Posted on 12/09/2004 9:18:11 PM PST by Libertarian Nationalist GOPr
(AP) "I was just in the editing room, working on the last piece," Bill Moyers says. "I thought: 'I've done this so many times, and each one is as difficult as the last one.' Maybe finally I've broken the habit."
It hasn't been so much a habit for Moyers as a truth-telling mission during his three decades as a TV journalist. But come next week, he will sign off from Now, the weekly PBS newsmagazine he began in 2002, as, at age 70, he retires from television.
"I'm going out telling the story that I think is the biggest story of our time: how the right-wing media has become a partisan propaganda arm of the Republican National Committee," says Moyers. "We have an ideological press that's interested in the election of Republicans, and a mainstream press that's interested in the bottom line. Therefore, we don't have a vigilant, independent press whose interest is the American people."
For that, his absence after the Dec. 17 Now will be all the more keenly felt: Moyers' interest has always been the American people.
A humanist who's at home with subjects ranging from the power of myth to media consolidation, from drug addiction to modern dance, from religion to environmental abuse, Moyers has produced hundreds of hours of diverse programming on issues that others shortchange, sidestep or simply fail to notice. And through it all, he has looked upon his audience not as targeted consumers, or as voters split along a red state-blue state divide, but as his fellow citizens.
He's a citizen-journalist with a robust background; he's a Texas native who, early on, earned a divinity degree (he's an ordained Baptist minister) then served as special assistant to President Johnson, and for several years was publisher of the Long Island newspaper Newsday.
In 1971, he came to public television as host of This Week and Bill Moyers' Journal, and, next, joined CBS News to do similarly civic-minded programming.
Then in 1986 he and his wife, Judith Davidson Moyers, became their own bosses by forming Public Affairs Television, an independent shop that has not only produced documentaries such as "A Walk Through the 20th Century," "Healing and the Mind" and "A Gathering of Men with Robert Bly," but also paid for them through its own fund-raising efforts.
"Judith and I will take several months to catch our breath," says Moyers during a recent conversation at the soon-to-be-vacated office he rents at Thirteen/WNET's Manhattan headquarters. "Then I will think about the Last Act — capital L, capital A — of my life."
He does have one immediate project: a book he will write about his years with Johnson. But he has no TV ventures in mind.
With his days at Now ticking down, Moyers voices pride in that series, which, upon its premiere three years ago, he envisioned as "a flexible format for ideas and conversation, reportage and debate." Now reaching 2.4 million viewers weekly with its breaking-news currency and contemplative pace, Now will continue with his worthy co-host, David Brancaccio, taking over. It airs Fridays at 8:30 p.m.
"It has gained traction," says Moyers — if only by default, in an era where most TV journalism gravitates toward the sensational or trivial. "As the networks have raced to the bottom, it is very easy to stand out if you just do good journalism. We've been trying to do good journalism, and it filled a real void."
One example of typically good journalism on Now not long ago: an in-depth look at the record of President Bush's nominee for secretary of state, Condoleeza Rice, who in her current post as national security adviser "dreadfully misjudged the terrorist threat leading up to 9/11, and then misled America and the world about the case for invading Iraq," as Moyers concluded.
It was the sort of report unlikely to be found on most newscasts, and even less likely to endear a reporter to the powers-that-be, on whose good graces the media has grown all too reliant. But Moyers believes that challenging those in power is a journalist's duty — and, consequently, his.
"What they're really objecting to is not my ideology," he says in his thoughtful, almost pastoral manner. "I'd be doing this if the Democrats were in power. It's not that I'm a liberal, it really isn't. It's the fact that I'm doing journalism that isn't determined by the establishment.
"You don't get rewarded in commercial broadcasting for trying to tell the truth about the institutions of power in this country," he goes on. "I think my peers in commercial television are talented and devoted journalists, but they've chosen to work in a corporate mainstream that trims their talent to fit the corporate nature of American life. And you do not get rewarded for telling the hard truths about America in a profit-seeking environment."
Through his own devices, Moyers has been the journalist he wanted to be, while honored for it with more than 30 Emmys and 10 Peabody awards.
"I've just been doing the kind of journalism that ought to be done, if you had the opportunity to do it," he insists. "The fight has been to create that opportunity and that independence."
