David Henderson (American journalist)

David Henderson (born March 2, 1943) is an American former 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. Henderson reported on never-before published research that the plastic interiors of airliners emitted toxic gas when burned, rendering a burning aircraft akin to a deadly gas chamber.

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.

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. 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.

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.