David Henderson (American journalist)

David Henderson (born March 2, 1943) is an Emmy Award-winning former CBS Network News television and radio journalist. He appeared on the CBS Evening News, CBS Morning News on the CBS Radio Network; and covered stories throughout the U.S. and Asia. He served as bureau chief, correspondent, and producer in Tokyo and Hong Kong and covered conflicts across Asia and the Middle East. On assignment from CBS News headquarters in New York, Henderson’s investigative news stories included an exposé of conditions in America’s cotton industry and workers who suffered from byssinosis or “brown lung disease,” (aka Byssinosis) caused by dust during cotton processing.

In a series of reports uncovering the safety of airliners, he reported that the plastic interiors of commercial airliners released deadly toxic gases during fires. He was awarded a national Emmy Award. His reports came about after the death of CBS News colleague, Michele Clark, in a United Airlines crash at Chicago, Henderson reported on never-before published research that the plastic interiors of airliners emitted toxic gas when burned, rendering a burning aircraft a deadly gas chamber. He was awarded a national Emmy Award while at CBS News for a series of reports on airline accidents that ultimately led to a change in federal aviation regulations and made airline travel safer by banning toxic plastics in airline interiors.

After his career at CBS News, Henderson advised corporate chief executives on credible and effective ways to communicate and control crisis situations using the tenets of journalism.

Henderson worked with client Bombardier Aerospace in Montreal to enhance the appeal and image of Learjet, a corporate jet maker that needed competitive differentiation in a crowded field. With attention-catching photos and news stories, publicity for Learjet’s new model 45 soared in mainstream media and captured the attention of an important audience, tech entrepreneurs. Sales skyrocketed.

He was recruited by Gulfstream Aerospace as head of global marketing and corporate communications when the then-privately held company needed to launch sales of its new ultra-long-range Gulfstream V. His position was to oversee global marketing and communications. Traditional PR and advertising, which targeted pilots about the technical attributes of the plane, had failed to attract orders. Pilots don’t buy $40-million aircraft but CEOs do. Through a series of globe-circling media tours, the media got to experience flying at 50,000 feet, such coverage attracted the attention of industry leaders and major celebrities. Henderson showcased that the Gulfstream V was a competitive business tool to help executives win. The Gulfstream V became front page news. It was the darling of TV news. In just over a year, the Gulfstream V became the world’s hallmark of corporate aviation. Orders increased more than 80-fold.

Among many distinctions, Henderson was awarded a Platinum Record for his work to create awareness and allure of the historic Three Tenors Concert in Rome before an American audience. As a result, the recording of the Three Tenors Concert recording became the biggest-selling classical recording in history, a distinction that stands to this day. He produced the behind-the-scenes documentary of the Rome concert which went on to air on PBS stations nationwide, raising millions of dollars for PBS.

Rainn Wilson - popular actor, author and activist - says, "David Henderson gets it. He knows the online media world and has interesting things to say. He's the dude who got me on Twitter."

Henderson is a native on the Washington, D.C., area and attended George Mason University. He is author of “Making News in the Digital Era,” "The Media Savvy Leader," and “Making News: A Straight-Shooting Guide to Media Relations,” which is used widely as a university textbook. The series of books chronicle sea changes in mainstream media, the evolution of digital media, and new methods to effectively command media attention. Henderson is an avid photographer and long-time licensed aircraft pilot.