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AAPRC Weekly: Ed Gordon

Ed Gordon
Host
“News and Notes with Ed Gordon,” National Public Radio
NYC

When CBS executives canceled “60 Minutes II” in May, journalist Ed Gordon was four months deep into his new National Public Radio (NPR) daily information and interview show, “News and Notes with Ed Gordon.”

You might think Gordon, a then contributing correspondent for the sixyear-old TV news show, would have breathed a sigh of relief with the lightening of his workload. NPR executives are, after all, depending on the Emmy-winning journalist to help broaden the network’s listening demographic and quiet critics who say the radio network lacks diversity. Gordon is, after all, in the midst of mastering what is for him a new medium.

Instead, Gordon, known for his ability to snag exclusives with controversial, hard-to-get headliners such as O.J. Simpson, Michael Jackson and R. Kelly, will soon sit down with CBS executives to discuss whether he’ll contribute to “60 Minutes” when the newsmagazine’s new season begins.

As if hosting a daily radio program and conducting interviews for the top-rated TV network aren’t enough, on any given day, Gordon can be found hopping flights to track down an illusive headliner or attend a meeting about the numerous freelance projects he’s currently working on.

“What I’ve liked most about my career to date is that I don’t have a typical day,” says Gordon. “Right now, we do the NPR show Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., and if we have some pre-recorded interviews after the show, we tape those. After that, I may have to travel for an interview or project. It varies week-to-week.”

Career variety is only one factor driving Gordon’s determination to cover as many mediums and as much ground as possible when it comes to reporting the news. The veteran journalist is committed to bringing a culturally diverse and fresh perspective to the day’s events. It’s a perspective he feels is too seldom heard by American audiences at large.

“I think anytime you have programs that don’t have minority influences, they’re missing a big piece of the pie, and I think African-Americans are a very important voice,” explains Gordon.

His talent for landing exclusive interviews with embattled personalities who would prefer to avoid the critical eyes of the American public has made Gordon one of the news industry’s most respected and sought-after journalists. He attributes his ability to a combination of luck and balanced reporting.

“I think I’ve gained a track record for talking to people who are caught in controversy,” Gordon explains. “People understand I’ll be fair. I will tell them that I may ask them questions that will make them feel uncomfortable, but I won’t take [their answers] out of context. I won’t edit [the interview] to appear differently.”

Though some journalists may believe such candor before an interview will place them at a disadvantage for getting the ‘ah-ha’ moment, Gordon sees it differently. “I think when an interview subject knows you’re coming towards them, it’s more interesting because it shows your skill as an interviewer. I think you want to be able to sit down with a person even when they know your coming and get good information.”

The approach has enabled Gordon to sit down for conversations with the likes of President Bill Clinton, Halle Berry and Autumn Jackson, who filed a patrimony lawsuit against comedian Bill Cosby.

Gordon began honing what he calls a conversational interview style in the 1980s during his days at a local PBS affiliate in his hometown of Detroit. He joined the station as an unpaid intern after graduating from Western Michigan University. After being hired as a production assistant, he convinced the station’s management to let him produce a few news stories. “Then I convinced them to let me be on camera,” Gordon says.

His big break came when the host of the station’s popular news talk program “Detroit Black Journal” was out sick. “I had to host the show,” Gordon explains. “I eventually went on to become the [permanent] host.”

Gordon’s penchant for multitasking was apparent even then. He became an on-air interviewer for a local production company that produced segments for “BET News.” “About a year later, I flew to DC and met all the folks [at BET] I’d spoken to over the phone. I told them, ‘Hey, if you need an anchor, I’m available.’” As it turned out, the African American-owned cable network was losing its news anchor. “They called and asked if I was interested,” says Gordon.

Gordon acknowledges that he had a lot of help making his time at BET successful. “When I got to BET, a lot of very influential people took me under their wings,” he says. “[Late Commerce Secretary] Ron Brown was one of those people. He took me on a eight-country trip to Africa, and we documented the trip.” Gordon also garnered the cable network’s first interview with newly freed anti-Apartheid activist Nelson Mandela.

