Free Republic

He may have enjoyed a career in journalism for 40 years but Robert MacNeil, who is hosting the upcoming PBS special, "Do You Speak American?" originally wanted to be an actor. The man who co-hosted "The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour," wrote several books, earned impressive journalism awards and headed several TV specials, says he was struck by a revelation about his acting ability. After dropping out of college to pursue an acting career in New York, he came up against the hard reality of little success in that life. Having grown up in Nova Scotia, he returned to college in Canada and...

Web posted Friday, September 26, 2003 Neuharth Panel Asks: 'Is Media Fair?' BY RANDY DOCKENDORF P&D Regional Editor VERMILLION -- Are the media fair and accurate? Well, fairness, like beauty, becomes pretty subjective, a panel of the nation's top journalists said Thursday night at the University of South Dakota. The event, titled "Is the Free Press A Fair Press?," concluded a two-day celebration of the $5 million renovation of the Al Neuharth Media Center on the USD campus. Neuharth was on hand for the event, which was broadcast live on South Dakota Public Television. Neuharth, a 1950 USD graduate, founded...