BUSINESS

Information in Perspective: An Exclusive Interview with Ted Koppel

May 31, 2006

On May 10, 2006, approximately 500 senior government professionals gathered in Washington D.C. for the third annual Cognos Government Forum. Throughout the day, guests heard from Cognos customers such as the U.S. Marine Corps, the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services, NAVAIR, and many others who shared stories of their challenges and successes using Cognos software to achieve their goals. The day wrapped up with a speech from veteran ABC newscaster Ted Koppel.

Prior to his speech, Kelsey Howarth, Senior Writer for Cognos, an IBM company, caught up with the legendary newsman to ask a few questions about the changes he's seen in the news over his 43-year career, and the difficulty of transforming disparate information into a coherent story.

Fundamental changes in the news

KH: You started at ABC News in 1963. You must have a unique perspective on the way information is collected and analyzed since that time. How has it changed?

TK: "The news and the mechanism for providing it has changed fundamentally in two ways. The first way is in the technology used for providing it. When I was in South East Asia covering the war in Vietnam we used black and white film to capture the stories. That film and my commentary was then sent by bicycle to Saigon, flown to London, and then sent to New York. The best we could do was to provide reports within 2 to 3 days. When I was in Iraq three years ago with the 3rd Infantry division, stories could be transmitted within 2½ seconds.

The second shift is in the economic model. In the early mid-sixties, news wasn't expected to make money so it was left alone – we were left alone to do what we thought was best. Today the news is all about demographics, focus groups, and polls and that means that you have a difference focus. You try today to give the public what it wants, rather than what it needs. I think that is disastrous. News programs became more focused on getting the story first, rather than getting it right."

Separating the "facts" from the "truth"

KH: With more sources of information streaming in, and the speed at which it's delivered, has this made finding the facts easier or more difficult?

TK: "It has become more difficult to find the truth. As a recent example, I received information from a politician about one of his great concerns while in office of food tampering with imported foods. The specific example he gave was issues with honey being imported from Lebanon. I mentioned this issue in a speech, but it was later revealed to me that Lebanon is not even in the top 15 countries that import honey into the U.S. While the facts were correct, the seriousness in which it was delivered was incorrect. We deal with what we believe to be the facts, but it is not necessarily the truth."

Questioning motives

KH: At Cognos it is our mandate to deliver the right information, to the right people, at the right time. Do you remember a time where you received the wrong information at the worst possible time?

TK: "It happens quite often – all the time in fact – and people in the information gathering business must be very cautious about not only the information they receive, but must also question the motives of the people providing it. In the past, we had 24 hours between deadlines for an evening broadcast to provide context around what has happened and check our research. We had several hours to verify the information. With news on 24/7 information is often not verified at all.

That is the confusion between journalism and television. Being able to put something on the air live is a triumph of technology, but it has nothing to do with journalism. Journalism is about sifting through the information, checking the facts, and putting it into the context of what has happened previously. That takes time. To the degree that we now have the technical ability to go on the air live all the time, I think that damages our ability as journalist to check the accuracy of the information we provide. It puts all of us under greater pressure to not let the technology dictate the stories."

Where the newsman gets his news

KH: So where do you get your news from?

TK: "There are still exceptional sources of news out there and journalists that take their job seriously. National Public Radio, NewsHour, a show that "dared to be dull," The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Economist have all built a level of trust with their audience by focusing on excellence in reporting, not on the technology at their disposal."

About Ted Koppel

Ted Koppel was named anchor of Nightline when the broadcast began in March 1980. As anchor, he was the principal on-air reporter and interviewer for television's first late-night network news program. Mr. Koppel was also the program's managing editor.

For nearly 26 years, Mr. Koppel represented the pinnacle of insightful, probing journalism. Through his firm yet respectful interviewing style, and legendary preparation, Mr. Koppel shed light and perspective on virtually every world event of note during his tenure. He also aired intimate and compelling stories that did not change the world, but often changed his viewers.

Mr. Koppel has won every major broadcasting award, including 41 Emmy Awards, 11 George Foster Peabody Awards, 12 DuPont-Columbia Awards, 10 Overseas Press Club Awards, two George Polk Awards, and two Sigma Delta Chi Awards, the highest honor bestowed for public service by the Society of Professional Journalists.

A 43-year veteran of ABC News, Mr. Koppel now serves as managing editor for The Discovery Channel, where he continues to conduct in-depth reporting on global issues through long-form programs. He also serves as a contributing columnist for the New York Times and gives regular commentary on National Public Radio.