1990 marked the starting point of women breaking through the glass ceiling to take up anchor roles on prime time television news: Barbara Walters; Diane Sawyer; Connie Chung; Jane Pauley; Maria Shriver; Meredith Vieira; Katie Couric...."It's an interesting phenomenon," Jane readily acknowledged. "For years," one network chief recounted, "people have been saying, 'We've got to get Barbara Walters specials of our own.' It's amazing - she goes out and interviews 3 people and gets a 20 rating every time out." But this phenomenon, one news producer stated, "What you're seeing now is women who started in the '70s and '80s coming of age in the '90s." Barbara remained the most well-known woman in broadcast news. Another commentator added, "In entry-level positions in television, it's 9.5 women for every 0.5 men. I expect the television journalism business to be totally female-driven by the year 2010." Maria maintained, "I certainly don't think I'd be able to do what I'm doing today if it weren't for that experience on (morning television)...Morning television puts you right into someone's bedroom. They decide whether they want you there or they tell you get out." Morning television, Barbara shared, offered a "way for the audience to get to know you. And even if the audience doesn't get to know you, the company gets to know you."
In broadcast news, '60 Minutes' remained the most influential program on television. Don Hewitt disclosed, "I was always a fan of 'Life' and 'Look' magazines. I thought we could be the television counterpart. We'd be the show on everybody's coffee table. I think the death of 'Life' and 'Look' helped us a lot." In 1990 "Saddam Hussein had Americans watching more network news than network entertainment." The 3 newcasts combined captured 59% of the audience share in some 92.1 million households. "Whether he's portrayed as monster or messiah," one commentator claimed, "nobody fascinates the world (in 1990) like Saddam." Harry Truman always believed, "men make history and not the other way around." Iraq's annexation of Kuwait in August 1990 was, according to one Saudi news agency, "the regrettable events (that) are a cause of concern and dissatisfaction to the Arabs as well as the entire world." Requesting to be allowed to make an "appearance in the media, even for 5 minutes" to "help explain Iraq to the American people", Saddam told Diane Americans did not understand survival in the 3rd world. The U.S. ambassador at the time said her embassy managed to secure that interview for the network, noted, "(Diane) did American journalism proud." Then came the words from the White House, "The storm is mighty. The boat is small and the oars are short." George H. W. Bush went on television to notify the American people of his administration's decision to send American troops over to the Persian Gulf to free Kuwait in a battle which became known as the "Operation Desert Storm". "There was a lot more purpose to this war than getting Iraq out of Kuwait," General H. Norman Schwarzkopf recalled. Saddam declared should the war break out, it would become the "Mother of all battles."
Overtly opposing war, the Kuwait council general secretary at the time appealed to Saddam to make a total and unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait before the Tuesday January 15 1991 deadline, "to spare the fraternal Iraqi people and the people of the region and the whole world the horrors of a destructive war." Saddam was said remained defiant. One American official believed, "Saddam may be so focused on the potential losses that Bush might face if he undertakes a war, that he is not focusing enough on the losses Bush might face if he doesn't take action." Almost 2 months into the Desert Storm battle, the overpowered Iraqi forces decided to retreat. Sensing the battle had been won, George senior went on television on February 28 1991 to advise the American people, "Kuwait is liberated...At midnight tonight, eastern standard time, exactly 100 hours since ground operations commenced and 6 weeks since the start of 'Operation Desert Storm', all United States and coalition forces will suspend offensive combat operations."
Sam Donaldson hosted 'PrimeTime Live' with Diane rose to national prominence in 1977 covering the incoming Carter Administration. Sam said, "If they didn't want me to be me then they shouldn't ask me to cover the White House." His 1987 autobiography, 'Hold On, Mr. President!' was an instant best seller. Network anchors were household names during the '60s, '70s and the early '80s. They became authoritative figures because they were seen as a source of reassurance for the nation during a time of crises. "It was a time when I knew all of the names of the correspondents," one news producer remembered. Nowadays, because viewers had access to a lot more information services than back then, meant new personalities would find it hard to break through. "If you look at today's world, where there are so many competent, well-trained reporters and broadcasters working across the networks and across the cable news channels, it's not only harder to stand out but there is also less opportunity to show what your distinctive personality is," another producer observed. "When (Tom) Brokaw came to the anchor desk, he had been a White House correspondent and an anchor on the 'Today' show. A lot of people in this country knew who he was," Sam made the point.
In broadcast news, '60 Minutes' remained the most influential program on television. Don Hewitt disclosed, "I was always a fan of 'Life' and 'Look' magazines. I thought we could be the television counterpart. We'd be the show on everybody's coffee table. I think the death of 'Life' and 'Look' helped us a lot." In 1990 "Saddam Hussein had Americans watching more network news than network entertainment." The 3 newcasts combined captured 59% of the audience share in some 92.1 million households. "Whether he's portrayed as monster or messiah," one commentator claimed, "nobody fascinates the world (in 1990) like Saddam." Harry Truman always believed, "men make history and not the other way around." Iraq's annexation of Kuwait in August 1990 was, according to one Saudi news agency, "the regrettable events (that) are a cause of concern and dissatisfaction to the Arabs as well as the entire world." Requesting to be allowed to make an "appearance in the media, even for 5 minutes" to "help explain Iraq to the American people", Saddam told Diane Americans did not understand survival in the 3rd world. The U.S. ambassador at the time said her embassy managed to secure that interview for the network, noted, "(Diane) did American journalism proud." Then came the words from the White House, "The storm is mighty. The boat is small and the oars are short." George H. W. Bush went on television to notify the American people of his administration's decision to send American troops over to the Persian Gulf to free Kuwait in a battle which became known as the "Operation Desert Storm". "There was a lot more purpose to this war than getting Iraq out of Kuwait," General H. Norman Schwarzkopf recalled. Saddam declared should the war break out, it would become the "Mother of all battles."
Overtly opposing war, the Kuwait council general secretary at the time appealed to Saddam to make a total and unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait before the Tuesday January 15 1991 deadline, "to spare the fraternal Iraqi people and the people of the region and the whole world the horrors of a destructive war." Saddam was said remained defiant. One American official believed, "Saddam may be so focused on the potential losses that Bush might face if he undertakes a war, that he is not focusing enough on the losses Bush might face if he doesn't take action." Almost 2 months into the Desert Storm battle, the overpowered Iraqi forces decided to retreat. Sensing the battle had been won, George senior went on television on February 28 1991 to advise the American people, "Kuwait is liberated...At midnight tonight, eastern standard time, exactly 100 hours since ground operations commenced and 6 weeks since the start of 'Operation Desert Storm', all United States and coalition forces will suspend offensive combat operations."
Sam Donaldson hosted 'PrimeTime Live' with Diane rose to national prominence in 1977 covering the incoming Carter Administration. Sam said, "If they didn't want me to be me then they shouldn't ask me to cover the White House." His 1987 autobiography, 'Hold On, Mr. President!' was an instant best seller. Network anchors were household names during the '60s, '70s and the early '80s. They became authoritative figures because they were seen as a source of reassurance for the nation during a time of crises. "It was a time when I knew all of the names of the correspondents," one news producer remembered. Nowadays, because viewers had access to a lot more information services than back then, meant new personalities would find it hard to break through. "If you look at today's world, where there are so many competent, well-trained reporters and broadcasters working across the networks and across the cable news channels, it's not only harder to stand out but there is also less opportunity to show what your distinctive personality is," another producer observed. "When (Tom) Brokaw came to the anchor desk, he had been a White House correspondent and an anchor on the 'Today' show. A lot of people in this country knew who he was," Sam made the point.
