{{Short description|American television journalist}} {{For|the poet|Lisa Anne Fletcher}} {{Infobox person | name = Lisa Fletcher | image = | occupation = {{unbulleted list|Television journalist}} | alma_mater = University of Oregon (BS) }} '''Lisa Fletcher''' is an American television journalist. She is an investigative reporter and news anchor who has covered stories around the world - both for ABC News as a correspondent and various major-market television stations. She was previously the host of ''The Stream'' on Al Jazeera America based in Washington DC. She is currently with WJLA-TV in Washington, which is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
== Education and early career == Fletcher received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon in 1990. She majored in Journalism with a minor in English.<ref name=Ariens>{{cite news |title= Lisa Fletcher Joins ABC News |first= Chris |last= Ariens |url= https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/lisa-fletcher-joins-abc-news/ |newspaper= TV Newser |publisher= WebMediaBrands |location= New York City |date= 2007-11-29 |access-date= 2011-04-26 |quote= ABC News has hired Lisa Fletcher as a correspondent in its Los Angeles bureau. }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://jcomm.uoregon.edu/alumni/alumni-notes |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081006124746/http://www.jcomm.uoregon.edu/alumni/alumni-notes |url-status= dead |archive-date= 2008-10-06 |title= Alumni Notes |publisher= University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication |accessdate=2011-04-26 |quote=Lisa Fletcher is an ABC News correspondent based in the network's Los Angeles bureau.}}</ref><ref name=napoli>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectivetalent.com/gallery.aspx?id=1260 |title=TV Talent Gallery - Lisa Fletcher |first=Mendes |last=Napoli |publisher=Collective Talent |location=Franklin, Michigan |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130119144235/http://www.collectivetalent.com/gallery.aspx?id=1260 |archivedate=2013-01-19 |accessdate=2011-04-29 |quote=A Peabody Award-winning investigative reporter, network correspondent and anchor with twenty years experience in television news. |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 1990, Fletcher began her on-air career while still in college with KEZI-TV in Eugene, Oregon.<ref name=napoli/> After graduating, she accepted a job anchoring daily newscasts for KTVZ-TV in Bend, Oregon. In 1993, she returned to Eugene and KEZI where she was the main anchor and investigative reporter. She covered natural disasters, including some of the Northwest's most devastating floods and forest fires. She also anchored coverage of one of the nation's worst high school shootings, the May 1998 tragedy at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon, adjacent to Eugene. The coverage she anchored of the Thurston High shootings was honored with an Edward R. Murrow Award for broadcast excellence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.valleyprblog.com/media/lisa-fletcher-moves-on-to-abc-news/ |title=Lisa Fletcher Moves on to ABC News |date=2007-11-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005020111/http://www.valleyprblog.com/media/lisa-fletcher-moves-on-to-abc-news/ |archivedate=2011-10-05 }}</ref>
== TV career == [[File:Susan D'Astoli and the crew of Security Risks at Sky Harbor at the 67th Annual Peabody Awards.jpg|thumb|right|Susan D'Astoli, Joe Hengemuehler, Lisa Fletcher, Jonathan Elias and Vivek Narayan at the 67th Annual Peabody Awards for the story Security Risks at Sky Harbor]] In 2002, after winning an Edward R. Murrow Award for an investigative series that exposed corrupt practices among Portland immigration officials,<ref>{{cite news |title= KEZI anchor to move to larger market |first= Sherri Buri |last= McDonald |url= http://www.thefreelibrary.com/KEZI+anchor+to+move+to+larger+market.-a083357840 |newspaper= The Register-Guard |location= Eugene, Oregon |year= 2002 |accessdate= 2011-04-26 |quote= The woman was detained in Portland and mistreated by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Verch said. }}</ref> Fletcher accepted the job as the lead investigative reporter and news anchor for KNXV-TV in Phoenix, Arizona. She also co-hosted a Sunday morning political talk show with veteran news man Cary Pfeffer.