Reunion reflections

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Now the years are rolling by me
They are rocking easily
I am older than I once was
And younger than I’ll be
But that’s not unusual
No, it isn’t strange
After changes upon changes
We are more or less the same
After changes we are
More or less the same

Former students who attended Forest Hills High School, in Queens, New York, held a reunion this past weekend. It was a multi-year gathering, covering most of the 1960s and the early 70s. I graduated in 1969 and joined a few hundred of us who shared the experience of attending one of New York City’s best public high schools during exciting but turbulent times. The words above were written by FHHS alum Paul Simon. He graduated in the late 1950s. Simon wrote those words as an additional verse to “The Boxer” after the original recording was released. It’s an anthem about struggling to survive. Those words are a nice summary of my take-away from an evening of reminiscences, mostly sweet.

The "cool" kids still seemed to be cool enough adults; the smart ones still smart; some of the jocks were still in shape; the quieter class members were still laconic; and many of the pretty girls and handsome guys still looked good. After almost 50 years in my case, just being there and sharing several meaningful moments was worth the journey back in time.

I don’t have pictures to share because I was so busy talking to people I missed the photo booth. So here are a few memorable moments from my first and only reunion.

1.     A fellow track team member, a year ahead of me, remembered that I ran the quarter mile and was on a good mile relay team. He and I are still both in shape after all these years and shared clear, positive stories about our track coach.

2.     One of my classmates going back to junior high days is now a teacher at FHHS. She and I shared some memories and talked about how things have changed. I enjoyed hearing about the school from her unique perspective.

3.     A minor mishap—that seemed quite serious at the time—from chemistry class was discussed with my classmate who was splashed in the face with a hot liquid as I heated a test tube. He is fine. But we both remembered it well.

4.     Shared hugs and smiles with many Facebook friends I didn’t know well in high school but have become closer with online.

There is another line from a Paul Simon song that I often think of and take personally, the opening words of Kodachrome. “When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, it’s a wonder I can think at all.” As much as I admire the music and words of Simon, I am afraid that’s one line with which I disagree. Like many others, I was eager to move on from high school and leave the area where I grew up. But after all these years, looking back on all I learned in high school—not just in the classrooms—it was a pretty good time where we were encouraged to think critically with intellectual curiosity that survives. Thank you to all who were part of those days. Many are gone, but their memories survive. For those of us still at it, rock on.

A Girl from Brooklyn -- A Boy from Queens

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One of the endearing story lines after the recent death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has been his close friendship with his colleague, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In a philosophically divided court, Scalia and Ginsburg represented the most conservative and the most liberal wings of that split. That they were close friends in spite of their political differences should give hope to us all.

Each of their soaring intellects was nurtured in the outer boroughs of New York City. Scalia grew up in Elmhurst, Queens, and Ginsburg is from Flatbush, Brooklyn. They were close in age. Ginsburg is almost exactly three years older than Scalia. And both went on to graduate with high honors from top law schools, Harvard for Scalia, Columbia for Ginsburg who started at Harvard but transferred when her husband took a job in New York.

Apparently, they laughed at many of the same jokes, enjoyed good eating, and their families celebrated New Years’ Eves together. So if two of the brightest legal minds in our country, that disagree on almost every substantive matter, can nurture a great friendship over decades, shouldn’t our political leaders do better?

Perhaps their similar upbringing, the Italian Catholic kid from Queens and the Jewish girl from Brooklyn, gave them a head start at friendship. But in terms of political philosophy, they went in opposite directions. Still, when they joined the high court, they found common ground and mutual respect in spite of their vast political differences. We could use much more of that.

In my mind, that’s how we make America great again.

The Trump Express is a dangerous ride

First, he went after the Mexicans. Then he went after the Muslims. Who's next?

