In a candid conversation, seasoned media leader and proud Panther Dianne Festa reflects on journalism’s evolving ethics, industry challenges, and how FIU helped shape her distinguished career in an inspiring conversation hosted by FIU’s Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication.
What sets apart a media leader in today’s fast-evolving landscape? For Dianne Festa, former Senior Vice President of NBC News and proud FIU Panther, the answer is integrity. However, sometimes the path to that comfortability in the industry, is not always so linear. Dianne credits FIU for serving as the launch that propelled her into the world of leadership in media thanks to the plentiful opportunities FIU provided of bridging the gap between being a student and building strategic alliances in the industry. As a testament of her intentional career moves, she eventually earned a role where she pioneered the growth of the international presence for both NBC News and MSNBC.
“FIU played a critical role in my career launch,” Dianne said. “The training I received and the mentorship I found here still shape how I approach communication today.”
With decades of experience leading some of the nation’s most respected newsrooms, Festa brings a unique perspective to the table—one shaped by a commitment to ethical storytelling, adaptability, and the enduring need for trustworthy journalism.
In the latest episode of Women on the Mic, titled “Broadcast Integrity: Journalism’s Transformative Power,” Dianne joins host Stepfanie Betini to explore journalism’s evolving role in today’s fast-changing media ecosystem.
During the conversation, she unpacks the complex challenges facing today’s communicators and offers a compelling look into the challenges and responsibilities facing journalists in today’s rapidly shifting media landscape, such as the impact of media on public perception, and the evolving landscape of broadcast journalism due to innovative technologies.
The episode centers on the importance of ethics in journalism, particularly at a time when public trust in the media is in flux. Dianne speaks openly about the evolving expectations placed on journalists and how both platforms and audiences have changed.
“We have to remain relevant and go where the consumer is,” she noted. Living in a digital-first world, the scope of media is continuously getting altered by emerging technology like artificial intelligence and social media. Audiences are simply not sitting on their couches at 6:00 p.m. waiting for the evening news anymore. Instead, they turn to their mobile device or trusted AI-platform to get the news in an instant. This requires anyone working in communications to adapt to the industry trends and keep up with them faster than ever.
“Be ready to pivot.” Dianne suggests that every communications professional should be ready and willing to face challenges from every direction.
Her remarks come at a time of widespread industry disruption, where legacy media outlets are restructuring, and digital storytelling dominates the landscape, and the audiences are being exposed to more and more ways of getting information. Still, Dianne emphasized the enduring value of ethical reporting.
“It’s a fraught time for journalism,” she said. “Fair and accurate reporting is more important than ever.” Although information is being spread quickly, not all of it is true and accurate. This serves as a perfect example that a journalist not only has a responsibility to the content they are crafting, but they have a responsibility to society to remain truthful and unbiased.
The Women on the Mic podcast, produced by The Kopenhaven Center in FIU’s College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts, is dedicated to amplifying the voices of women in media—especially those connected to FIU. Each episode explores the lived experiences of women shaping the media world, offering perspectives that blend professional insight with personal narrative.
This latest episode not only highlights the power and responsibility of journalism, but also reflects the impact of FIU’s communication programs in preparing students to lead with integrity in an increasingly complex media environment.
The FIU experience she lived as a student years ago, helped her mold who she is as a professional today; someone who serves as an exemplary model of resilience, curiosity, and drive.
Listen to the episode below:
