Cynthia McFadden on PrimeTime Thursday

		Friday, Aug 29, 2008 04:19:57 PM

	PrimeTime Thursday

	Charles Gibson

	Diane Sawyer

	Cynthia McFadden

	PROGRAM CONTACTS & FAQ

Cynthia McFadden
Correspondent on PrimeTime Thursday

Cynthia McFadden joined ABC News in February, 1994 as the network's legal correspondent. Since coming to the network she has served as correspondent for "PrimeTime Live" and "20/20," and as one of the hosts of "20/20 Downtown." She is a correspondent for "PrimeTime Thursday." Ms. McFadden has reported from inside one of Mexico's mental hospitals -- which led to its closing -- uncovered a scam in the social security system in West Virginia that provoked congressional hearings, and revealed the forced sterilization of hundreds of American citizens during World War II.

In January of 1999 Ms. McFadden anchored the award-winning ABC News special "Target America: The Terrorist War," in which she reported on the African Embassy bombings.

From Paris and London Ms. McFadden reported the investigation of Princess Diana's death, covered the princess' funeral from Buckingham Palace, and conducted exclusive interviews with the security team assigned to the princess and Dodi Al-Fayed.

Ms. McFadden's hour-long special report on the murder of an Oklahoma cheerleader inaugurated a new series of specials for the network on "Crime and Justice."

In previous seasons Ms. McFadden provided a first look at fugitives who fled American justice in El Salvador; reported a ground-breaking investigation into the sale of women from the former Soviet Union into virtual slavery in Israel -- for which she won the Overseas Press Club Award; provided an intimate portrait into the lives of female gang members in Los Angeles; and provided the first undercover look at the murder of infants by their parents who suffered from Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. She has investigated the country's largest public utility company, exposing their dumping of known cancer-causing agents into the ground water of several small California towns (the story later became widely known through the Erin Brockovich movie); investigated the tragic death of Johnathan Larson, the creator of "Rent"; and has interviewed numerous celebrities, including George Clooney, Sandra Bullock, Liza Minnelli, Vogue magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and magician David Copperfield.

Ms. McFadden's one-hour special, "Judgment at Midnight," marked the first time cameras were ever allowed on any death row cell block to document the final weeks of an inmate's life. The broadcast was accorded tremendous critical acclaim and numerous awards, as was her hour-long look at prostitution, "Women in The Shadows."

As the network's legal affairs correspondent from 1994-96, Ms. McFadden reported on Attorney General Janet Reno and Whitewater. She also reported daily from the courtrooms of both O.J. Simpson's criminal and civil trials, appearing regularly on "World News Tonight," "Nightline," "Good Morning America," "20/20" and "PrimeTime Live." Ms. McFadden has substituted as the anchor of "Nightline" and "Good Morning America," and has participated as a panelist on "This Week With Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts."

Previously Ms. McFadden had been an anchor and senior producer at the Courtroom Television Network, beginning with the network's inception in 1991. During her tenure at Court TV, she anchored more than 200 trials, among them the William Kennedy Smith rape trial, the Menendez brothers' murder trial and the Rodney King trial.

From 1984 to 1991 Ms. McFadden was a producer, then executive producer of Fred Friendly's Media and Society seminars, based at Columbia University. More than 30 of her programs were broadcast on PBS, including series on ethics, the military, terrorism and the presidency. In 1985 the programs were awarded a Peabody Award.

Ms. McFadden's work has received numerous awards, including the Emmy, three Cine Golden Eagles, the Ohio State Award, two Silver Gavels from the American Bar Association, the Grand Award of the New York Festival, and the Blue Ribbon of the American Film Festival. She was twice a finalist for the CableACE's Anchor of the Year.

A native of Maine, Ms. McFadden graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Bowdoin College. She received her law degree from Columbia University.

Need to write?

Here's where to send mail to PrimeTime Thursday.

Also Visit:

Please note, this is a local TV station in Charleston-Huntington, WV. If you live outside the Charleston-Huntington, West Virginia television viewing area, please contact the local TV station in your area.