🎙️ 58 Years in the News: Hal Eisner on Accidents, Survival, and Letting Go

Описание: Hal Eisner spent 58 years in TV and radio news, then retired (without going cold turkey) and did what a lot of us talk about doing… he wrote the book. 📚
In this episode, Hal shares the incredible, often wild, sometimes heartbreaking moments that shaped his career and his Life After News including the day he went from covering the story to being the story.
✨ What you’ll hear in this episode
🚗 The Hollywood DUI crash that seriously injured Hal and his cameraman—and why the public response helped carry him through recovery
📺 How Hal ended his LA TV career and why he recommends weaning off the job instead of quitting cold
📬 The literal postcard that launched it all: a Dallas radio contest that turned a marching band kid into a reporter
🎧 Why radio was his first love (and how writing for radio vs. TV changes everything)
🌎 The stories that defined an era: Northridge, O.J., Rodney King, Michael Jackson, Columbine, Las Vegas, and more
🤝 “Schmooze-ability,” trust, and the responsibility of telling people’s stories on what may be the worst day of their lives
🛡️ The “guard-all shield” mindset reporters develop—and why the job still takes a real toll
🏛️ Union leadership, newsroom politics, and how Hal navigated regime changes over decades
🏕️ Camp News: the hands-on training program Hal created to open doors for the next generation of journalists (in English and Spanish)
🔥 A jaw-dropping Woolsey Fire moment: finding Martin Sheen at Zuma Beach and helping him reassure his family on camera
📘 Featured: Hal’s book
“An Accidental Career” — Hal Eisner
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble 🛒
(And yes, the cover art is hand-painted. 🎨)
🔥 Quick takeaway
Hal makes the case that careers aren’t always built by a grand plan. Sometimes they’re built by accidents, instincts, and saying yes at the right moment. And after a lifetime of telling other people’s stories, he decided it was time to tell his own. 💡
🏕️ Learn more about Camp News
📲 Follow: @CampNewsTV (most platforms)
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And share this one with the newsroom friend who still can’t imagine what Monday looks like after the job. 😉
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