Growing up in Queens, NY, I knew at least a half-dozen guys like Donald Trump. The blowhards I remember were all above average or outstanding in at least one facet of adolescent life. Good looking, smart, a legitimate “tough guy” or maybe an exceptional athlete or student, these loudmouths all had one thing in common. They were narcissists who believed their abilities or gifts entitled them to show others what to do or how to live their lives. The implied payoff was that if you follow their lead you will be like them and share in whatever notoriety or popularity they enjoyed. Those who followed the blowhards quickly learned that it was never about them, the followers, but always about burnishing the reputation or popularity of the narcissist. This type of person can come from anywhere; I just happen to find Trump's version familiar because we grew up in the same area.

So go ahead if you think the Donald is the answer. Jump on his train and see where it takes you. Despite his promises, you’ll find out in the end none of what he is selling is really about the greater good. Ultimately, it’s all about him. That’s the way it always is with these guys.

That's my view. 

Speaking of Sports (Not Only for Sports Fans)

"Speaking of Sports" is the name used by the late Howard Cosell for his radio reports on the ABC Networks. Cosell was more than a sports reporter and analyst. He connected the world of sports with the world itself. He became a champion for boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Howard Cosell could be bombastic but also eloquent. He made sports about more than a game, a match, a bout, a contest. Cosell would remind us that sports and society are intertwined and that sport often leads the larger culture in social change. Jackie Robinson's entry into Major League Baseball preceded the civil rights act by almost two decades. Muhammad Ali brought the Vietnam War into sharp focus by his conscientious objection to serving. And the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics exposed the vulnerability of peaceful events to the tactics of terrorists.

Avid sports fans know well what Cosell was talking about when he extrapolated the world of sports and placed it in its larger role in international relations and domestic policy. The perpetrators of this month’s attacks in Paris chose a “friendly” football (soccer) match as one of the prime targets for their brutality. Sports at the highest level attract attention. Big events draw big audiences on television and in stadiums around the world. Watching great athletes is observing a form of artistry like no other. A LionelMessi goal from a seemingly impossible pass, LeBron James sinking a 25 foot bank shot while barely looking at the hoop, or Serena Williams hitting a down the line winner while running at full speed and off-balance, show us the fullest potential of physical achievement in a way that is satisfying and fun. To steal a phrase from ABC Sports of the late last century, “the human drama of athletic competition, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat,” remind us that we are human, capable of greatness but always vulnerable.

Reports of cheating and corruption have tainted big time sports at the highest level. The NFL’s “Deflate Gate,” and FIFA’s top tier payoffs and charges of international bribery rightfully embarrass businesses that support the artistry of great athletes. And the cover-ups regarding concussions and more serious head injuries in gridiron football are a disgrace to that sport and the exploitation of athletes at its worst. Yet kids in America will put on helmets and strive to lead a team and throw a funny shaped “ball” with the accuracy and composure of Russell Wilson. Children around the world will lace up their cleats and play what we in the USA call “soccer” with hopes of running fast and striking the ball like Ronaldo or blocking shots with the reflexes of Hope Solo. These young dreams are real and joyful in ways impossible to explain to those who have not played at even the lowest level or who don’t appreciate the beauty of elite athletes at work.

As an ordinary sports fan who long ago gave up dreams of being the next Koufax or Clemente, I am hoping sports can once again lead the way. Our corrupt sporting institutions must purge themselves of exploitative liars whose main concern is their own enrichment. The illusion of fair play and concern for athletes has to be replaced by actual caring organizations that put the welfare of players before profits. With the world on edge and some politicians attempting to appeal to our worst instead of our best, sports can once again take a leading role in improving lives. The sports world can set an example of excellence with unselfish concern for those who provide uplifting moments on the field for those in the stands and beyond.

Real reform in big-time sports is unlikely anytime soon unless there are financial consequences for maintaining the status quo. But, the sports world has led the way before. So, there is hope. And as John Lennon put it, “You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”

Empathy in the Age of Facebook

Prior to the November 13^th terrorist attacks in Paris, I was thinking about how we interact on Facebook and other social media. Some “friends” share extremely personal details of their lives, everything from happy news of weddings and life cycle milestones to breakups, illnesses and deaths. Often, the response is a heartfelt “like” although liking bad news always seems a bit odd. Posts and responses about news--good and bad--are shared according to one’s privacy settings.

