Lecture-Concert Series presents Melissa Cornick, investigative producer, Feb. 23

Jan. 26, 2010 -- Award-winning broadcast news producer Melissa Cornick, whose career spans three news networks, will be the twelfth presenter in Arkansas State University’s Lecture-Concert Series, “What Can the Student, the Citizen, and Reporters Do for Journalism and Democracy?” on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Auditorium. Note: The venue for this event has changed. The lecture was originally scheduled for the Drama Theatre, Fowler Center.  This performance is co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity at ASU, and the event is free and open to the public. This event was originally scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 11,  in ASU’s Student Union Auditorium, but was rescheduled due to a date conflict.

Cornick, an acclaimed broadcast news producer of 20/20 and Nightline, will discuss how professional journalism ethics can make a positive difference in the age of hate speech.

Throughout her career, Cornick has been an independent producer. The focus of her investigative journalism has been on uncovering stories of human and civil rights. Her stories are generated by the subjects themselves. Cornick’s goal is to give a voice to the voiceless in an ethical and professional manner.

Her most famous stories include her national news investigation of blacks who were imprisoned in Tulia, Texas. Her investigation led to their release. Cornick started her career with Walter Cronkite. She has also worked at 60 Minutes, Dateline, 20/20, and Nightline.

An original investigation she produced, “Cruelty to Owners?,” won five awards, including the Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative Journalism and the Mongerson Prize for Ethics in Journalism. The investigation covered a nationwide scheme by so-called animal rescuers to take the animals and sell them immediately, bypassing the animal owners’ rights.

In her presentation, Cornick will share and discuss the ethical dilemmas she has confronted while producing the investigation.

For more details, contact Dr. Gil Fowler, associate dean for the Honors College, at (870) 972-2308.The Lecture-Concert Series presents diverse programs to enrich the cultural life of the campus, community, and region.

Photo: Cameraman Michael Iamuzzi, left, and Melissa Cornick, right,
work on a story. Photo by Claudio Musajo courtesy of Melissa Cornick.

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