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 Entertainment | Books | March 2006 
TV Journalism Pioneer has Plenty of Character
 Chuck Barney - Contra Costa Times
| | Her book "And So It Goes" (nominated for a Pulitzer Prize) was on the New York Times bestseller list for 18 weeks. She has battled breast cancer, been an NBC anchor, and currently produces and hosts award winning children’s programming. An upbeat presentation that makes good use of her dry wit, she will entertain and inspire your audience. |
There are many words one could use to characterize Linda Ellerbee: Award-winning television producer. Best-selling author. Breast cancer survivor. Inspirational public speaker. Mom. Grandmother. ... But the one that sort of throws her for a loop is broadcast journalism "pioneer."
"I try to envision myself wearing a bonnet and crossing the plains in a covered wagon, and it just doesn't work," she says with her usual touch of humor and self-deprecation.
But a pioneer she was. Ellerbee, 61, who will be the keynote speaker at next week's East Bay Women's Conference in San Ramon, began her TV career in 1972, when the profession was dominated by males. Over the next 15-plus years, she honed a reputation as a feisty, hard-nosed reporter and anchor who captured every major industry honor while refusing to "swim with the stream."
In 1987, she left network news to form her own production company. Four years later, the company, Lucky Duck Productions, created the highly popular "Nick News" for Nickelodeon with Ellerbee serving as writer and host. Known for the respectful and direct way it speaks to children about key issues of our time, "Nick News" has collected three Peabody Awards and four Emmys.
These days, Ellerbee and her work can be seen all over the airwaves in documentaries and prime-time specials for ABC, CBS, HBO, PBS, Lifetime, MTV, A&E and MSNBC, among others. Earlier this month, she celebrated her 14th year of cancer remission.
The Times recently caught up via phone with Ellerbee, who was in Puerto Vallarta working on her first novel.
Q: Can you tell us anything about the book?
A Well, it's a mystery, and I'll leave it at that because so much can change. ... As a kid I always had two things at the top of my wish list: First, I wanted to be Dale Evans riding the trails with Roy Rogers. Second, I really wanted to be a novelist. I'm now 61 years old, and I figured, what the heck, there's nothing stopping me from trying.
Q: You speak publicly to a lot of women every year. What do you generally talk about?
A I tell them to cut themselves some slack. These days, women are supposed to work. They're supposed to raise a family, to keep house, to be a lover and be a wife, and all the while - quote - 'find balance.' And too often they see only their flaws and how they're not living up to their own expectations. Women need to step back, take a breath and say, "I'm doing the best I can."
Q: What are your feelings on the state of feminism?
A We've really got to reclaim the notion of feminism in this country. Women seem to be the only group of people who have to apologize for wanting to attain equal rights. The word has come to have such an unattractive meaning, and I don't really know why that is.
Q: Do you believe that today's young women, in general, have a good feel for what others before them did to pave the way?
A I don't think they really know how difficult things were. And I don't think they realize enough that they are standing on the shoulders of some very brave women. Too often, I think they assume they've gotten to where they are only because they're bright and savvy and not because someone before them broke down barriers, often with great pain and personal costs to themselves. We need to do a better job of telling these stories.
Q: What's your take on today's TV news?
A We're in the middle of a revolution that mainly stems from remarkable changes in technology. I call it 'warp-speed journalism.' With all the 24-hour news channels and other outlets, we've got news any time all the time. But more is not necessarily better. Too often, we're overstimulated and underinformed. With more news comes more bad journalism, as well. . . . Still, I'm hopeful. And it's a good sign that, in the last few months, the media seems to have found its voice again with the way it's questioning government. I believe that's exactly what the media should be doing - questioning the powerful. And it doesn't matter if it's Republicans or Democrats in charge.
Q: Do you ever miss working in the so-called "big leagues" of TV journalism?
A Not really. I have more freedom now than I would with any network . . . I will admit, though, that I do sometimes miss the big, in-the-heat-of-the-moment stories. The journalism genes are inside of me, and they're hard to put down.
After Hurricane Katrina hit, we went straight to Houston to do some stories. As soon as my feet hit the ground, all the competitive bones in my body came to life. I was determined to get it fast, get it right and get it better.
Q: What makes you so good with kids?
A It might have something to do with the fact that I was an only child. I was always outnumbered by adults, and there were times when I felt voiceless. ...
It has never occurred to me to treat kids with anything but respect. When you let them know that you really want to hear what they have to say, they take you seriously, and then they open up and talk. Also, I don't tell them what to think. I just want them to think.
Q: You obviously are often approached in public by people suffering from cancer. What kind of advice do you give them?
A The first thing I do is give them a hug. Then I tell them to look at me - 14 years in the clear. When I had cancer, that meant so much to me: Just to see former patients stand there and be alive. Obviously, your family and friends love you and rally around you, but nine times out of 10, they've never experienced what it's like to be where you are. The best thing you can do is find people who have gone through what you're experiencing. They offer hope and inspiration, and they make you feel like you're not so alone. |
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