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“48 Hours” Executive Producer Susan Zirinsky has apologized to the Columbia Daily Tribune for the show’s error in altering a front page of the paper in a recent broadcast (for all the details, see here). Well, Henry J. Waters III, Tribune publisher, provided his opinion on the topic and it’s not kind toward “48 Hours.” In a column published Monday, Waters objects to much more than one altered photograph and describes the episode as an example of “how show business masquerading as journalism is practiced on television.” From Waters:

Shows like CBS’ "48 Hours" take real events and jig them up to titillate viewers. The producers thought they had something hot in our own local case involving the murder of Tribune Sports Editor Kent Heitholt. When the story didn’t quite pan out as they hoped, they tried to salvage what they could by spinning the facts.

The broadcast examined the trial of Ryan Ferguson, who was convicted of the killing and examined some of the issues involved and questions raised. Waters isn’t buying it:

Update: Zirinsky responds:

“48 Hours” has covered hundreds of trials. When deciding which trials to cover, we look for cases with controversial and interesting legal questions and issues. That was certainly the case with the trial of Ryan Ferguson. We had no stake whatsoever in the outcome. Conviction or not, this was a newsworthy case.

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When a broadcast network magazine program devotes time to a murder story in your hometown, you’re probably going to watch it. When that network displays a front-page of the local newspaper and that page has been altered, it’s a safe bet someone is going to notice it. That’s what happened in the wake of last week's “48 Hours” in an incident which raises some hefty ethical questions for the news division.

Last Saturday’s “48 Hours” broadcast focused on the 2001 murder of Kent Heitholt of Columbia, Missouri. Without going into the complicated details of the case, a young man named Ryan Ferguson was convicted of the murder of Heitholt, who had been the sports editor of the Columbia Daily Tribune. The crime went unsolved for over several years until Chuck Erikson, a friend of Ferguson who later pleaded guilty to second degree murder, told police the two were responsible for the killing.

Because of many questions and doubts surrounding this case, it made for a compelling “48 Hours” story but it’s about four seconds in the one-hour story that we’re interested in trying to clear up today. Throughout the program, the front-page of the Tribune was displayed on screen to mark important moments in the case. Near the end of the show, when “48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty told of the 40-year sentence recommended by the jury, the picture on-screen showed Ferguson standing in a suit and tie. Another front-page then came up, with the same picture under the headline, “Ferguson gets 40 years.”

The problem is, everything was accurate except the picture. That headline actually ran after another sentencing hearing and the picture that accompanied it showed Ferguson in an orange prison jumpsuit with (presumably) his attorney next to him. And altering that image is not in line with the standards of CBS News. According to the Tribune, Managing Editor Jim Robertson “complained” to CBS in an e-mail about the alteration.

“48 Hours” Executive Producer Susan Zirinsky apologized to the Tribune, and I spoke with her about how this happened.


She told me that the alteration of the front-page was done by a freelance editor who had only worked with CBS one previous time and was unaware of the “intricacies” of CBS News standards. “We find it an egregious oversight” Zirinsky said, adding, “if it had been brought to anyone’s attention, it never would have made the light of day.”

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The military used to say, join the Navy and see the world. If "48 Hours" Executive Producer Susan Zirinsky's colorful career is any inidication, the Navy has nothing on television news. From running a race with Jimmy Carter (and another to cover his collapse) to providing safe passage for a Chinese dissident, to creating news programs, "Z" shares her stories and answers our 10 questions -- and one of yours.



So, what do you do for a living?

Right now I'm the executive producer of "48 Hours Mystery." I work with an incredibly talented group of correspondents, producers, seniors and support staff to produce one of the most unique shows on television. I call our show a "reality drama." Our focus is on the law and order kind of stories that are about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. We look to true crime stories that can take the viewer through the legal system.



Often we try to uncover cases that no one has heard about and look at how a crime is solved from the first clue to the jury's decision. When there's a high profile case we often wait until the frenzy has passed. We go on months later, taking a fresh set of eyes into a story that has been well covered. The Elizabeth Smart story is an example. We went in 6 months after it happened. We were able to get access for the first time to all her siblings, which proved very powerful. Our staff is so strong that much of my job is to step back and look at the wide shot. What else could we be covering? What stories should we take on? That’s a big part of my responsibilities. I try and find ways to tell those stories in non-traditional ways -- for example, we assembled a mock jury to hear the evidence the real jury heard in the Scott Peterson murder case. The results were fascinating.



As the executive producer it's my responsibility to green light all the stories we decide to take on. I work with our senior staff in talking through the merits of each and every story. There are many stories that are pitched that are great in print but could not sustain an hour of prime time. I work with the senior producer and the individual producer-associate producer teams before, during and after they shoot the stories. The senior assigned to each hour keeps me on top of developments in the field until the story is wrapped. Before editing begins there are philosophical discussions about how the stories will unfold. I listen to the people who have been there in the field, who have seen it, smelled it and tasted it. Their instincts are usually right -- unless they're not -- and then I'm right some of the time!

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Continuing our efforts to get to know the folks at CBS News a little better, this week we turn to “48 Hours” Executive Producer Susan Zirinsky, who’s done just about everything there is to do in the news division – and then some. “Z,” as she’s known to most, has covered presidents, international crises, campaigns, conventions and, yes, even the Olympics. She’s vamped and re-vamped news magazine shows and dabbled in entertainment -- as a technical adviser for the movie “Broadcast News,” Zirinsky is widely believed to have been the model for Holly Hunter’s character in the film.



You know the drill, she gets 10 questions from us and one submitted by our readers – maybe more if they're good enough. Here’s your chance, so e-mail us us your questions.

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