Carin Dessauer

Carin Dessauer, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and media executive across multi-platforms (print, broadcast and the Internet) for over 18 years, is a senior fellow with The Media Center at the American Press Institute. In addition, Dessauer is a principal with mc2, a media and business strategic consulting firm, where she works on a mix of projects ranging from consulting to speaking and writing. She was a contributing editor for the newly released book, “Society Online: The Internet in Context,” for which she wrote the chapter on news. Prior to her current work, Dessauer was Shapiro Fellow at The George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs, taking the baton from Helen Thomas, her immediate predecessor in the fellowship. At George Washington, Dessauer was a professor of Internet news and convergence, and planned and moderated a university-wide discussion, “News in Crisis: Covering Terrorism in an Integrated Multi-Media World.” Before that, Dessauer spent over 10 years at CNN where she covered and led coverage of a wide range of stories spanning three presidencies and numerous subjects that resulted in increased viewers and users and in numerous awards, including several Webbys. She was the CNN executive in charge of the Washington Bureau and the CNN.com executive responsible for political coverage, including all aspects of the record-setting and award-winning coverage of Election 2000. She initiated, secured and produced the first-ever online news interview with a sitting president, President Bill Clinton, and the first and only online/on-air news interview with President George W. Bush, then the Republican presidential nominee. Dessauer first moved into the interactive arena in 1996 when, as CNN deputy political director, she joined the original four-person CNN/Time allpolitics.com board (prior to the CNN and Time Warner merger). She became one of executives responsible for CNN’s early convergence efforts. As a member since 1990 of CNN’s first dedicated political team, she was instrumental in establishing CNN as a political coverage leader. Dessauer started her journalism career as a reporter for the Rothenberg Political Report. She has worked for ABC News, Campaigns & Elections magazine and Congressional Quarterly. Dessauer regularly speaks at national and Internet conferences as well as at various universities. Dessauer is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Bucknell University; she currently serves on Bucknell’s Board of Trustee Advisory Committee on Communications and Marketing. She is also a member of the American Press Institute’s Media Center advisory board.