Because of today’s technology we are in touch with friends and contacts from decades ago; this makes the process even more intriguing. So when cataclysmic events shock and anger us, the responses and opinions shared can be both inspiring and terribly disturbing. We quickly learn—or have reinforced—who blames George W. Bush for getting us involved in Iraq or Barack Obama for getting us out. Sometimes, the vehemence of the comments is shocking and ridiculously personal. Questioning President Obama’s loyalty to the United States or his legal right to be president damages the questioner’s credibility even though it may endear him or her to like-minded followers. And those on the left who want to stifle all expression of views rooted in another time or born of  “white privilege” do a disservice because they prevent their more current and sometimes enlightened views from standing persuasively on their own merit. Banning speakers from universities is a disturbing trend. Those who spew hatred should not be invited. But differing political perspectives should not be grounds for bans. Remember, as Paulo Freire and others have pointed out, those subject to oppression can become oppressive themselves when they gain power.

Freedom of expression has always been a cherished value. So when I see comments at odds with my own views in response to my posts, I almost always let them stand. If there are factual errors I will point them out. In the words of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell, “Under the First Amendment there is no such thing a false idea. However pernicious an opinion may seem, we depend for its correction not on the conscience of judges and juries, but on the competition of other ideas. (Gertz vs. Robert Welch,1974).” And that’s the law of the land. False facts, on the other hand, deserve to be exposed and corrected.

So the question emerges, in the age of Facebook, do our differences become magnified while our ability to see others’ points of view diminishes? Can we really care about our “friends”, “like” the pictures they post of the new puppy or grandchild, but still respect them when they post political views sharply at odds with our own? More importantly, do we care? I ask the last question rhetorically and seriously. And my answer is that we should care. It’s too easy to write off a comment, with which we disagree or even find offensive, when the person making it is only real in our lives because we knew him or her decades ago. Ultimately, the root question is whether real dialogue can happen on social media. Or is it, to use the words of Stephen Stills, just a digital version of "carrying signs (that) mostly say hooray for our side (For What It's Worth, 1966)." If we only get our information from sources that reinforce our own views, we wind up in echo chambers and bubbles. So seek out different media. That is actually one of the best things about Facebook; if you have a diverse group of “friends” they will post from a range of media.

My hope is that on the grass roots level we can elevate the discourse and be empathetic about more than the tragedies and joys, personal and global, where it is easy to agree. Maybe our politicians could learn a few things. But having worked as a newsman for decades, I doubt the tone of political and cultural disagreements will change anytime soon. The challenge is for us to resist the crass and try to treat even those with whom we disagree with respect. But let’s agree that lies and falsehood are real enemies.

Brian Williams: Who knew and when did they know it?

Another thought on Brian Williams' recent apology for misstatements.

When I was running TV newsrooms I would often say that TV news is a team sport. Very little happens in a vacuum. Reporters don't get on the air without news photographers, engineers, editors, and producers. Brian Williams was not alone on that army helicopter in 2003. Others had to know, at different levels of the organization, that the version of events now in question was questionable. Very little happened in my newsroom without somebody "whispering in my ear" about what really happened out in the field. That's just the way it works. Another one of my adages: there are no secrets in newsrooms.

Brian Williams: Apology, memory, the fog of war or something else?

 
We learned this week that Brian Williams made misstatements about events in Iraq involving a downed US Army helicopter forced to land by enemy fire in 2003. Williams told audiences, on more than one occasion, that he was on that helicopter. Last night, on The NBC Nightly News, Williams apologized to the public and the soldiers on board the downed chopper. He told viewers he had not been on that aircraft. Instead, he was on a different helicopter, in the same group, that arrived on the ground later. He was moved to make the admission after a soldier who had been on the downed aircraft questioned Williams' version. But now, the pilot of the helicopter Williams was in says they did take small arms fire.  This may explain some inconsistencies in Williams' earlier statements.

