An Accidental Career:
My 58-Year Adventure as a
Broadcast News Reporter
by Hal Eisner 

Hal Eisner is THE history of media coverage in LA. His memoir “An Accidental Career: My 58-Year Adventure as a Broadcast News Reporter” by Hal Eisner tells the story of Eisner’s multiple award-winning life and career in broadcasting – first in radio and then, for more than 43 years, in television as a fixture on the Los Angeles news airwaves. It charts his extraordinary life, beginning with his upbringing in Pittsburgh and Dallas through more than a decade in radio throughout Texas. Then, beginning in the 1980s, he was a TV news reporter, first at CNN in the early days of the 24-hour news network and then at local stations KTTV/FOX 11 and KCOP/Channel 13. Along the way, he covered many of the most consequential stories of the past four decades plus, including the trials of O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson, as well as fires, earthquakes, and school shootings. He also interviewed hundreds of celebrities both in their homes and on red carpets.

“An Accidental Career” charts the rise of an L.A. news icon as well as Eisner’s longtime stewardship of the nationally recognized mentoring program Camp News. The book further documents his dramatic brush with death in 2021 after being hit by a drunk driver while covering a story in Hollywood.

Topics of interest Include:

  • Being struck by a car in Hollywood and nearly killed while covering a story in 2021
  • What it was like living in Dallas as a kid when JFK was assassinated in 1963.
  • Working at CNN in the early days of the cable network in the early 1980s.
  • Covering the L.A. riots in 1992.
  • Covering the O.J. and Michael Jackson trials.
  • Being first on the scene for the deadly Metrolink crash in Chatsworth in 2008.
  • Getting word on-air from Martin Sheen to his kids that he and his wife were OK during Malibu wildfires.
  • My dozens of interviews with Hollywood celebrities over the years, many on the red carpet and several off.
  • My “giving back” by launching Camp News.
  • How the media is getting such an unfairly bad rap in the Trump era and why there’s nothing fake about the news.
  • How “accidental” and unlikely this whole journey has been and whyI feel so lucky to have had a nearly six-decade career in broadcasting.

Hal's journey was not without its trials. In 2021, while covering a story in Hollywood, he was severely injured in a crash caused by a drunk driver. This life-altering event tested his resolve and determination. Despite the challenges of recovery, Eisner's unwavering spirit propelled him back to the airwaves just months later, demonstrating his dedication to journalism and the communities he served.

Through candid reflections and engaging anecdotes, Eisner provides readers with an insider's view of the broadcast industry, revealing the intricacies of news reporting and the ethical dilemmas faced by journalists. His story is not just about personal achievement; it is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of accuracy and getting the story right no matter the obstacles. An Accidental Career is an inspiring narrative that will resonate with anyone who appreciates the art of storytelling and the impact of news on society.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
 
Now retired, Hal Eisner is a multiple award-winning broadcast journalist who covered the news for fifty-eight years, the first fifteen in radio in Texas and Louisiana and the last forty-three on television in Los Angeles. He worked as a reporter on TV primarily for FOX 11 and KCOP (Channel 13) and CNN. Eisner also hosted the popular public affairs series FOX 11 News In Depth from 2017 to 2025 and hosted the FOX 11 podcast “What the Hal?”.

A mentor, storyteller, survivor, and civic champion, Eisner is known for his calm demeanor, compassionate reporting style, and community-focused journalism. He has received numerous journalism awards over the years including Emmys, Golden Mikes, and AP Awards as well as honors from the Los Angeles Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and the Associated Press[RR1] . Among his AP honors, Hal received a Lifetime Achievement Award known as the Stan Chambers Award for Extraordinary Achievement as well as a Lifetime Achievement award from the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California (RTNA).

In 2000, Eisner created the nationally recognized mentoring program Camp News, originally known as APTRA Academy. Through more than a quarter-century, it annually (including in 2025) draws aspiring reporters and anchors to Malibu for an immersive journalism weekend boot camp.

Eisner is on the National Board of SAG-AFTRA and has been active in the union for many years. He was also on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and served as a Vice Chair for ATAS. Visit haleisner.com. [RR1] are the AP Awards above different from the Associated Press?

Please contact our office to request any additional materials or and interviewwith Hal Eisner send an email to harlan@bhbpr.com or call 626.296.3757.

Palmetto Publishing (Paperback/Kindle)
ISBN - 979-8318816536
Size: 6”x9” / Price: $15.99 / Pages: 272