Les’ Bio
Les Rose
Les Rose is 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, The Rolling Stones’ “Miss You”, and film cameras. Prior to joining the L.A. bureau in 1997, Les worked 13 years at KCBS-TV in Los Angeles 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 with Scott Pelley (and Dan Rather, Bob Schieffer, and Katie Couric as well), CBS Sunday Morning, 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, and CBS This Morning. For almost 7 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! Then they had a year with 60 Minutes 2, and several years with the “Assignment America” series whenever Steve was west of the Rockies. Currently, Les works with Steve on the On The Road with Steve Hartman series whenever geographically feasible.
Les’ awards include a Murrow and a DuPont with Steve Hartman, nine local Emmys, and a bunch of others that made for a nice evening out (and a tuxedo to return the next morning). His greatest awards are 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. He is especially proud of his two young sons, the greatest joy in his life. 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 believes “It’s about accuracy, story, subjects and viewers, not the storyteller. 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 (with Las Vegas!). And Michael Jackson’s trial…and death.
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 University of Florida, the N.P.P.A., the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters, Global Television in Calgary and Edmonton, Icelandic State Television, the University of South Florida, F.S.P.A., WTSP-TV, WPBF-TV, the IRE, the RTNDA with Al Tompkins, the Student Television Network, the Broward Teen Network, and the Missouri, New Mexico, West Virginia, and NATOA Broadcasters. Les is also the NPPA TV Critique Chair so send him a link 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 those sons of his, which he could NOT be more proud of. He is juggling those boys as well as his “day job” at CBS News and the seminars he leads and makes it work.
He managed to squeeze in a Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (Class of 2010). In his spare time, he sits in traffic in an office called a 2011 Chevrolet Suburban, and hits LEGOLAND as often as possible, His wife Michele has been accepted into Sainthood. He wants world peace, better Journalism, and another Rolling Stones tour. Thanks!