Michael Linder

Meeting Saddam Hussein in Baghdad on the eve of the Persian Gulf War. Documenting Micronesia, Scandinavia, Mount St. Helens and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Seen here in a chopper, breaking the news of the Station Fire, Michael Linder’s work as a broadcast journalist and producer has taken him around the world. He is currently on the air at TalkRadio 790 KABC in Los Angeles.

Linder began his career at WMCW in Harvard, Illinois while in high school, a 500-watt daytime station where cattle, butter and egg prices often topped local news. His journeyman years took him through a series of stations across the United States and Canada — New York’s legendary WNEW-FM, Montreal’s CHOM and LA’s all-news KNX among them.

In television, Linder served as a producer on the startups of “Entertainment Tonight” and “Eye On LA.” He has produced numerous award-winning specials, documentaries and three network series in addition to creating the concept for PBS’ Emmy-winning series “Future Quest.”

After more than a year based in Tokyo, Linder created and executive produced Fox Television’s “America’s Most Wanted” in 1987, casting John Walsh as host and capturing one of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted fugitives in the show’s first episode.

Linder, left, on location with John Walsh

With AMW, Linder pioneered the now-common use of television reenactments. His contributions to American justice were honored with the U.S. Attorney General’s Public Service award, law enforcement’s highest civilian honor. AMW is now in its 23rd year on the air.

With Quincy Jones, Linder co-executive produced “The Jesse Jackson Show,” a weekly broadcast that took national public affairs out of Washington TV studios to the scenes of breaking issues and events — including the Persian Gulf as Coalition forces massed for war in 1990.

Talks with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad failed to avert the coming invasion but Linder, Jackson and crew were the first journalists permitted to enter and document occupied Kuwait. They negotiated the release of 227 hostages held by Hussein in Iraq and Kuwait.

On the web in 1995-96, Linder produced “Berserkistan,” the first Internet site to cover a war on location — this one in Bosnia. The site received critical acclaim for its news coverage, photojournalism and interactive humanitarianism.

“Berserkistan” was featured by Wired, “ABC World News Tonight” and read daily by tens of thousands including White House and War Crimes Tribunal staff, UN, US and NATO troops, NGOs, and Bosnian refugees worldwide.

At KABC, Michael Linder has established the first new bureau and broadcast studios to be built at LA City Hall in decades. His reports are featured in KABC’s hourly newscasts and as segments on “The Peter Tilden Morning Show” and “The John Phillips Show.” With audio and interviews from the day’s breaking events, Linder’s reports provide incisive perspective on Los Angeles.

Michael Linder has been portrayed in the movie “Judgment Day: The John List Story” which chronicles his role in the capture John List, a multiple murderer 18 years on the run.

In “Outfoxed,” author Alex Ben Block credits Linder with saving the struggling Fox network from early demise by delivering it’s first hit series, “America’s Most Wanted.”

Michael has won numerous honors for his journalism including an Edward R. Murrow Award for his coverage of California’s Water Wars and an Emmy for his work in television.

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