In many homes across the United States, Sunday nights were incomplete without the show 60 Minutes. Diane Sawyer began as the first woman correspondent for CBS's 60 Minutes, one of America's most watched and loved news programs.

Now currently a co-anchor on Prime Time Live, she charms millions weekly with her intelligence and articulate broadcasting style. Sawyer has been working as a journalist for 20 years, making the television screen light up with her presence. She knows just when to pause, just where to put the stress on a word. Not all television reporters can do that, and do it well, but Diane knows how.

On Prime Time Live she is considered one of the highest ranking television broadcasters, working hard and in constant competition for the most sought after stories.The following is an interwiew with Diane Sawer from New York:

 

Q: What role do you play in the development and presentation of a breaking news story?

A: I get involved in the beginning. . . less in the middle . . . and very much at the end. I love the early process of asking questions about a story and deciding which questions matter most. What is the REAL story? What is that little detail---what shirt he was wearing, why her hair looked so bad---that help us focus. Great questions make great reporting. Then, after the research is done , I come back in for the interviews and writing.

Q: How do you know what type of news to go after?

A: In magazine work we get to go after the stories that we are passionate about. There are too many great and important stories only to do good and ho-hum ones. For instance, once I got a mammogram. So I decided to ask questions . . . and we had a big investigation and changed the laws. And last weekend, I wanted to talk to Oprah, so I called her. If you're curious, you'll probably be a good journalist because we follow our curiosity . . . like cats.

Q: How long does it take to prepare a news story?

A: It varies . . . an investigation may take six months. A quick interview, profile . . . a day.

Q: What steps do you take to make your news more interesting and appealing to the viewers?

A: I think the language you use, the writing is everything. Let me give you an example:

 

Diane :" This is a committee meeting which is very important politically."

 

OR

 

Diane: " This is a political time bomb---disguised as another government meeting."

One might get your attention......One almost certainly won't.

Q: How did you know that you wanted to go into journalism?

A: I didn't know anything about journalism. But my dad said : Answer these two questions--- What do you love, and where is an adventurous place to do it? The answers were: writing. Telling stories of real people. And television seemed bolder and reached more people. That's why I started.

Q: What attracted you to television as opposed to the newspaper, Internet, or radio news?

A: Again, I think television is brave---that unruly combination of words and pictures exciting each other. Also, I like TALKING. (I didn't know at the time I would have to worry so much about my HAIR)

Q: What would you consider to be the most interesting/exciting/thought-provoking/fun/rewarding part of your job?

A: The most fun? Getting paid to learn things. Getting to walk into the lives of people you've never met and ask them anything. Why did you commit that crime? What are doing with your life? What can you teach us. I simply love the newness of the people, the places, the answers every day.

Q: How long have you been in the field of journalism?

A: I've done it about twenty years. Aaaargh! It seems impossible.

Q: How has news broadcasting changed over the course of your career?

A: The main difference is the pace of the competition. I used to be racing against one or two other broadcasts . . . now it's twelve. And if you want to be ahead you have to have even more stamina and even less sleep than long ago---though there wasn't much sleep then either.

Q: What advice would you give to people aspiring to be journalists/news broadcasters?

A: My advice is follow what you are genuinely passionate about---history, consumer work . . . and let that guide you to your destination. Maybe you want to be a sports reporter . . . or a specialist in health issues. Learn lot about what you would want to know anyway. And then start in a small T.V. station so you can make all of your embarrassing mistakes early and in front of fewer people! And don't worry about the embarrassing mistakes . . . we've all humiliated ourselves over and over!

 

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