Moyers & Company
| Moyers & Company | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Presented by | Bill Moyers |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Production location | New York City |
| Running time | 57 minutes |
| Production companies | Public Affairs Television WNET |
| Original release | |
| Network | Syndicated |
| Release | January 13, 2012 – present |
Moyers & Company is a commentary and interview television show hosted by Bill Moyers and broadcast on public television stations in the United States. The weekly show covers current affairs and features extended conversations with guests on issues of the day.
It is produced by Public Affairs Television, presented from New York PBS affiliate WNET, and distributed by American Public Television.
History
Bill Moyers, best known for hosting Bill Moyers Journal and NOW on PBS, retired from PBS in April 2010.[1] In August 2011, Moyers announced that he would come out of retirement to host a new show, titled Moyers & Company.[2] Despite Moyers receiving $2 million in funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, PBS were unable to offer him a time slot on its schedule.[2] Instead, the show is syndicated by American Public Television to public television stations.[2]
Moyers said he returned to television because "nothing else was as interesting. I had done some writing and speaking, but I love television. It lets me work with colleagues and comrades. And I had breath and I had energy and I had funders." He said the show would focus less on field reporting and more on "meaty conversations".[3]
Moyers has also said he intends for the show to run for two years before he retires at age 80.[3]
Broadcast
Moyers & Company is distributed by American Public Television for free to public television stations, who air it either in prime time on Fridays or afternoon on weekends.[2][4] It is broadcast in 93% of all television markets in the United States, including 27 of the top 30.[4]
The show is also available on radio and online.[5]
Reception
Associated Press critic Frazier Moore said would be "gratefully received" by those who have followed Moyers throughout his career. He added that the show promised to be "no less important, thoughtful and far-flung in its interests than his past TV projects, addressing subjects that range from politics to poetry, and with a nuanced approach that defies the polarization endemic to most TV interview programs."[3] David Bianculli of NPR called the show's premiere "one of my favorite TV moments of this year" calling Moyer's new role "valuable".[4] Richard Huff of New York's Daily News gave the premiere a 3/5 rating and remarked, "Moyers’ genial way makes it easy to digest for those willing to invest a quietly paced hour."[1]
Brian Lowry noted Moyer's unabashedly liberal slant, but argued that "[e]ven if you reject every word he says, it’s a valuable articulation of a certain point of view... without name-calling, raising voices or fabricating arguments."[6]
References
- ^ a b Huff, Richard (2012-01-12). "Bill Moyers returns to TV with a takedown of politicos damaging the middle class". Daily News. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
- ^ a b c d Jensen, Elizabeth (2011-08-11). "Bill Moyers Returns to Public Television, but Not PBS". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
- ^ a b c Moore, Frazier (2012-01-12). "A welcome return to weekly TV by Bill Moyers". Bloomberg Businessweek. Associated Press. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
- ^ a b c Bianculli, David (2012-01-12). "Bill Moyers Is Back On TV — And Better Than Ever". NPR. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
- ^ "Bill Moyers to Return to Television in January with an Hour-long weekly Conversation on Some of the Critical Issues Facing the Country" (Press release). Carnegie Corporation of New York. 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
- ^ Lowry, Brian (2012-01-11). "Bill Moyers Re-Occupies Public TV, but not PBS". Variety. Retrieved 2012-01-15.