PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: ID + CRIME: THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented at The Paley Center for Media in New York. This evening celebrates the Investigation Discovery (ID) channel and its various true-crime series.
Host Maureen Reidy (president and CEO, The Paley Center for Media) offers opening remarks and introduces Henry Schleiff (Group President, Travel Channel and Investigation Discovery). Schleiff comments on the "secret sauce" of the highly popular ID channel, including its exploration of power of journalism. After the clips, Jess Cagle (journalist, People magazine) moderates the following panelists: Paula Zahn (host, "On the Case with Paula Zahn"); Tamron Hall (host, "Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall"); and Tony Harris (host, "Scene of the Crime with Tony Harris").
The panelists touch on such topics as: the addictive nature of true-crime stories, including themes of heroism and the viewer's instinct to imagine themselves as both victim and investigator; the relatable and "life-affirming" elements of stories focusing on familial love; their efforts to "humanize" the stories and avoid exploitation; why law enforcement officers and even behind-the-scenes crew members are often emotionally invested in the stories profiled on ID shows; Zahn's surprising conversation with ID fan Steve Martin, who praised the shows' authenticity; exploring stories in which justice is not truly served, as with the still-unsolved 2004 murder of Hall's sister Renate; how Hall's personal story led to her involvement in true-crime television; Hall's past "obsession" with veteran journalist Zahn; Zahn's interest in maintaining a sense of compassion and building trust with victims' families; how their shows occasionally assist law enforcement in solving cold cases; Harris' interest in pursuing long-form journalism after an unsatisfying experience as a CNN anchor; his decision to join the nascent ID channel because of Zahn's presence; their most memorable and affecting cases, including Zahn's upcoming story about a 30-year-old cold case involving a teacher's murder and an ignored witness; Hall's strong connection to the "loneliness and fear" of murder victims, and how she avoids desensitizing the audience to upsetting content; Harris' memories of the story of 11-year-old murder victim Jodi Parrack and the innocent man convicted of the crime; his interest in pursuing social justice cases and using recreational travel as a way to "decompress" after immersing himself in disturbing stories; the hosts' sense that they are "allowed to be human" and bond with victims' families, in contrast to past rules about journalistic detachment; why Hall allows herself to indulge in delicious Southern food after working on a particularly challenging episode or story; how social media creates an interactive experience for ID viewers, particularly those familiar with the "format" of crime stories; Schleiff's rejection of certain "big names" he thought likely to "phone it in" if allowed to host a crime series; crossing "stereotypical lines" and embracing a diverse cross-section of stories and viewers; and funny stories of "lonely celebrities," like tennis star Serena Williams and pop singer Lady Gaga, who have expressed their passionate obsessions with various ID series.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics, among others: how Hall's work on "Deadline" compares to her past role as a host on "Today," which focuses more on lighter "infotainment" stories; the rewarding experience of assisting the "forgotten" families of crime victims; how Hall's upcoming syndicated talk show, coming in September 2019, will incorporate her work on ID; Harris' work as a director, including an upcoming piece on the financial struggles of the Georgia Ballet; why Hall is not yet emotionally ready to do a television piece about her sister's death, for which she would likely need to interview the main suspect; the challenging experience of conversing with those who are in fact guilty of heinous and immoral crimes, many of whom lie about their actions; covering culturally relevant topics like school shootings and campus sexual assault; their unusual "road maps" to their current careers, including Zahn's past in local news, Harris' early career as a disc jockey, and how the loss of certain jobs can be "blessings in disguise"; and their roles as "storytellers" with the viewers as "sidekicks." Schleiff then retakes the stage and offers closing comments, thanking other important ID staffers present in the audience.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 1999 6:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: N/A
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 134344
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Maureen Reidy … Host
- Henry Schleiff … Guest
- Jess Cagle … Moderator
- Paula Zahn … Panelist
- Tamron Hall … Panelist
- Tony Harris … Panelist
- Renate Hall
- Lady Gaga (see also: Stefani Germanotta)
- Steve Martin
- Jodi Parrack
- Serena Williams