MediaWatch: March 1994
Table of Contents:
- MediaWatch: March 1994
- Networks Rarely Cover Church News, Ignore Religious Concerns on Social Issues
- NewsBites: Aborting the Mother
- Revolving Door: Tara Helps Tony
- Media Ignore Sexual Harassment Charges -- When Made Against Clinton
- Crying Over Spilt Milk
- Waste Watchdogs
- Reviewers Ignore Gulf War Record
- Janet Cooke Award: ABC's Strait, Compton, Kast, Gregory, and Burns Tout Benefits of Clinton Health Plan
Revolving Door: Tara Helps Tony
A well-traveled path is getting worn over the five blocks between ABC's DeSales Street bureau and the White House Complex. The latest to make the trip: Tara Sonenshine, an ABC News Washington producer for 12 years, most of them with Nightline. At the National Security Council she'll be Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director for communications. The Washington Post's Al Kamen reported that she'll handle "longer-term projects, which some uncharitably call an effort to make NSC chief Anthony Lake more TV-genic."
A guest booker for Nightline until becoming a Pentagon producer in 1987, since 1991 she's held the title of Editorial Producer at Nightline. For a couple of years before rejoining Nightline, she toiled for Koppel Communications Inc., the namesake's now-defunct company which produced several specials for ABC. Her byline appeared on a June 1991 Financial Times story detailing the paper's joint "investigation" with Nightline of the October Surprise theory. The one-hour June 20 special promoted the since-discredited allegations of Gary Sick.
If she needs help on projecting national security policy, she can turn to the Defense Department's chief public affairs officer -- former ABC reporter Kathleen deLaski. Or, for international advice, a deputy to UN Ambassador Madeleine Albright -- former ABC reporter Rick Inderfurth. And if she wants aid in finding the right phrase, there's White House speechwriter Carolyn Curiel, a former Nightline colleague.
Another Arts Lover
The National Endowment for the Arts has also tapped a former ABC News producer to fill a slot -- Director of Public Affairs. In February Cherie Simon replaced Ginny Terzano, a CBS News election unit researcher in 1988, who recently moved to the White House as Deputy Press Secretary. Simon served as an operations and broad-cast producer for World News Tonight in ABC's Washington bureau from 1982 until becoming Washington Bureau Chief for King World's Inside Edition in 1989. During 1992 Simon handled press relations for EMILY's List. Simon's press releases for the liberal PAC regularly noted that it had "raised over $6 million for 44 Democratic women candidates who favor abortion rights."
Investment Spin
A low-profile federal agency has picked up a long time European- based Associated Press correspondent. Sydney Rubin, an AP reporter from 1983 to 1992, is now Director of Media Relations for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
From 1983 to 1985 she reported from Texas, moving to New York for a couple of years before landing in Europe in 1987. Over the next five years her byline appeared above stories from all over Europe, Africa and the Middle East, including London, Prague, Timbuktu, Karachi, Paris and Amman. In 1993 she returned to Texas, assuming the Press Secretary duties for Democratic Lt. Governor Bob Bullock.
Oregon Trail
Susan Lindauer, a reporter with U.S. News & World Report from 1990 to 1991, has switched Democratic offices within the Oregon congressional team. She's jumped from the office of Peter DeFazio, where she had been Press Secretary, to handle the same duties for Ron Wyden.
