Follow one of the first women network news producers as she climbs the career ladder right through the headlines of American history and inspires us all to speak up for our ourselves and fight for our own success. From Cuba to Vietnam and to Tiananmen Square, Linda Mason stood side-by-side with CBS news anchors Walter Cronkite, Charles Kuralt, and Dan Rather to bring the world stories of history-in-the-making and smash the glass ceiling of the network news world. As one of the first women to serve as producer for a primetime network news broadcast, Linda Mason blazed a trail of perseverance as she climbed the network ladder. Her list of adventures included taking Dan Rather to Cuba to meet Fidel Castro, taking Rather and General Norman Schwarzkopf to Vietnam to assess the war-torn country 20 years after the end of the war, and witnessing first-hand the protests in China's Tiananmen Square. In writing Speak Up, Mason reflects on her career and the leadership lessons she learned along the way. The formula she shares with all young professionals is simple, but the lessons are timeless: work hard, don't complain, ask questions, and when the time is right, speak up about what is next. Mason followed this formula to great success and looks forward to following the groundbreaking careers of today's professionals throughout media, politics, and in all leadership roles.
In forty-seven years with CBS News, Linda S. Mason rose from desk assistant to senior vice president of standards and special projects. As one of first female producers in broadcast news, she lead teams including Dan Rather, Charles Kuralt, and Walter Cronkite around the world in pursuit of breaking news. While serving as a writer, producer, network representative, and internal program leader, Mason championed professional ethics and diversity initiatives. Over the years, Mason won 13 Emmys, was awarded Brown University's prestigious William Roger's Award, and was inducted into the Deadline Club's Hall of Fame.
Introduction Foreword by Connie Chung Chapter 1: Hello, Fidel! Chapter 2: Growing Up Chapter 3: CBS - Here I Am Chapter 4: The Most Trusted Man in America Chapter 5: ... Standards: The Secret Sauce Chapter 6: CBS Scandal: Drugs, Payola, and the Mafia Chapter 7: I Face the Jury Chapter 8: Work at Work, Work at Home Chapter 9: Women's Place at Work Chapter 10: Weekend News, Here I Come Chapter 11: The Story Man: Charles Kuralt Chapter 12: Turmoil at Tiananmen Square Chapter 13: Rather at the Helm Chapter 14: CBS In Turmoil Chapter 15: A Dream Fulfilled: Documentaries Chapter 16: Vietnam: 20 Years Later Chapter 17: 9/11 Chapter 18: Too Close to Call Chapter 19: Crisis Shakes CBS News to its Roots Chapter 20: Heartache in Baghdad Chapter 21: Cronkite's Memorial Service Chapter 22: The Future: Digital News Chapter 23: Off the Clock: Life After CBS News Footnotes Bibliography Acknowledgements
Follow one of the first women network news producers as she climbs the career ladder right through the headlines of American history and inspires us all to speak up for our ourselves and fight for our own success.
Linda Mason made such a strong impression on me when I was a new Broadcast Associate through standards seminars that she ran. I still invoke her name and think of her as a holy grail of sorts for thorough, serious vetting and consideration in news reporting. -- Josh Ravitz, senior director of rights and clearances, CBS News Linda Mason blazed a trail across the tough and sometimes hostile terrain of network TV news and helped clear a path for every woman who followed her. It's an inspiring story of brains, guts, and determination along with a colorful insider's account of one of America's most celebrated institutions by a pioneer who was there every step of the way-whether the guys liked it or not. -- Marcy McGinnis, former Sr. Vice President, CBS News At a time when TV news has been demonized and polarized, it's refreshing to read this colorful memoir by a groundbreaking journalist whose intelligence, integrity, and good humor propelled her to great heights-through the glass ceiling and beyond. -- Andrew Heyward, former president, CBS News Women everywhere are in debt to Linda Mason. Her perseverance helped make CBS News vibrant with the contributions of women and people of color. Speak Up is a fight for justice wrapped in the amazing adventures of an intrepid journalist. -- Scott Pelley, correspondent and anchor, CBS News
