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Woman plans to write book based on her experiences

Desmond

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McLaughlin, played by Ms. Knightley, the Boston reporter who broke the story on the Boston Strangler. The movie follows her investigation of the killer and shows the sexism in the maledominated news industry during the 1960s.

“It was interesting to see a woman’s angle to the story,” explained Ms. Desmond when talking about Ms. McLaughlin.

“We knew Loretta. She was the only woman to show up. She was more than capable of covering the story.”

Ms. Desmond said what she appreciated most about the the movie was that it was “not ‘Here’s what happened,’ but more like ‘How did that event affect us today?’”

Even though the movie was specifically about Ms. McLaughlin,

Ms. Desmond had a huge part to play during the reporting of the murders.

And she plans to write a book based on her experiences as a TV news anchor and field reporter. She interviewed everyone from President John F. Kennedy to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the first astronauts, movie stars, Nobel Prize winners and more.

Ms. Desmond was a trailblazer for not only women in journalism, but also for all women around the country. She was one of the first women to be a nightly news anchor. This was huge for the industry of journalism, but it also showed women of the time that they could do whatever their hearts were set on.

“I brought a new perspective,” she said, “I was at the start of the media and a true changemaker.”

When asked about why she decided to be a part of the Boston Strangler movie, she explained that it is a “wonderful way to renew my energy” and she loved “staying connected.”

Besides the Boston Strangler, Ms. Desmond was involved in other hard-hitting stories during her time as an anchor. She noted that one of the toughest turnarounds in her journalism career was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. When the story broke, she was up all night and had to be ready for the camera in a matter of minutes.

Ms. Desmond has also been a part of many journalism pieces, including her work on “Eyes on Korea” and “Doctor’s House Call.” She has received multiple awards for her work, including the Pathfinders Award from Women in Communications Inc., “Typical Teen of Chicago” Designation from Chicago Chamber of Commerce, a CableACE Award for “Excellence in a Program Series,” a Wilson Award for medical writing and a Mutual Friendship Award for “Eyes on Korea.”

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