Inside Media: The Changing Political and Media Landscapes

Guest: Frank Sesno

By the Newseum staff

When CNN special correspondent Frank Sesno listened to President-elect Barack Obama’s victory night speech in Chicago’s Grant Park, he got the sense that "a torch had been passed to a new generation."

But the nation’s next president faces a daunting task, given the ongoing U.S. financial crisis, Sesno said.

"Going from campaigning to governing, especially amid this mess, is a big problem," he said.

The veteran journalist praised Obama’s cabinet selections.

"You are judged by the company you keep, and this team of rivals is unlike anything I’ve seen. But with high risk comes potentially high rewards," he said.  

Sesno also noted that the way journalists cover elections — and news, in general — has changed since the days of the typewriter.

"You are now expected to be your own editor, your own executive producer. It is a time of great challenge," he said.

Reporting from around the world for more than 30 years, Sesno has interviewed presidents, prime ministers, government and business leaders as a White House correspondent, anchor and bureau chief for CNN’s Washington bureau.

"Inside Media," produced by the Newseum and held in the Knight TV Studio, is open to the public. Seating is on a space-available basis.