<ref name=Ariens/><ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2003/02/24/newscolumn4.html |title= KNXV Kicks Off New Show |date= 2003-02-23 | first=Anne |last=Robertson}}</ref> Her undercover reports closed down corrupt multimillion-dollar businesses, put child predators behind bars and forced state agencies to account for millions of dollars of taxpayer money. Undercover, she also exposed serious security breaches at one of the nation's largest airports. As a result, the TSA immediately suspended, and later replaced, its Federal Security Director. The TSA took over all security checkpoints around the clock and launched a national inquiry into every airport's security procedures. Fletcher's stories also exposed lead in poker chips that are used in the world's most popular casinos. This story prompted international attention and a government investigation.<ref name="AAPC">{{cite web|url=http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/48738324_lisa-fletcher-named-abc-news-correspondent-based-los-angeles |title=Lisa Fletcher Named ABC News' Correspondent, Based In Los Angeles |date=2007-11-29 |publisher=ABC News |location=New York, NY |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321230542/http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/48738324_lisa-fletcher-named-abc-news-correspondent-based-los-angeles |archivedate=2012-03-21 }}</ref>
Fletcher won the prestigious Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Medallion and a $10,000 award for her stories that exposed children abusing over-the-counter medications, resulting in their tragic deaths. Fletcher and her producer donated their $10,000 in prize money to a Phoenix area agency whose mission is to help kids stay off drugs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc15.com/bios/index.asp?doc=lisa_fletcher.html |title=ABC15 News Bio: Lisa Fletcher |date=2006-11-05 |publisher=E. W. Scripps Company |location=Cincinnati, Ohio |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061105085702/http://www.abc15.com/bios/index.asp?doc=lisa_fletcher.html |archivedate=2006-11-05 |accessdate=2011-04-28 |quote=Fletcher and her producers donated their $10,000 in prize money to Valley agencies whose mission is to help kids stay off drugs. |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2007, she began working as an ABC News correspondent in Los Angeles.<ref name=Ariens/> Then ABC News President David Westin said Fletcher had "a distinguished resume of hard-hitting investigative reports that have led to reforms in government and business. She's an incisive reporter and a skilled storyteller..." .<ref name="AAPC"/> ABC News consistently featured Fletcher on ''Good Morning America'', ''ABC World News'' and ''Nightline''.
While reporting for ABC News, Fletcher was assigned to stories including the in-depth examination of Sarah Palin's record and standing during the 2008 presidential campaign,<ref>ABC News: ''Nightline''. September 8, 2008.</ref> the Governor Mark Sanford political scandal in Argentina,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=7954371&page=1 |title= South Carolina Gov's Mistress Acknowledges Affair |author=ABC News, Lisa Fletcher |website= ABC News |date= 2009-06-09}}</ref> the Craigslist Killer in Boston,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=7398011&page=1 |title= Victims panties found in Craigslist Suspect's home |author=ABC News, Lisa Fletcher|website= ABC News |date= 2009-04-22|display-authors=etal}}</ref> the OJ Simpson trial and sentencing in Las Vegas<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/program.pl?ID=914027 |title=ABC World News with Charles Gibson |date=2008-12-05}}</ref> and exclusive, daily coverage of the Michael Jackson death investigation. Fletcher was the first to secure an interview with the high-profile Scientology defector Jenna Miscavige Hill,<ref>{{cite web|last=Fletcher|first=Lisa|title=Ex-Scientology Kids Share Their Stories|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=4702271&page=1#.UbDGEOfvt8E|work=Nightline|accessdate=6 June 2013}}</ref> as part of a full half-hour investigation for Nightline and exposed abuses at the nation's largest chimpanzee experimentation facility – prompting a federal investigation.
