University Calendar

David Westin is the author of Exit Interview, the story of what went on behind the scenes at ABC News during the 14 years he was president, covering stories from the death of Princess Diana to the impeachment of a president to the tie election of 2000 to 9/11 and the wars in Afghanistan and New York. Westin currently advises companies on digital and media issues. He was President & CEO of NewsRight, which he helped found in 2011 with the support of the AP and 28 news company investors, including the Associated Press, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Hearst, and Germany’s Axel Springer.

From 1997 through the end of 2010, Westin was President of ABC News. During that time, he oversaw coverage of President Clinton’s impeachment, the 2000 election, the 9/11 attacks, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the economic crisis of 2008. At the same time, the television news industry was undergoing fundamental change, with the advent of Fox News and MSNBC and the explosive growth of the Internet. Under his direction, ABC News launched its website, ABCNews.com; started the first live, streaming 24-hour news service, ABC News Now; and transformed the ways that it collected, produced, and reported the news through extensive use of digital technology. During Westin’s tenure, ABC News earned 11 George Foster Peabody Awards, 13 Alfred I. DuPont Awards, four George Polk Awards, more than 40 News & Documentary Emmys, and more than 40 Edward R. Murrow Awards.

The School of Communication and Media Colloquium Series provides a forum for students, faculty and special guests to share their work and address current issues in news, public policy, government and society.