Williams “explained” his earlier misstatements by saying he “conflated” what happened to his own chopper with the one that actually took heavier enemy fire and was forced to land. Blaming the fog of memory, he apologized and then spoke of his support and admiration for members of the military who do what they do.

So, at best, Williams has a flawed memory of memorable events confusing details that others who were there remember more clearly. At worst, he’s more interested in burnishing his own role and experience than reporting the truth. As more information emerges, viewers and the bosses at NBC will have to decide whether to give Williams the benefit of doubt or assume the worst.

Anchoring a television newscast is much more difficult than it looks. The ease with which good anchors do their jobs is an illusion. In large markets and at the network level, teams of writers, producers, engineers, technicians, and video craftsmen and women make it all work smoothly and seamlessly. The “talent” (that’s the person you see on the screen reading the news: The Anchor) has to be a good communicator and is usually physically attractive. Anchors earn huge sums of money for their work, millions of dollars a year for those at the top.

During times of crisis good anchors sometimes work for days at a time with little sleep. During the aftermath of 9/11, Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings informed the nation with fine reporting and the ability to communicate clearly. They put events in context as the world watched in disbelief at what had happened in lower Manhattan, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. Others anchored and reported responsibly and appropriately but Jennings and Brokaw stood out. They demonstrated to the nation and world why they were in such important positions by their professionalism during a frightening time. They helped us through those terrible days.

Given the importance of an anchorman or woman’s role, NBC will have to make some tough calls about Williams’ future. He is a talented man and by most accounts a good guy. And he’s very good at his job, at least he has been for most of his career. But can he recover and regain the trust of the public? It is critically important that viewers know the news is honestly reported and presented. More information will emerge as others who were with Williams come forward.

In the early days of network television news, Walter Cronkite was known as the “most trusted man in America.” Brian Williams will never rise to that level of esteem in the public’s eyes. Times have changed and audiences are much more fragmented. The question is can he win the trust of viewers who rely on him and his network for daily doses of news and for more in-depth reporting during times of crisis. He can do so only if there is an honest accounting of how and why his earlier misstatements were made and why they continued to be repeated until a soldier who was there when a chopper went down called out the anchorman by presenting the truth.

Good times with Robin

During the summer of 1972, I met Robin Williams. We had friends in common and spent time together in Marin County, California.

My New York college roommates and I had heard about this intriguing place north of San Francisco. Hot tubs and “California Girls” along with a reputation for “laid-back” attitude led us to Marin. After finding some like-minded locals near San Anselmo, we rented a house for July and August. Here’s the picture: a half a dozen or so men in their early twenties, half from New York and the rest from Northern California; it was a fun-filled summer. Robin did not live in the house, but he was friends with the Californians and was a regular around dinnertime and for Sunday softball games. What I remember most about being around Robin was that he was always on. He was funny, thoughtful in an endearing way, and impossible to shut up, not that anyone wanted him to stop. One night, I was at the sink doing dishes. Robin wandered into the kitchen and started telling jokes, doing voices and generally carrying on. Pretty soon everyone in the house was there, keeping the dish-washer company as Robin entertained us all. We knew, too, that Robin was a fine actor. He performed regularly in the College of Marin theater program. I remember seeing him in Fiddler on the Roof and also doing Shakespeare. To a person, we all got it. He was special and the rest of the world would soon find out.

Years later, we were both in NY, he at Juilliard and I at ABC News. We'd bump into each other in Central Park or the streets of the West Side every few months. Robin wasn't famous yet, so it was just two guys who had just a little in common. Sometimes I would see him on Sundays doing mime in the park. He would always draw a crowd; he was that good. After all, to paraphrase Charlie Chaplin, the street is the most legitimate theater of all. As was the case in California, he was always funny. And more than anybody I ever met, he had the ability to energetically entertain all who would listen, spontaneously and smartly.

