Les Rose is downright thrilled to be a photojournalist for the CBS News bureau in Los Angeles. His television career started in 1978…a good year for King Tut, “Grease”, and film cameras. Prior to joining the L.A. bureau in 1997, Les worked 13 years at KCBS and from 1984-1986 he was with NBC News, Miami as a freelancer. He has also shot for WFLA (Tampa), KTVI (St. Louis), and WTSP (St. Petersburg).
His assignments are for The CBS Evening News, CBS Sunday Morning, 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, and The Early Show. For almost 6 years he was the photojournalist for the “Everybody Has a Story” series with Steve Hartman, and together they produced more than 125 stories…all at the whim of a dart and a random pick from the phonebook. Honest!
Les’ awards include a Murrow and a DuPont with Steve Hartman, nine local Emmys, and a big bunch of others that made for a nice evening out…and a tuxedo to return the next morning. His greatest award is the friends he has made and things he…and his viewers…have learned along the way. He simply cannot believe they pay him to do exactly what he wants to do!
But Les will be quick to say that he is far more proud of his family and friends’ accomplishments. Most of all, he’ll tell you that in the end, it is all about real moments in a story and someone saying, “that was a good story” and not “that was a cool shot.” Les has said: “It’s about the story, subjects and viewers, not us. It’s also about being a human being in the process.” He also firmly believes we are here on earth to make it a better place. Really, he does. That’s why he went into journalism.
Major stories that Les has been involved with include, 9/11 in Shankesville, Pennsylvania and then NYC, the Cerritos Air disaster, the Civil Wars of Nicaragua and El Salvador for NBC News, the Northridge Earthquake, the Nagano Olympics, a hostage release in Wiesbaden, West Germany, the Malibu Fires, political conventions, multiple hurricanes, Oscars, Emmys, major sports events and countless celebrity interviews (and trials), including O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson.
Les has a profound love for teaching and is a frequent lecturer. A partial list of his key notes and workshops include: The Poynter Institute, the N.P.P.A., the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters, the University of South Florida, F.S.P.A., the Student Television Network, the Broward Teen Network, and the terrific M.S. Douglas High School video production program in Parkland, Florida. Les is also the NPPA TV Critique Chair so send him a tape anytime!
Finally, a word of caution: if he opens his wallet…it’s not to give you money. He’s got everything in his wallet…but money. It will be to show you pictures of his two boys, Robert and Christopher, which he could NOT be more proud of.