BRIGHT SPOT
Former Albuquerquean gives an overview of the news
Storytelling runs through Gadi Schwartz’s veins. The seed was planted when Schwartz would head into the Univision newsroom with his father, Sergio, as a boy.
As he grew up, journalism became like a shadow, following him closely.
His time at New Mexico State University’s TV station KRWG and the decade he spent at KOB helped cultivate his passion.
Schwartz is currently an NBC News and MSNBC correspondent, as well as co-host of the Snapchat series “Stay Tuned.”
On Jan. 16, the 37-year-old former Albuquerque resident took the next step in his journey when he became host of “The Overview” on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock.
“The Overview” takes a step back from the daily news cycle to provide a new take on the most relevant and pressing issues.
“We’re always connected, and I lose sight of the big picture all the time,” Schwartz said. “For me, this show is a chance to step back and remember what the most important thing is.”
The first three episodes of “The Overview” began streaming on Jan. 16, and focus on climate change, the future of elections, and the significance of nostalgia in society as our country is grappling with an unpredictable present.
“Peacock is focused on delivering news programming that offers viewers responsible journalism and original reporting from all different perspectives,” said Jen Brown, senior vice president of topical programming and development for Peacock, in a statement. “With ‘The Overview,’ we hope to drive peer-to-peer conversations through Gadi’s thoughtful reporting on issues important to this generation of streaming news consumers.”
The goal of “The Overview” is to cut through and tell viewers how we got here and where it’s going, Schwartz said.
The impetus for the series came from The Overview Effect — which describes the psychological effects astronauts experience when viewing the Earth from space and how that can influence a change in perspective.
“It’s what we’re trying to convey — a new perspective,” he said. “There are vast improvements with each story.
Coming from a place that is not Washington, D.C., or New York or Los Angeles, that vast picture is so important. We’re trying to give viewers room to look around with each story.”
New episodes are available on Saturdays.
Schwartz and his team work tirelessly to craft the under 30-minute episodes.
They’ve been able to navigate their way around the pandemic — but it has had challenges.
“It’s changed,” he said. “We used to be able to go out and talk to anybody and shoot things. In California, there are limitations in place. Permits have to be in place. We have to wear masks and take extra precautions. Interviews are done by Zoom or outside. The cool thing is that it’s allowed us to step back and embrace all the innovations.”
The pandemic has also kept the Cibola High School and New Mexico State University alum from visiting his family in Albuquerque.
“I grew up in Paradise Hills on the West Side,” he said. “In Albuquerque, you always have a sense of direction because the Sandia Mountains are to the east. I still look east from where I grew up and see how big the world is.
It’s about seeing the big picture.”
Working with Peacock has been an opportunity for personal and professional growth.
Schwartz is like many other millennials — he is also looking to find footing in the world.
“Working for NBC, there are all generations getting information in different ways,” he said. “I wanted to have a place where you can come to get news. Even if you aren’t up to date on what’s happening in the world, you can still see what the big picture is. We’ve proven that with Snapchat and ‘Stay Tuned’ that young people will watch the news.”