I ran into Robin one time later, at the SF airport. He was a big star by then, in the middle of his run on Mork and Mindy. You'd never know it though; he was down to earth, the same friendly guy.

What a loss. He's the funniest guy I ever met. So glad, though, he got to do what he did so well and enrich all our lives.

Powerful new partnerships for productive TV news

            The hierarchy of television and digital news media is undergoing a paradigm shift not by design but by necessity. As newer technologies become more accessible and engaging they push other technologies aside. Though the new forms don’t replace the older technologies, the newer formats and delivery methods re-align the role of each medium. A research driven example of this is that we know many viewers begin their day by checking social media on a portable device before turning on the TV or radio. What they see on Facebook and Twitter influences what they tune into or choose to ignore. News organizations that understand the power of portable digital news delivery and how it differs from—and interacts with--television can improve penetration and ratings on both digital and legacy platforms by effectively nurturing powerful partnerships.

The traditional hierarchy has the network news organization covering big national and international stories. The local stations cover their communities. They work together providing content. Network affiliate news services give the stations stories from around the globe and the stations provide immediate access to local audio, video, and live coverage when the networks cannot send their own crews. What has changed dramatically in the last decade is that the most immediate “up close and personal” coverage now comes from ordinary people who have the tools to convey content right in their pockets. In the local news area, often the most immediate and accurate information about breaking news is available on Facebook and Twitter. This is also true in big story coverage of international events, from Tehran and Tahrir Square to the shores near Fukishima. Sometimes the information is generated by ordinary citizens; sometimes it comes from official government sources; and in a less dominant role in the new hierarchy, it also comes from legacy national and local media such as TV, radio, and newspapers.

The new paradigm requires legacy media to not only create and generate content but to also “curate” the abundant amount of information that is at our fingertips. This is especially important for the legacy TV networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC, because of their connection to local stations in every market. We learned during two recent big breaking stories—the school shooting in Connecticut and the Boston Marathon bombing—that information flows fast and furiously and is often incorrect or incomplete. For trusted legacy news organizations, getting it right has never been more critical. To this end, creating the most effective partnerships with local stations and the stations’ sources—both grass roots and traditional--will bear tremendous benefits during big stories and for enterprise coverage that is unique.

Trusted legacy media can capitalize on the new news hierarchy in a number of ways. First, in the case of NBC--as just one example--the personalities of the Peacock convey at least two distinct benefits. The NBC brand continues to be valuable and serves as an imprimatur for content that can be trusted by users and viewers. Then there are the actual personalities. Brian Williams, Matt Lauer, Al Roker, Nancy Snyderman, and all their local counterparts enter the homes of viewers on a regular basis. We know that viewers form para-social relationships with TV personalities that can be quite powerful. For example, when Katie Couric went on the air to extol the benefits of colonoscopy, there was a statistically significant increase in the procedure throughout the country. So NBC, along with the other network brands, and the power of their on-air personalities serve as magnets for solidifying old relationships and building new partnerships.

The Medium Is Still The Message

Marshall McLuhan’s observations about media and message may be more on target in the digital era than we might have imagined 50 years ago. For national news network partnerships to flourish, understanding the new paradigm involves using content that is quickly generated, short in duration, yet compelling and reliable. For the Twitter and Facebook generation, news teams have to have reliable community collaborators, partners in news. These are the trusted sources that can be relied upon for information, but can also generate content that can be used effectively on the various platforms of old line network news organizations and their affiliate partners. A different aesthetic works on a smart phone than on a 50-inch HD monitor. This is key to making the paradigm real. The simpler and more lean production values of digital device content allow non-journalists to create real journalism. And that is where the curator role becomes key. The journalists have to decipher and filter the flow of information to distinguish what is news and what is something else. It’s the old gatekeeper role but with a new twist.

