Overview:
Former CBS investigative leader Nicole Vap discusses the future of news and what she's learned since leaving the daily newsroom.
For more than three decades, Nicole Vap helped shape some of the most impactful investigative journalism in American television news. From leading the long-running 9Wants to Know team at 9NEWS to overseeing national investigative storytelling as executive producer of content development at CBS News and Stations, Vap built a career around stories designed to expose wrongdoing, explain complex issues and push institutions toward accountability.
After leaving CBS in May 2025, Vap is now experiencing the news from a different vantage point: as a viewer rather than someone living inside the relentless cycle of breaking stories and daily deadlines. The change has given her a new perspective on how audiences consume news today, from the emotional toll of constant coverage to the growing disparity between traditional broadcasts and the ways people now access information online.
In this week’s 5 Questions, Vap reflects on why investigative journalism still matters, how people can become smarter news consumers and what she has learned about balance after stepping away from the newsroom. She also shares her thoughts on the future of journalism and what might come next as she explores new ideas through her venture, Nicole’s Next Episode.
You recently left CBS and are now watching network news as a viewer. What do you like and dislike from this new perspective?
I am not sure my opinion has changed about the product itself. My team was hired to bring innovation and new thinking to the network and stations. I am extremely proud of the stories we produced and the legacy of spreading an investigative and enterprise culture across CBS‘s 14 owned and operated stations as well as on the network news. Now there is new leadership with new ideas on how to innovate.
The fact remains, the traditional platforms are becoming more irrelevant by the day. All you have to do is look at the commercial content of the evening news to see what demographic is actually watching the news.
As far as my viewing habits are concerned, I have learned a few things:
- I feel more anxious about what is happening when I am not living the news 24/7. That is something I wish all people who are producing the news knew; they are driving people away with the tone, visuals and immediacy.
- You can check into the news often and know what is happening.
- News is everywhere; you see the highlights all day every day. When I want to sit down and really absorb the news, I want something I didn’t get all day online. The evening news should not be like your social media feed; it should give context, depth and solutions.
- Family and friends matter. People who work for the news should have the flexibility to have a life. No wonder so many people leave the news business. When they are younger, news is their entire life. But journalists get more interesting, better sourced, and more relatable to viewers the older they get. This business should stop running people into the ground as a long-term strategy for growth.
You have spent your career in investigative journalism. Why did you choose this path and why does investigative news matter?
I got into enterprise journalism after being a line producer for daily newscasts. I was on the verge of burnout. I was so tired of rewriting AP copy. That wasn’t what I got into this business to do. I got into this business to do journalism that spurred change, exposed wrongdoing and made a difference in people’s lives. This will date me but writing updates on the OJ Simpson trial or the latest whereabouts of Princess Diana was not fulfilling any of my lifelong dreams.
Once I wandered into enterprise and eventually investigative storytelling, I knew I had found my calling—break stories that expose problems that hurt our society, hold the powerful accountable, and prompt change. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Sometimes it is hard to know what’s real and what’s not. Are there specific things you look for as you consider the source, and what advice do you have so folks are more media literate?
Wow, this is a can of worms. I was asked at an event last night, “How do you know which news organizations to trust?” I will share the old investigative reporter’s adage, “Don’t trust anyone, even your mother,” so don’t just have one source for news. You can have a favorite, but everyone should look at how different news sources cover the news. If your news source ever says they’re the only news source you can trust—that is a giant RED FLAG.
As for stuff on the internet, I hate to admit this but even I’ve fallen for an AI video or two. What I try to do now is to SBYS or STOP BEFORE YOU SHARE. I try to take a moment to think before I send anything to a friend, family member or out on my social media accounts. Ask yourself, is there a way to verify if this is true? Have I looked around for answers in other places? I like to check the usual sites first—Snopes or other fact-checking organizations. Sometimes other people have checked out a post or a video long before it ended up in your algorithm and they have already shared their concerns about it.
But the best rule of thumb is to STOP BEFORE YOU SHARE. Is this the only source reporting this information? Has any news source fact-checked the claims? Be a smart news consumer. Just like you would shop around and compare prices and claims on the items you buy, you should do the same thing for news.
When you’re in day-to-day news, it is hard to have balance in your life. What have you learned now that you are off of the treadmill?
This time has been eye-opening. I am reading more than I ever have before; I am seeing the news as a viewer. I have learned that I look for transparency and authenticity more. There are great journalists out there who do not belong to a network or a local news organization exposing news I would have never seen before. We need to learn from these influencers about how to connect with audiences.
As you look at what’s next for you, what do you see as the most promising opportunities?
That is the million-dollar question, isn’t it? (Do you have a million dollars to share? Call me!)
If I go back to daily news, I would do it differently than before. Legacy media needs to change to keep up to where audiences want to get their news today. I am also working on a couple of business ideas. My NEXT EPISODE (the name of my new LLC) is all about finding it for myself and leading others into the future of news. As they say on TV, stay tuned!