Our friend Heather Kovar
has a great interview with the man who created the Eyewitness News format on the New York Press Club Blog. He has a new book out called
Eyewitness Newsman:
Following months of rehearsals, overtime and job description changes, the Eyewitness News format hit the airwaves at WABC on November 17, 1968. The man behind the concept of putting reporters out in the field as eyewitnesses and actually appearing on television, of bringing racial diversity to newscasts, and using graphics and teases and camera movement to liven up TV News, brought WABC from 3rd in the ratings books to number ONE.
In “EYEWITNESS Newsman,” Al Primo takes readers through getting his first job in TV in the mail room to becoming a Network News Executive and beyond. His Eyewitness style of having reporters seen in every news story, eventually changed every newscast in America. Prior to Primo, the anchor read every story. Excitement followed his success, but you can imagine the grumbling getting it done. Here is a line from “EYEWITNESS Newsman.” “Camera operators were told that they’d never need something to sit on again because they’d be constantly moving.” SEE THE INTERVIEW