The West Seattle Blog is one good example of a trustworthy local news source that generates reliable content. This is in sharp contrast to the AOL Patch sites in a key way. AOL recently announced it was cutting back its investment in Patch. Many local Patch sites do a fine job. But the difference between the West Seattle Blog and Patch is that the West Seattle Blog was locally created and entrepreneurial. Another trustworthy grassroots news source is the Voiceof San Diego. Also locally created, VOSD uses a membership model, similar to public TV and radio to generate revenue. Patch, on the other hand, is a corporate creation that may work in some locations but loses its power when it becomes a top down creation to be replicated from one community to the next.

Trusted partnerships that generate content must be nurtured and supported. The old relationship of national network to local affiliate is the foundation of the new paradigm but is more of a starting point than end point. Ideally, each network or legacy news stations will devote key staffers to nurture relationships with grass roots news groups in the neighborhoods and communities that make up the nation. Building these relationships and supporting the stations’ engagement with the best grass roots sources in their communities will generate unique content. This content will flow during breaking news emergencies and on slower days when enterprise stories help the stations and network stand out. Most important, the new paradigm means the successful news organization will no longer only follow the “It’s news because I say it’s news” sensibility of years past. Instead, the task will be to connect with the public in ways that allow journalists to recognize real news whether it comes from a 17 year old Brian Williams wannabe with a smart phone or the White House press office.

The appetite for journalism from the bottom up will continue to grow. The possibilities for growth and engagement across media great and small are exciting opportunities. News organizations must nurture networks of contributors forming partnerships with local stations and grass roots producers that can tell stories that rise to the level of interesting journalism. The symbolic frame through which network news organizations must evolve means the circled ABC, The CBS Eye, and the NBC Peacock will have new meaning and relevance. Instead of signifying the networks that pioneered instant replay, You are There, and color TV in the middle of the last century, the symbols will now stand for partnerships with the public that use all the tools of today to inform, entertain, and even enlighten.

Notes: 1. “Up close and personal” is an old ABC Sports description of its coverage.

2. The final line is a paraphrase of Edward R. Murrow’s comment about TV. The actual quote is: This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box.

From Sea to Shining Sea

 (Because it has been too long since the last blog entry, here's a post from Facebook I entered two days ago after returning home.)

Took off this morning from LaGuardia Airport, Rockaway and the Atlantic Ocean shining off to my right. The New York November light led the way as we rose and turned on our way to Texas. Lunch in Houston then an on time take-off for the flight home to San Diego. Three hours later, the southern end of the California Coast came into view right before we descended over the city to land on the edge of the shining Pacific, backlit by the setting sun.

Even though long distance air travel is routine, I continue to be thrilled by the mobility I hope we never take for granted.

Why interim leadership makes sense

Yesterday, I left a 19-week assignment as interim news director at XETV San Diego 6. Today, the new news director is meeting the staff and starting work, a smooth, well planned, transition.

When I arrived at the station in April, I replaced a news director who was at the station for less than two years. I was presented to the staff as the interim leader who would help the station keep moving in the right direction and also assist in finding the next news director. That person would commit to three to five years, the amount of time necessary to take the striving news operation to new levels of success. About one month into the assignment the general manager asked if I would be interested in the permanent job. The difficult but correct reply was “no.”

This was my fourth interim leadership assignment and second as a TV news director. While it is good for my ego to report that each of the four times I’ve filled this role I have been offered the position on a permanent basis, that was never my goal. As an interim leader you do things a bit differently than someone in for the long haul. I hope to continue serving in interim leadership roles as part of my consulting business. So, at the risk of engaging in shameless self-promotion, I want to urge anybody who hires leaders to consider using individuals on an interim basis to serve as a bridge for organizations in transition.

Interim leadership is especially valuable for organizations overcoming serious challenges. A skilled interim leader often has to serve as an organizational healer or fixer. Sometimes it is simply a case of bringing new energy to an enterprise that may be stuck or languishing. Another advantage of hiring an interim leader is that he or she can quickly learn the organization’s personality and dynamics. This can help in recruiting the permanent leader who will follow. Most important, successful interim leadership requires substance. Knowing a business or organizational culture is critical. Interim leadership means getting to work quickly and setting the right tone from day one. That’s nearly impossible to do if you do not understand how things work.  

