Pete Williams spent decades covering some of the most consequential moments in American public life — from the Supreme Court to breaking national news. In this episode, he shares what he learned about the practice of discernment: how to pause, cut through the noise, and get honest about what a story actually means. Whether you're a journalist on deadline, a student preparing for an interview, or just trying to communicate something that matters, his insights on selection, structure, and the courage to tell authentic stories apply far beyond the newsroom.
InFormation is hosted by Carolyn Noll Sorg, President-Elect of John Carroll University. This is Episode 4
Pete Williams is a retired NBC News correspondent and journalist-in-residence at John Carroll University. Over a career spanning decades, he covered breaking news, national policy, and landmark Supreme Court decisions — learning along the way that the facts of a story are never enough on their own. What matters is knowing which facts to choose, how to arrange them, and why your audience should care.
In this conversation, he reflects on what it takes to tell a story well: from his early days following President Clinton on Martha's Vineyard to a prime-time documentary connecting World War II saboteurs to Guantanamo Bay. He also talks honestly about the moments he got it wrong — and what he learned from them.
Inspired by this episode, take a moment to reflect:
Pete Williams reminds us that the best storytellers aren't the ones with the most information. They're the ones who know what to leave out — and how to make you care about what's left.