Fletcher has won many honors for her work including the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award, multiple Edward R. Murrow Award and numerous Emmy Awards for investigative journalism. She's been featured in magazines, newspapers and a PBS documentary on her work as an investigative journalist.<ref name=napoli/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/expose/expose_2007/episode219/video.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905221756/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/expose/expose_2007/episode219/video.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 5, 2012 |title= Exposé: America's Investigative Reports |website= PBS |date= 2007-07-20}}</ref>
On April 12, 2016, she was hired by WJLA as senior investigative reporter and to contributing to ''Full Measure''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Eggerton |first1=John |title=WJLA Hires Lisa Fletcher |url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/wjla-hires-lisa-fletcher-155440 |accessdate=December 30, 2019 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |date=April 12, 2016 |language=en-us}}</ref>
== David Dao Coverage == On April 11, 2017, Fletcher was assigned a story on the past legal issues of Dr. David Dao, who was forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight on April 9, 2017. A Tweet later appeared on her account that showed many legal documents on Fletcher's desk at WJLA.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://dcist.com/2017/04/wjla_united_passenger_coverage.php|title=WJLA Covering 'Troubled Past' Of Doctor Removed From United Flight ... And People Are Pissed|work=DCist|access-date=2017-04-11|language=en-US|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415212019/http://dcist.com/2017/04/wjla_united_passenger_coverage.php|archivedate=2017-04-15}}</ref> The strong interest in the incident led editors across the country to assign stories on Dr. Dao.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-united-passenger-20170411-story.html|title=David Dao, United passenger who was dragged from plane, says he's still in the hospital|last=Pearce|first=Matt|date=April 11, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times |accessdate=May 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2017/04/11/david-dao-passenger-removed-united-flight-doctor-troubled-past/100318320/|title=David Dao, passenger removed from United flight, now in spotlight|last=Watkins|first=Morgan|date=April 11, 2017|work=Courier-Journal |accessdate=May 15, 2017}}</ref> The Tweet that initially appeared on the account was later deleted and replaced with three messages from WJLA:
<blockquote>Hey Twitter, I know my tweet didn't sit well. I can understand how it looks one-sided. I can assure you, it's not. By covering this side of the story, we're [Fletcher and WJLA] not defending United in any way. We'll continue to address their role in this situation. Having said that, violent threats against me - simply for giving all angles of the story - are not okay.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/lisa_fletch/status/851866052950712320|title=Lisa Fletcher on Twitter|work=Twitter|access-date=2017-04-11|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/lisa_fletch/status/851866117916303361|title=Lisa Fletcher on Twitter|work=Twitter|access-date=2017-04-11|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/lisa_fletch/status/851866175810174976|title=Lisa Fletcher on Twitter|work=Twitter|access-date=2017-04-11|language=en}}</ref></blockquote>
Fletcher indicated she would have a report on WJLA's news program, but WJLA opted not to run the story. WJLA news director Mitch Jacobs noted that there were unanswered questions that contributed to the decision to kill the story, including Dao's behavior before videos of the incident started and the apology of the United CEO.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://dcist.com/2017/04/amid_backlash_wjla_cans_its_story.php|title=Amid Backlash WJLA Cans Its Story About 'Troubled Past' of United Passenger|last=Kurzius|first=Rachel|date=2017-04-12|work=DCist.com|access-date=2017-04-12|language=en-US|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416030222/http://dcist.com/2017/04/amid_backlash_wjla_cans_its_story.php|archivedate=2017-04-16}}</ref> The police report filed regarding the incident says that David Dao "fought with officers before he was pulled from the plane."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-united-dao-20170424-story.html|title=Police report says passenger fought with officers before he was pulled from United flight|last=Martin|first=Hugo|date=April 24, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=April 26, 2017}}</ref>
== Personal ==
Lisa Fletcher married Wayne Pacelle, the former president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, in May 2013.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mitchell|first=Heidi|title=Playing it Straight|newspaper=Vogue|date=May 2013 |quote="The anchor is taking two weeks off this month to get married at a friend's house in California."}}</ref>
== References == {{Portal|Biography|Journalism}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, Lisa}} Category:Living people Category:University of Oregon alumni Category:American television reporters and correspondents Category:American television news anchors Category:Peabody Award winners Category:Emmy Award winners Category:Al Jazeera people Category:ABC News Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American women television journalists Category:American investigative journalists Category:Mass media people from Eugene, Oregon