Reminiscences of Deborah Leff, 1992

Biographical Note

Journalist

Scope and Contents

Childhood; first experiences with writing, Mademoiselle; Walt Whitman High School; Princeton University A.B. 1973; reflections on being in the first coeducation class at Princeton, sexual discrimination, press work coordinator at the National Women's Caucus, 1972, experiences at the 1972 Democratic Convention; withdrawal from NYU Law School to write newscasts for WASH Radio, 1973; University of Chicago Law School J.D. 1977, tension between interests in law and journalism; trial attorney Civil Rights Division U.S. Department of Justice, 1977-79; WJLA-TV, 1981-82, entrance into field of journalism as a newswriter; WLS-TV, 1982-83, first producing job, emmy; Senior Producer ABC Nightline, 1983-89, experiences with staff, Ted Koppel, promotion to Senior Producer, and tensions concerning job potential; strong sexual discrimination as Senior Producer of ABC World News, 1990-91; decision to leave journalism and ABC News 20/20, to enter the non-profit sector as president of the Joyce Foundation, 1992 Transcript includes appendices

Subjects

• ABC News--Producer.
• Democratic National Convention--1972.
• Interviews.
• Joyce Foundation--Presidents.
• Koppel, Ted.
• Leff, Deborah--Interviews.
• Moorhus, Donita M., 1942- interviewer.
• National Women's Political Caucus (U.S.)--1972.
• Nonprofit organizations.
• Oral histories.
• Princeton University--Coeducation.
• Television broadcasting--Awards--United States.
• Television broadcasting of news.
• United States. Department of Justice. Civil Rights Division.
• Women in journalism--Sexual discrimination.
• Women journalists--Interviews.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Washington Press Club Foundation, 1992