When Barbara Cochran began her journalism career in 1968, the newsroom wasn’t the most welcoming place for a woman to spend her days. But Cochran wasn’t looking for an easy job. She wanted to be a journalist.

For more than two decades, Cochran lived that dream, advancing from a copy desk position at the Washington Star to become vice president of news at NPR, executive producer of NBC’s Meet the Press and, ultimately, CBS’s first female Washington bureau chief in 1989.

When she left daily news to take the helm of RTNDA in 1997, however, Cochran quickly learned that leading a professional association would be very different from leading a newsroom. Instead of working behind the scenes, she was suddenly in front of the camera. Instead of asking the questions, she was expected to answer them—and her responses had to reflect the interests of the entire association.

Within the first weeks of Cochran’s presidency, a situation at Chicago’s WMAQ-TV tested her ability to walk the line between discussing industry standards and supporting RTNDA’s members. The station had hired local talk show host Jerry Springer to be a commentator on its nightly newscasts, and popular evening anchor Carol Marin had resigned in protest. Given Springer’s sensational style on his syndicated talk show, reporters immediately looked to RTNDA for a comment.

Cochran was initially torn, because, while she thought Springer’s tone would take the newscast in the wrong direction, she believed individual stations had a right to put whomever they wanted on the air.

“I said the viewers would be the ones who would decide whether Jerry Springer was an appropriate addition to the broadcast or not,” she says. “Within a week, so much fuss had been raised about it that he was taken off the air.”

Improving on Excellence

Cochran passed this test with flying colors, learning she could stay true to her principles while remaining a diplomatic leader. In the years to come, she perfected her ability to walk this line, becoming “a part-time politician, part-time public relations agent and part-time business woman who at all times looked for innovative ways to advance RTNDA’s agenda,” says Eddie Fritts, former president of the National Association of Broadcasters. 

And in Cochran’s early years with RTNDA, expanding the association’s code of ethics was at the top of that agenda. The Springer episode, along with the graphic news coverage of Columbine in 1999, showed Barbara the association’s code, which is meant to provide guidance in difficult cases, lacked the detail newsrooms needed to make tough calls in a changing landscape. In 2000, Cochran addressed this concern by coordinating a committee to revise the code.

During a retreat facilitated by the Poynter Institute, the committee collaborated for several days, ultimately creating a document that spelled out two principles that had gone unstated before—that journalism should serve the public trust and that journalists should be accountable. The new code quickly began to have an effect on the way stations covered dramatic stories, such as hostage situations, Cochran says.

“Within a year you could see a difference,” she says. “Stations were much more cautious about showing SWAT teams or cutting away from a live shot where the pictures might be too graphic.”

Cochran’s work on this initiative was characteristic of her presidency, which has focused on furthering the higher principles of journalism, says Jill Geisler, head of the Poynter Institute’s leadership and management programs.

“Barbara is as concerned about the responsibilities of journalists as she is the rights of journalists,” she says. “That’s why she’s not only been a champion of the First Amendment, but she’s also been passionate about the practice of ethical journalism.” 

But Cochran doesn’t believe newsrooms should have to struggle to meet high industry standards without support. So, in conjunction with the new code of ethics, RTNDA’s education arm, RTNDF, offered ethics workshops, developed case studies and workbooks, and created guidelines to offer in-depth advice on specific topics. One of these guidelines provided standards for the separation of news and sales.

 Cochran felt this guideline was particularly important because of the pressures news directors were under to assist with “non-traditional revenue” generation, or selling something other than ads, such as sponsored content.

“They had to work with the sales teams but they also had to draw a line and say, ‘the content of the newscast is not for sale,’” she says.

These efforts speak to Cochran’s understanding of the newsroom, and the challenges reporters face every day, says Dan Rather, the managing editor of CBS Evening News during Cochran’s tenure.

“She knows what it is to be standing out in the rain with a microphone,” he says. “She knows what the problems, concerns, worries, fears, hopes and dreams of working reporters are.”

A Stronger Voice

One of the greatest dreams Cochran has helped reporters work toward is gaining the same First Amendment protection their print brethren enjoy. To this end, Cochran has focused much of her time and energy as RTNDA’s president on increasing electronic journalists’ rights. This has included fighting the Fairness Doctrine, protesting fees for video coverage in national parks and getting helicopters back in the air after 9/11.

Part of what made Cochran so successful in these fights was the fact that her tenacity was partnered with a disarming smile, says Fritts.

“She’s very genteel and polished, but underneath the façade is a woman who is very determined, energetic and accomplished,” he says. “And when she’s not going to take no for an answer, you’d better day yes.”

Cochran’s powerful personality—as well as her political expertise—particularly helped RTNDA in negotiations with organizations such as the FCC. Her efforts in Washington have taken RTNDA’s name recognition to a new level, says Kathleen Kirby, partner, Wiley Rein LLP, a long-time legal adviser to the organization.

“I’ve had more than one legal adviser to an FCC commissioner say to me, ‘If RTNDA’s name is on something, we pay attention,'” Kirby says.

Cochran has played a major role in several of the association’s wins over the years, but the most exciting victory came during the 2000 presidential election.

When it was clear the Supreme Court would determine the country’s next president, RTNDA asked the justices to allow electronic journalists to use the tools of their trade to cover the arguments. The Court refused to allow cameras and audio equipment in the courtroom for live braodcasting, but did agree to make the audio recording it keeps of every argument available to the press immediately after being heard. And when the Court made that concession to technology, RTNDA was among the first to learn the news.

