ABC's Brian Ross leads TV's investigative pack

[DeepModem Mom]

AP: Brian Ross leads TV's investigative pack
By DAVID BAUDER AP Television Writer
Article Launched: 05/13/2007



....Ross, 58, has established himself as television's most visible serious investigative journalist, leading a 15-member team with its own Web page, "The Blotter," on abcnews.com and frequent reports across all of ABC's broadcasts.

Ross won a Peabody Award for breaking the congressional page scandal story last fall. He earned a George Polk Award in 2005 for reporting on secret CIA prisons in eastern Europe. His team has reported frequently on terrorism threats and the impact of campaign donations on the political process.

"His reputation in the industry is excellent," said Brant Houston, executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. and a professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. "He is leading the way in terms of mainstream journalism in how to use the blog effectively. It's great to see that kind of reporting."

Ross' team serves in effect as an in-house news service within ABC News. He pitches stories to "World News," "Nightline," "Good Morning America" and the newsmagazines. Some that aren't broadcast make their way onto "The Blotter," which has received 36 million hits in a year.

Rhonda Schwartz and Chris Isham are his top producers, leading a team of specialists in areas like campaign finance, law enforcement and terrorism....

It's an area of broadcast journalism—print, too—that is frequently the first place that news executives look at when cutting budgets. ABC News President David Westin said that didn't make sense to him....

http://origin.mercurynews.com/celebrities/ci_5888452

[kevinmc]

1. THe Frontline Crew is Better ..... not as visable though ,,,IMO ,,,n/t