office over the intercom. She broke into radio at KYW in Philadelphia in 1967, when news-gathering was primarily a male occupation. "I was told in no uncertain terms, 'There is no room for broads in broadcasting.' "
In her 27 years with NBC, Mitchell has covered the White House and is now the network's chief foreign affairs correspondent, based in Washington.
Mitchell is married to Alan Greenspan, known for his sometimes difficult-to-interpret proclamations as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. "He likes to say he proposed three times," Mitchell said, "before I understood what he was saying."
MARK WASHBURN
TV/Radio Writer
Charlotte Observer
Andrea Mitchell, veteran correspondent for NBC and newly published author, criticized her own business -- cable news networks in particular -- in a Novello series speech Saturday night.
Reflecting on the decline in respect and credibility for the media, Mitchell said that much of the good work network news divisions do is tarnished by the excesses of "food fight" cable news shows.
She was interrupted by applause only once in her hourlong speech at Queens University when she declared: "I think we have underestimated our audience. I think people want real information, but not as much opinion as they get."
Mitchell said that advances in technology have fostered the advent of 24-hour news channels, a development that in some ways has changed the tenor of basic reporting.
"To compete for ratings for viewers on cable, cable puts a premium on people who say the most provocative thing," she said, without naming any particular networks.
"I think we have a crisis of confidence in journalism -- TV and print," said Mitchell, author of a memoir titled "Talking Back."
Her book recounts her career, which began in reading school announcements from the principal's office over the intercom. She broke into radio at KYW in Philadelphia in 1967, when news-gathering was primarily a male occupation. "I was told in no uncertain terms, 'There is no room for broads in broadcasting.' "
In her 27 years with NBC, Mitchell has covered the White House and is now the network's chief foreign affairs correspondent, based in Washington.
Mitchell is married to Alan Greenspan, known for his sometimes difficult-to-interpret proclamations as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. "He likes to say he proposed three times," Mitchell said, "before I understood what he was saying."
posted by impresario | 6:10 PM
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