“It was a thrill to see the fax rolling out that said ‘From the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court,” Cochran says.

Then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist was so impressed with the recording release process that he allowed the immediate release of other important recordings during his time. And current Chief Justice Roberts has continued to grant some press requests. While there is still work to be done, Cochran is pleased with the progress on this issue.

“People have actually on occasion heard what the members of the Supreme Court sound like,” she says, “and that certainly is progress beyond where we were at the end of the 20th century.”

While Cochran is hesitant to take much credit for this media victory, her Washington experience has gone a long way to helping RTNDA in the political sphere. Overseeing covering of the Hill every day made her an expert on the legislative process, says Rather.

“Barbara understands how laws are made—how they’re really made—and how laws are stopped,” he says. “I have no doubt that helped her greatly when she got to RTNDA.”

Continuous Assessment

Despite RTNDA’s successes, Cochran knows legislation can only take journalists so far. To tell the toughest stories, they need top-notch reporting and producing skills.

Because newsrooms often can’t afford the same type of development opportunities other industries provide, Cochran has initiated a variety of affordable educational opportunities via RTNDA and RTNDF. Through news and terrorism workshops, ethics seminars and the leadership program, RTNDF has consistently been a source of support for journalists interested in improving their skills.

This year, for instance, as travel and development budgets were slashed to the floor, RTNDF offered $40 workshops that included an evening and full day of leadership and management training, a night in a hotel, and food.
Geisler calls Cochran’s commitment to providing educational resources a “gift.”

“Under her leadership, RTNDA and RTNDF have had a remarkable commitment to continuing education for journalists,” she says. “Whether it was new media issues, ethical decision-making or leadership and management, RTNDA has been in the forefront in offering accessible, low-cost training for its members.”

On Cochran’s watch, RTNDF has expanded its reach by taking reporters to the United Nations, growing the German/American Journalist Exchange Program and creating a high school journalism initiative aimed at teaching young people to appreciate the role of the media in a democracy.

These programs demonstrate Cochran’s heartfelt belief that, as the leader of RTNDA and a life-long journalist, she has a responsibility to help make local news the best it can be, says Ed Esposito, RTNDA’s past chairman.

“She has a passion for the core principles of journalism, telling truthful, factual stories that have impacts on communities,” he says. “I’ve seen her get just as excited about strong local news as she has about reporting issues with a global focus.”

To truly impact communities, Cochran believes newsrooms must reflect their audiences. She remembers the early days of her career—a time when few women worked in the newsroom—and the effect that institutional bias had on the news.

“If a world leader was speaking at the National Press Club, a woman reporter wouldn’t be able to sit downstairs and eat lunch and ask questions,” she says. “She was relegated to the balcony where all she could do was take notes.”

This experience, among others, made Cochran a firm believer in the importance of diversity in reporting. In 2001, she helped position RTNDA as a leader in the field by partnering with UNITY, an alliance of journalists of color, to create the RTNDA/Unity award for excellence in diversity reporting.

Cochran has encouraged RTNDA to use training and recognition programs to help support diversity issues, as well. She made it her mission to provide resources to journalists of color who wished to advance within the newsroom, especially to leadership positions, and hiring managers in news stations who make the daily decisions that determine the makeup of newsroom populations.

“She has always been forceful that the news is stronger when there are more voices telling the stories,” says Esposito.

From the Ground Up
Cochran believes RTNDA is stronger when it includes more voices, as well. That’s why her favorite times with the association have involved station visits, where she gets to meet with members and listen to their concerns.

One such visit was inspired by a sternly worded e-mail from a member named Ed Esposito who was concerned about his missing refund for the cancelled 2001 convention. Cochran replied, saying his refund would be mailed as soon as RTNDA received its insurance money—and that she was happy to find the association had a member in her hometown of Akron, Ohio. On her next visit home she stopped by Rubber City Radio, Esposito’s station, and convinced him to become a regional Murrow award judge. Esposito enjoyed the process so much he decided to run for the board and, eventually, became its chairman.

“Out of that station visit, we came to have somebody who became a good friend of the association—and personally,” she says.

Cochran’s grassroots outreach efforts have helped RTNDA and RTNDF find new sources of funding, as well. She’s known for her ability to walk into a room and convince a donor that the future of journalism is worth investing in. Rather remembers one instance in which a major donor who had previously declined to contribute changed his mind after being approached by Cochran.

“After Barbara importuned him, he came across with a very substantial contribution,” he says. “It’s one thing for people to make a contribution of $50 or $100; that’s always appreciated. But when someone can give a five- or even six-figure contribution, it really moves the effort forward.”

These communication skills have long helped her collaborate with funders, lawmakers and lobbyists to advance the interests of electronic journalists, Esposito says.

“One of the roles Barbara has always played is certainly acting as a great bridge between the varied constituencies in journalism,” he says.

And going forward, as RTNDA/RTNDF’s president emeritus, she will continue to use her skills and connections to assist the association, albeit from a distance. Esposito is confident that she will be a champion of the association for years to come.

“It will be a continued pleasure to count Barbara Cochran as a friend. I really treasure her not only as a friend, but as a leader and a mentor,” he says. “I can't think of anyone I'd rather call with a tough ethics question.”