Jim Lehrer: "Super"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-04-20/jim-lehrer-super
Journalist Jim Lehrer delivers the Founders' Day address at The University of the South's convocation, 2009
Every night millions of viewers watch Jim Lehrer host the NewsHour on PBS. Many are also fans of his novels, plays and memoirs. He talks about his new book and journalism in the digital age.
Guests
Jim Lehrer
executive editor and anchor of the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS and author of two memoirs, three plays, and seventeen novels.
Comments
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PBS NewsHour and the Diane Rehm Show are among a handful of reliable news sources left where we can get both sides of important issues, without the hype. Sadly, the network and cable programs have lost any resemblance to reliable journalism.
I would ask Jim and Diane:
How can an average person like me make her voice heard midst all the shouting and opinionating? I think there are more people like me out there who just want the facts. Many like me who are perfectly able to make up our own minds after being presented the facts in an unbiased manner.
Do the networks listen? Do the sponsors listen? What can we do?
I have listened to Jim for a long time. As an Australian I have made the effort to hear him from afar. I hope there is an equivalent to the Order of Australia or a British knighthood that the US can bestow on him. There are many unsung heroes in each generation who have the integrity, thoughtfulness and humanity of a Jim Lehrer, but I would vote for him. Especially in these times where the news is being flooded by misinformation. Congratulations on the book, and thanks Diane for your wonderful show.
Dear Diane, please use your influence with Jim Lehrer to convince him to stay with the Newshour and become the oldest living anchor in captivity. Please please don't retire Mr. Lehrer!
- a Jim Lehrer groupie
Mr. Lehr, My husband and I have been watching News Hour since we first met in 1975.
I constantly recommend--no insist--people who want to know an honest, objective view of
any subject must watch you, Judy, Jeff, Gwen, etc. Although objective par excellence, after all these years of watching your facial movements, I do think I can detect personal opinions. Or perhaps I'm just projecting!
I, also, am one who plans my Friday nights around you, Shields and Brooks. If not, I record, and now, the playback via internet is a God's send. I also used to take tapes of segments to my Social Science classes to augment lessons and sometimes to start critical thinking discussions.
Thank you so much for being yourself and the excellent insights into the news of the world.
You and your staff are role models for journalism, civil discourse, and just plain how to be a decent human being.
Eleanor Miller
Chiefland, Florida
(Formerly of NYC, Madison Ave.)
I'm an old fan of the News Hour, but I have to disagree with a couple of things Mr. Lehrer said. First, he seemed to say that the great middle of American politics is the segment who votes most, and presumably thus is represented in our Legislatures. This is manifestly not true - I live in Utah, we have a state legislature dominated by far-right candidates, and we also have one of the worst turnouts - even in Presidential election years- of all 50 states. And I believe this to be true of the country as a whole - the uncontestable nature of most legislative districts leads a majority of voters in the middle to not exercise their right to vote. Second, Mr. Lehrer appeared to be saying that broadcast media are not more effective in spurring actions than, say, broadsheets in our early Republic. I respectfully disagree that broadcast media are so benign. Radio was proven effective as a motivating force in the Rwandan genocide. Closer to home, IMHO the incessant "baby-murder" rhetoric of talk radio has influenced more than one fanatic to bomb clinics or shoot doctors over the abortion issue.
Mr Lehrer:
I believe we only pass through this life once, so I'm not a big fan of cloning, but I'm ready to make an exception for you. You keep me sane in an increasingly insane world. Thank you.
Dear Diane Rehm:
What a pleasure listening to your interview of Jim Lehrer. My brother in North Carolina is a regular listener to your show and told me about this interview. Fortunately I was able to listen to it on-line. Your conversation, and Mr. Lehrer's replies to questions gave me new insight into his life (I've watched all iterations of the News Hour; it's a "must watch" every night—often with a little DVR time shifting). I've also enjoyed his Blog and Skype dispatches. And seeing Jim Leher's office (Hari Sreenivasan clip) makes me realize we are kindred spirits in many ways, not the least of which is a love of trains. Thank you for doing this interview and the good work you do. My best wishes to Mr. Lehrer for an enjoyable and fulfilling book tour. After hearing this program, I'm heading out to buy a copy of "Super" to take with me on vacation.