"Television is your true mirror of reality," Jessica Savitch observed. The coverage of celebrity Anna Nicole Smith's inheritance court case leading up to her death in 2007 flabbergasted Maria Shriver. Speaking at a Conference on Women at the time, Maria made known, "It was then that I knew that the TV news business had changed and so had I...I said, 'You know what, this ship has sailed, it's not for me.'" Connie Chung made the comment in 2004, "The whole climate of our news industry now is pop culture. The Michael Jackson interview, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston and Ben and J.Lo — all of these have taken on a heightened interest." Katie Couric added, "The climate is such that there's so much emphasis on ratings...When there is so much emphasis on ratings, it's hard for true journalism to thrive."
Maria was a journalist at NBC News between 1986 and 2004 before she became the First Lady of the State of California from 2003 to 2010. She stopped reporting in 2004 because "I didn't want to become the story on every story I went out on." Maria made her prime time network news debut in 1986 on a newsmagazine also called '1986'. "I came from a well-known family," Maria acknowledged, "I was very adamant that I had to do something for myself." Over 11 million American homes watched Maria's interviews special in 1990. Presenting news, Jessica made the point, "is a job. It is a career. It is tough and it doesn't mean your personal life is happy just because you do well on the air. There's no 'how to?' (in this business). You go out, you learn your trade, you apply your skills and with luck and timing, maybe you'll make it."
In 1987 Maria co-hosted 'Sunday Today'. That same year Democratic front-runner, Senator Gary Hart was forced to withdraw from the Presidential nomination when an article detailing of his relationship with model Donna Rice became front page news. The news however was soon forgotten when the Wall Street stock market crash dominated the headlines. Commentators at the time noted there were many similarities between the 1980s and the Roaring '20s. However unlike 1929, "a stock market crash doesn't ripple out into the economy with the same force." Television, Jessica explained, "is a visual industry. You have to look pleasant enough to be disregarded (so the viewers can) listen to what you're saying. You don't have to be a knockout glamorous symbol. What you have to be is 3 dimensional. You have to look appealing - not overly appealing. But you have to have that 3rd dimension - to know what you're talking about and communicate that (to the viewers). And the viewers may not know that intellectually but visually they sense that." John Chancellor covered the historic Watergate hearings said in 1974, "TV looks good. I think it is very respectful of the proceedings. We realize that a great tragedy is unfolding before us." Of the coverage of the House Judiciary Committee debate, John maintained, "I don't think I've ever been in a more important place at a more important time."
Maria was a journalist at NBC News between 1986 and 2004 before she became the First Lady of the State of California from 2003 to 2010. She stopped reporting in 2004 because "I didn't want to become the story on every story I went out on." Maria made her prime time network news debut in 1986 on a newsmagazine also called '1986'. "I came from a well-known family," Maria acknowledged, "I was very adamant that I had to do something for myself." Over 11 million American homes watched Maria's interviews special in 1990. Presenting news, Jessica made the point, "is a job. It is a career. It is tough and it doesn't mean your personal life is happy just because you do well on the air. There's no 'how to?' (in this business). You go out, you learn your trade, you apply your skills and with luck and timing, maybe you'll make it."
In 1987 Maria co-hosted 'Sunday Today'. That same year Democratic front-runner, Senator Gary Hart was forced to withdraw from the Presidential nomination when an article detailing of his relationship with model Donna Rice became front page news. The news however was soon forgotten when the Wall Street stock market crash dominated the headlines. Commentators at the time noted there were many similarities between the 1980s and the Roaring '20s. However unlike 1929, "a stock market crash doesn't ripple out into the economy with the same force." Television, Jessica explained, "is a visual industry. You have to look pleasant enough to be disregarded (so the viewers can) listen to what you're saying. You don't have to be a knockout glamorous symbol. What you have to be is 3 dimensional. You have to look appealing - not overly appealing. But you have to have that 3rd dimension - to know what you're talking about and communicate that (to the viewers). And the viewers may not know that intellectually but visually they sense that." John Chancellor covered the historic Watergate hearings said in 1974, "TV looks good. I think it is very respectful of the proceedings. We realize that a great tragedy is unfolding before us." Of the coverage of the House Judiciary Committee debate, John maintained, "I don't think I've ever been in a more important place at a more important time."
