After three decades of hosting or co-hosting public television’s flagship news program, Jim Lehrer has given up the anchor chair. Friday was his last day as the host of the PBS NewsHour. He’ll still make regular appearances on the program, (to moderate the Friday news discussions with Mark Shields and David Brooks for instance) but colleagues such as Gwen Ifill, Judy Woodruff and Ray Suarez will take turns hosting for now. To mark this occasion, we repackaged a 2005 interview Bob did with Lehrer and his former co-host Robert MacNeil when their program celebrated its 30th anniversary.
Here is a look back at Jim Lehrer’s 52 years in journalism.
Here is Robert MacNeil on Lehrer’s “stealth” exit from the anchor chair.
Click here for a tour of Jim Lehrer’s office.
I guess it's a testament to the quality of the mental brand you all have stamped on the show, but I'll always think of it as the MacNeil / Lehrer News Hour.
It's an hour where true journalism resides, stories are fleshed out and reported in depth, and trite, celebratory news rarely gets broadcast.
I think you all have the best team in the news business, so I know the show will roll on without missing a beat, but I'll miss the final "driving wheel," that gave the show it's umph.
No MacNeal, no Gergen and now no Lehrer_ hang in there Shields, you're the last of the old breed on the show.
Thanks for all the years of solid news.
Cheers !!
Gene — in Atlanta