For me, the most gratifying part of going to work everyday is interacting with people. Although I am an early adopter of technology and recognize and appreciate the value of digital media, interacting with other human beings in face-to-face communication fulfills a specific human need. That daily social interaction is what I will miss most. When a new person comes in and engages with a positive approach and smile it serves as powerful medicine for those in the workplace who may have felt disconnected. Of course, this only works if the interim leader knows what he or she is doing. Empty suits with smiles can actually make things worse.

So thank you to my friends at XETV. I already miss being in the newsroom. And if this first blog after 19 weeks in the trenches of TV news sounds like a bit of an advertisement, I plead guilty. I would enjoy working with other stations and organizations where I can be of service.

I look forward to getting back to blogging about media, culture, communication, and inevitably a little politics around this time of year. Right now, on to projects put on hold and clients old and new. No doubt, I’ll also find a little time for tennis.  

Two very different paths

 I just saw the CNN homepage with a picture of James Holmes, who grew up in San Diego, sitting in a Denver area courtroom with his comic book red hair, looking deranged and barely there. On the other side of the page, a picture of Sally Ride in her days as a space shuttle astronaut heads the column that is her obituary. She was a physics professor at the University of California, San Diego. They are two local news makers--visually juxtaposed--representing the best and worst of what gifted people can become.

James Holmes booking photo

For now, I will not attempt to make sense out of last Friday's gunfire in a Colorado movie theater; Ross Douthat in Sunday's New York Times did about the best job of that I have seen. But I will simply say we should celebrate the life of Sally Ride and her contributions to improving the world. As for James Holmes, the pain he inflicted is beyond words. The side by side view of these two pictures struck me as not only odd but haunting--two San Diegans who will be remembered for years to come for very different reasons.

I mean no disrespect to Dr. Ride by discussing her on the same page as James Holmes. To the contrary, the point is to show that in the  dark and disturbing aftermath of Holmes' brutal acts, creative and life affirming memories--in this case, the life and work of Sally Ride--need to be celebrated and honored. Though today's news marks her death, it is her life that has, at least for a moment, pushed Holmes off the lead spot in the news.

Remembering a great teacher

I learned the other day one of my mentors died. Professor George C. Stoney was 96 years old when he left the living last week in New York City. George was my teacher at NYU. As much as anybody I’ve ever known, he dedicated himself to using film and television for positive purposes. As a teacher, filmmaker, and visionary who saw the power of visual media as a tool for community improvement, George lived a life that mattered. The lead obituary in Sunday’s New York Times explains George’s accomplishments and impact.

On a personal level, I cannot adequately express how much George meant to me. He helped me get my first job at ABC News; he believed in my abilities and me as a producer when I had personal doubts; he taught thousands of students that telling stories about real life-–not today’s so called reality TV—could make a difference and improve the world.

In the mid 1990s I contacted George and sent him a copy of a documentary KNSD-TV produced while I was news director. Not That San Diego, followed community activist Stan Hay as he explored the poorer parts of the place that calls itself “America’s Finest City.” George sent me a thank you note for sending him the documentary. His comments were mostly positive. He pointed out that perhaps the most noteworthy achievement was getting such a documentary on a commercial television station. As usual, he was right. That was the last time I had any communication with him but not the last time I saw him.

When my daughter, Amy, graduated from NYU in 2006, Professor Stoney was part of the procession. As the oldest active teacher at the university—he was 89 at the time—it was his privilege to carry the torch, NYU’s symbol. When I saw George on the big screen in Washington Square Park, I smiled. Last week, when I learned of his death, I shed a few tears.

Tom Brokaw famously called the men and women who lived through and fought in World War II, “The Greatest Generation.” George was part of that group. He served during the war and continued to serve the world in other ways the rest of his life. He will be missed. And even though he preferred to be called George, I want to publicly say thank you, Professor Stoney, for what you did for me personally and for everything you did for the rest of those whose lives you touched.