Veteran Reporter Shares Story Behind An Accidental Career
After 58 years in broadcast journalism, Hal Eisner is telling his own story.
His new book, An Accidental Career, chronicles nearly six decades in the business. Eisner spent 43 of those years reporting in Los Angeles. He covered history from the front row. But the turning point that pushed him to write the book came in 2021.
While conducting an interview on Hollywood Boulevard, a driver under the influence jumped the curb and struck Eisner, his cameraman, and several bystanders. Both men suffered fractured ribs. The crash could have been fatal.
Instead of stepping away, Eisner made a decision. He would return to the camera. He would retire on his own terms.
That moment shaped the memoir.
How Journalism Has Changed Over Five Decades
Eisner says technology transformed the newsroom. Social media reshaped how audiences consume information. Corporate ownership changed the structure of media companies.
But the core mission remains the same.
Reporters still confirm sources. They still verify facts. They still operate under the responsibility protected by the First Amendment.
Eisner argues that professional journalism differs from citizen reporting. He believes audiences must choose trusted, trained journalists when accuracy matters.
Despite concerns about corporatization, he remains optimistic. Through his long-running “Camp News” program for college students, he sees the next generation entering the field with strong ethics and energy.
The Human Moments That Stay Forever
Eisner covered major events, including mass shootings, celebrity trials, and hurricanes. Yet the stories that stay with him are personal.
During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, he interviewed a young girl whose church had been destroyed. On camera, she broke down and hugged him, fearing her parents might have died in the storm.
That moment still stays with him.
The Lesson: Listen to the Accidents
Eisner hopes readers take one message from his book.
Life’s accidents can redirect you. They can become opportunity.
He once planned a career in law. Instead, he became a trusted voice in American journalism.
And he would not change a thing.