Exit Interview

by David Westin

When David Westin became president of ABC News in March 1997, the division was treading water. "It looked like all the really important news was behind us," he writes. Hardly. For the next thirteen years, Westin would preside over ABC News during some of the most important and perplexing events in its • President Clinton's impeachment • The tied 2000 presidential election • The 9/11 attacks • Conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan • The swift boat smear campaign against Senator John Kerry

Exit Interview is a behind-the-scenes look at Westin's tenure and the major news that marked it. He takes us inside the chaos of the newsroom--alongside major players such as Peter Jennings, Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, and Bob Woodruff--where what looks clear and certain from the outside is often mired in conflict and urgency. Neither an apologia nor a critique, the book charts the ups and downs of fourteen formative years in network news, addressing basic questions about how our news is reported, from the point of view of someone who was there. With milestones from the recent past, Westin explores the uncertainty inherent in his job, and its central Is it possible for journalists to be both good at their jobs and people of good moral character?

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 22, 2012

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read of Westin's tenure as ABC News president from 1997 to 2010. He covers major events that happened during his time as head of the news organizations. He has chapters on the death of Princess Diana, Bill Clinton and the blue dress, the 200 presidential election, the 9/11 attacks, and the injuring of Bob Woodruff and his colleague.

This is not a gossipy tell-all book. It is an honest look at stories that were covered, discussions that were held to decide what information to release and why decisions were made.

As a newsy and a politico, this was written for me.

[Jodie March · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Westin was head of ABC news from 1997 to 2010, so he was there for a number of major events, including the Gore-Bush election, 9/11, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And he was also there during the years when cable news stations and the Internet changed the way that people access news. His book provides an inside look at how a major media organization operates, the challenges they face in fairly and accurately reporting the news, and the ways in which they have been affected by competition from cable television and the Internet. My biggest reservation about the book is that the structure of the chapters becomes formulaic. Almost each one begins with a major news event, like the Monica Lewinsky scandal or the Gore-Bush election. Westin then describes how the network covered that event, the decisions he had to make about covering it, the larger issues involved, and lessons learned from the experience. But the book successfully opens a window into the operations of television news and into larger questions about responsible journalism.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone who is interested in TV news, or even news from any media source, is likely to find this book fascinating. It's an insider's look at TV news -- issues such as how stories are covered, what makes a good journalist, what is the future of TV news, what decides which risks to take in covering a story are discussed in a readable style. Some of the specific issues/events discussed, each in their own chapter, are the coverage of the death of Princess Diana, the Bush/Gore election, the famous "blue dress" incident during Pres. Clinton's term, the Swift Boat ad campaign against Sen. Kerry.

[Bonnie|thebookishinsomniac · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3.5 stars. It's a well-written and well-structured book with lots of detail and insight into how news (at my most favorite network) is made. Knowing he was president of news and not a journalist, I should've expected that the focus would be more on the behind-the-scenes business side and not behind-the-scenes journalism side.

[Alicia Brooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were interesting stories to tell and some of the chapters were fascinating but it was such a dry read. It felt more like a boring procedural than a tell-all behind the scenes book.

[Marge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting chapters of events that occurred while Westin was at the helm of ABC. Gave us insight into the making of a news story from the inside.

[Saba Eitizaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great insight into the television news business but could have been written better.

[Christopher Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the personal and inside look at ABC News and Weston's personal journey with the network.