It's been a fight he fought well. But where will tomorrow's Bill Moyers come from?
"We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns in reply, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."
LNGOP'r http://www.revealedtruth.blogspot.com
Brokaw, then Rather, now Moyers. When is Peter Jennings going to take the hint? Time to go back to Canada, Petey.
"...Moyers' interest has always been the American people."
No bigger lie can be cited other than:
"...and you shall be like God, knowing good from evil..."
Moyers should just melt into the background and enjoy his quart a day habit.
AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Now that is funny!
I'll always remember you as a partisan Democrat who used MY tax dollars to spread your slime. If I ever get to meet you, I'll apologize in advance for turning my back to you and walking away.
What a hack. Poor old chap was used to getting away with his lies for decades. Now, we have a voice, and you have our ridicule.
And of course, Mr/Ms Moyer was NOT a spokens person for the wacko leftwing agenda, was he? BARF!!! He's a Judas Iscariot in modern attire. His entire monologue had overtones of Anti-Christian Bigoty throughout.
Oh Bill, now you can finally move to that socialist paradise 90 miles from Florida. Better yet, just get drunk and slip into the ether.
B.S.
"A humanist communist..."
"And through it all, he has looked upon his audience not as targeted consumers, or as voters split along a red state-blue state divide, but as his fellow citizens."
B.S.
One example of typically good journalism on Now not long ago: an in-depth look at the record of President Bush's nominee for secretary of state, Condoleeza Rice, who in her current post as national security adviser "dreadfully misjudged the terrorist threat leading up to 9/11, and then misled America and the world about the case for invading Iraq," as Moyers concluded.
B.S.
It's not that I'm a liberal, it really isn't. It's the fact that I'm doing journalism that isn't determined by the establishment.
B.S.
"I think my peers in commercial television are talented and devoted journalists, but they've chosen to work in a corporate mainstream that trims their talent to fit the corporate nature of American life.
B.S.
We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns in reply, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."
B.S. B.S. B.S.
Earlier today, someone posted the article entitled "Bill Moyers Retires, Fails to Leave Void" from http://www.scrappleface.com:
by Scott Ott:
(2004-12-09) -- Bill Moyers, whose journalistic reports on PBS have been missed by most Americans for 30 years, retires this month but fails to leave the customary void, according to a journalism expert.
"Normally when a veteran newsman leaves, there is that sense of loss," said an unnamed professor at the Columbia School of Journalism, "but all of our metrics indicate that Americans are unlikely to note the absence of Bill Moyers, let alone struggle to reach emotional closure."
A spokesman for Mr. Moyers suggested that, during his three decades of low visibility, "Americans may have done sufficient pre-mourning to assuage the grief of final separation."
Known, among those who knew him, for his ruggedly independent, objective approach to news, Mr. Moyers final program will demonstrate how "right-wing media has become a partisan propaganda arm of the Republican National Committee."
"When I'm gone," said Mr. Moyers in a voice choked with emotion, "where will people find this kind of even-handed, fair, balanced coverage?"
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
An abundance of riches this year! What a lovely Christmas present.
If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound?? A similar question can be made about Comrade Bill Moyers. I'd say I won't miss him, but I kept forgetting he was even around. He's more like TV test patterns. I'd see it and then keep channel surfing.
I don't think I've ever actually seen a Bill Moyers broadcast.
I was kind of pleased the way Moyers younger PBS sidekick peeled all the clothes offa Eliot Spitzer on the latest show that nobody watched!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.
I'm sure that I've never seen a complete broadcast by this whiny 'rat, and now I never will! His criticisms of Dr. Rice are infuriating. He's not fit to carry out her bedpan.
That's priceless. Thanks! Scrappleface is great, but I usually don't check it until someone points out something like this.
Sorry, by the way if this is old news. I DID do a search on Moyers....and nothing came up. So I posted the article.
Best,
LNGOP'r
He's leaving TV becuase his ratings are dismal. Even hardcore leftists don't listen to his drivel anymore.
I overheard my cousin's husband, a liberal, trying to sell MY husband on the "greatness" of Bill Moyers a few years back. Glad hubby could care less about Moyers and his little show.
Good --- Bill Moyers who
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