During his two stints with BET, Gordon anchored “BET News” and hosted “BET Tonight” and his signature new interview program, “Conversation with Ed Gordon.” It was also during this time that Gordon garnered an exclusive interview with sports legend O.J. Simpson, who was tried for the murder of his wife, Nicole Brown-Simpson.

The big exclusive netted Gordon offers from other networks. He joined NBC, where he became a contributor to the “Today Show,” NBC’s “Dateline” and MSNBC, the network’s cable news entity.

More recently, Gordon was a correspondent for CBS’ “60 Minutes II.” Once again, his ability to spot a newsmaker paid off for his employer when Gordon convinced producers to let him interview actor Jamie Foxx just before the hype and critical acclaim broke about the actor’s career-making performance in the film “Ray.”

Now, NPR is banking on Gordon’s cache and news instinct to raise its profile and ratings. It’s a challenge Gordon says he’s enjoying and appreciating.

“I like that radio doesn’t have to worry about pictures,” says Gordon. “There’s an immediacy [to reporting a story]. I like that I can pick up the phone and interview someone [onair] right away.”

For you, right now, is there one newsmaker you’d like to sit down with more than any other?

No. That really changes from week-to-week and headline to headline. You always want to be in the hunt for the “big one.”

Year after year you cover history-making stories and garner the “big” interviews. Is it still exciting for you?

Without question! It’s like playing a sport when you’re in the game the excitement is always there. I love being in the moment during a great interview.

What’s the most important element in a great interview?

Listening, listening and listening!!!

With the increased competition for audience share, “infotainment” trends, and the influence of the Internet and other technologies, it certainly appears that journalism in general and broadcast journalism in particular is going through a period of transition. Do you think this is the case? If so, what do you think is on the other side of this transition?

Yes, it is changing every second. I don’t think anyone knows at this point what the transition will morph the business into. You just have to be flexible enough to go with the flow.

Over the past 12 months has there been an important story that you think mainstream media has overlooked?

There are always stories that the mainstream media misses. The industry is a copycat one and you always see the same stories over and over. I think we continue to overlook the real issue of job loss in this country. We will soon see that the kind of numbers we are looking at now will have a destructive effect economically and ultimately change the lives of thousands of families. And, of course, we always see stories of importance to minorities under covered.

If you had to give the major broadcast news outlets grades for, one, newsroom diversity and, two, balanced coverage of communities of color, what would they be?

C-. News and news coverage really has not done well in terms of bringing people of color and “our stories” to the fore. While we have made strides over the last couple of decades we are not as represented, in news divisions, as we should be. That being said we, the community, are not demanding enough! We need to make sure we demand representation in this area.

You’re doing an NPR radio show these days, but for most of your career you’ve been known as a television journalist. What attracts you to radio? Does it provide learning/professional development opportunities for you that television does not?

I see it all as journalism. I am learning radio as I go, but I think doing a good interview is doing a good interview. Doing good journalism is doing good journalism.

When you transitioned from BET to NBC, what was your most significant challenge or adjustment?

Just trying to get the stories I thought were important on the map. Again, sometimes stories that are big in the Black community are not yet on the radar screen for white America.

As someone with a broad overview of American culture, about what are you most optimistic?

I am always optimistic about the possibility of life. America still offers the greatest chance for any individual to become successful.

Tell us one thing people might be surprised to know about you.

That I am not a very serious person. I am, in fact, pretty crazy as it goes. I was voted class clown in junior high school and missed out by just a few votes in high school.

AAPRC’s Mission
The African-American Public Relations Collective (AAPRC) is an assemblage of professionals who provide communication conduits among clients, journalists, media and our communities. We come together as a collective because we recognize the importance of building those same conduits amongst ourselves.

A great deal of what we do is professional development––updating our skills, keeping pace with technology, refining and streamlining processes, providing a forum to tackle the issues that impact our work environment––but we believe our professional lives benefit most from the forging of effective alliances. Connected to one another, we possess the power of a nationwide body of committed, knowledgeable practitioners with an eye on the future.

As we move into the 21st century at lightning speed, mass media and its potent messages occupy an ever-larger part of our daily lives and our collective psyche. The AAPRC is focused on helping our members gain a deeper understanding of media’s force and supporting their growth as powerful participants in the global communications network.

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By Gwendolyn Quinn on 8/1/2005[read on] [2 comments]

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