Tom Gerhardt: Behind the scenes of North Dakota journalism
Veteran North Dakota journalist Tom Gerhardt reflects on his career, the transformation of news technology and the role local journalists play in building trust within their communities.
Local journalism has changed dramatically over the past three decades. Reporters who once edited tape by hand and carried pounds of television equipment can now record, edit and broadcast stories from a smartphone.
In this episode of The Backstory, host Sabrina Halvorson talks with Tom Gerhardt, executive director of Dakota Media Access and a member of the North Dakota News Cooperative’s board of directors. Gerhardt reflects on his more than 20 years in television news and how technology has changed the way journalists cover and share stories.
Listen here:
“I always felt like I was working for the communities that I served.” - Tom Gerhardt
Gerhardt traces his path from writing for his high school newspaper to working at KMOT-TV in Minot and spending about 17 years at KXMB-TV in Bismarck. He also discusses covering the Dakota Access Pipeline protests as the story drew national and international attention, just as Facebook Live and other mobile broadcasting tools were beginning to change television news.
The Backstory is produced by the North Dakota News Cooperative, a nonprofit newsroom providing in-depth reporting to newspapers across the state. If you value this kind of journalism, consider making a donation to support our work.
The North Dakota News Cooperative is a nonprofit news organization providing reliable and independent reporting on issues and events that impact the lives of North Dakotans. The organization increases the public’s access to quality journalism and advances news literacy across the state.
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