In October 2018, Media Information Bureau featured columnist Ken Benner wrote about a “most remarkable reporter” at his local NBC affiliate, KVOA-4 in Tucson. Benner singled out Matthew Schwartz for his “extraordinary content” as an investigative reporter. Benner recently reconnected with Schwartz, and offers a renewed acclamation for the KVOA mainstay.
By Ken Benner
It was about a year ago when I had the pleasure of interviewing Matthew Schwartz, an extraordinary gentleman who has long served at KVOA-TV.
On a notepad, I had a dozen or so questions he was willing to answer about his forty years in that capacity, thinking I maybe just one day might qualify for a similar position. His answers to my questions squelched that idea real quick.
For example, he was asked: Have you ever encountered dangerous life threatening situations? How about lawyers representing criminal types you have exposed? How large of a camera crew do you use and have they ever been threatened? Where do you obtain your suggestions for subjects to investigate? Do you ever need armed protection during your investigations?
His answers to my questions resulted in what I consider one of the most interesting columns I have ever written.
That column included some of Mr. Schwartz’s experiences including breaking up a large group of illegal fortune tellers; the bombing of American Airlines flight 103 over Scotland; multiple interviews with then-New York real estate developer Donald Trump; the trials of mobster John Gotti; and a series on pets dying in aircraft cargo holds. The latter resulted in federal legislation leading to safer pet travel. While working his New York beat, he covered the 9/11 attacks from ground zero.
From my perspective, the most significant of his over 200 awards was his multiple Edward R. Murrow awards for investigating reporting, leading to this column.
A few months ago, my previous column on Schwartz happened to be read by members of an organization in which I played a small role to commemorate extraordinary, professional, long-term dedicated men and women in broadcasting.
As a result of his nomination, Schwartz was recently awarded an Honorary (SMBL) Membership to the Society of Montana Broadcast Legends “For His Extraordinary Service as an Investigative Reporter.”
He has also received multiple Edward R. Murrow regional awards, for which he has also received from the SMBL, a historical set of 15 double sided LPs covering Murrow’s forty year broadcast career from 1919 to 1949, in addition to a turntable with which to hear the actual voices of those historical moments.
Rumor has it that Schwartz has been working on a soon-to-be-published book detailing many of the serious subjects that did not make it for TV broadcast. If so, I will be first in line to purchase one.
Given his track record on TV, this book will likely be a must-read, and perhaps an award-worthy effort in and of itself.
Ken Benner is an independent Alternative FCC Compliance Certification Inspector and a research analyst for the Coalition for Transparency, Clarification and Simplification of Regulations pertaining to American Broadcasting. Benner has more than 55 years of experience providing service to the broadcast industry.
The views expressed by Media Information Bureau columnists are those of the writer only and not of the editorial board of the Radio + Television Business Report or its parent, Streamline Publishing.
