Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 10, 1993 TAG: 9310070408
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: HOWARD KURTZ THE WASHINGTON POST
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But Turner soon got a taste of the no-nonsense demeanor familiar to viewers of the ``MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour.'' ``I can't believe I'm asking the husband of Jane Fonda this question,'' Woodruff said, ``but how do you feel about women in this organization?''
Turner assured her that he was indeed committed to the advancement of women, and the deal was struck a few weeks after the February meeting. Woodruff makes her debut Monday as a principal anchor for CNN, giving the all-news network a brand-name Washington presence, a reporter who has always been more workhorse than show horse.
``At my ripe old age of 46, anywhere I work now I'm going to ask them what they think about women,'' Woodruff says. ``It's not just how they treat me, it's how they treat other women and minorities. It's something I feel more strongly about now than I've ever felt about anything in my life. I guess I've become radicalized.''
But despite her concerns about discrimination, Woodruff concedes that she benefited from television's male-dominated culture.
``In the beginning of my career, I really didn't like to admit that women were treated any differently. I'm now willing to admit that's the reason I had some opportunities. I have to believe one of the reasons NBC hired me in '75 was that all the networks were under pressure to bring in some more females.''
As half of one of Washington's hottest power couples (her husband, Albert Hunt, is the Wall Street Journal's bureau chief here and a CNN talking head himself), Woodruff would seem poised on the brink of superstardom. But she is a reluctant celebrity who groaned at the prospect of being interviewed for this article.
``I love asking questions and hate answering them,'' she admits.
People close to Woodruff are fiercely loyal and quick to shower her with superlatives. ``The least temperamental person in American television,'' Robert MacNeil declared at her going-away party.
``Probably the most focused, directed person I've ever met,'' says Michael Mosettig, a senior producer at ``MacNeil/Lehrer.''
``Less ego than almost anyone I know in this business,'' says her husband, no slouch in the ego department.
Many CNN staffers see the dogged, hard-nosed Woodruff as a welcome change from Catherine Crier, the glamorous anchor she is replacing. Crier, a former Texas state judge, had no journalistic experience when CNN made her Bernard Shaw's co-anchor in 1989. While she earned grudging respect from her colleagues, many believe Crier was hired because of her striking beauty.
Shaw, who made no secret of his discomfort with Crier, helped lure Woodruff over lunch and drinks by emphasizing CNN's worldwide impact.
``I'm ecstatic about her coming on board,'' he says. ``She brings the number one requisite: journalistic professionalism.''
For the past decade, Judy Woodruff has had one of the dream jobs in journalism. As the No. 3 person on ``MacNeil/Lehrer,'' she was part of a quality program that dares to be dull.
Woodruff surprised much of the television world in 1983 when she left NBC to join PBS for just one-third the salary. MacNeil and Lehrer were expanding to an hourlong show amid widespread skepticism that such a format would work. Three months after Woodruff signed up, Lehrer suffered a heart attack, forcing her into emergency anchor duty.
``A strong piece of whatever we are is owed to her,'' Lehrer says. ``She's brought grace and a terrific professionalism.''
Woodruff rarely gets rattled on the air. In a tense interview during the Republican convention last August, Barbara Bush repeatedly needled Woodruff, who calmly deflected the criticism.
``Listen. You're saying nothing nice,'' Bush said. `` Where were you during the Democrat convention defending us?''
``Hopefully asking similar questions of Democrats,'' Woodruff replied.
``You were not. You were not. Come on. ... Be fair.''
``I'll try to be, Mrs. Bush. Thank you for the advice.''
Leaving ``MacNeil/Lehrer'' has been difficult for Woodruff. On her last day with the program she looks suitably melancholy, surrounded by stacks of boxes and scattered mementos in her cluttered office.
``It's like a family here,'' Woodruff says. ``People are very close and affectionate. I don't want to sound mushy about it, but that's how I feel. ... I had assumed I was going to spend the rest of my professional life here.''
CNN officials had to promise that she would have time for reporting and that she would co-anchor major news events, such as political conventions and summit meetings. ``In the final analysis it was a risk that I was itching to try,'' Woodruff says.
by CNB