PBS NewsHour as we know it today was started in 1975 as The Robert MacNeil Report; after PBS picked up the show it was renamed The MacNeil/Lehrer Report and after a few more name and host changes this program has landed where it is today. PBS NewsHour has an ever growing audience and is doing a great job at keeping up with the veterans of this business.
PBS NewsHour is one of the few
news programs that dare to deviate from the standard
news format. Unlike other
news programs PBS NewsHour runs for 60 minutes each evening and gives very indebt coverage of all things
news. Also unlike most
news shows out there PBS NewsHour avoids the use of sound bytes; if you take the time to watch this
news show you will notice that they play extended clips instead.
PBS NewsHour is a publically funded television program, so you will not be disturbed by ads of things you do not want to buy. I hate the fact that
news stations have to stick ads all over their programs, yes I do agree that the ads are there for a reason, but couldn't they put them on during regular shows and leave the
news ad free? With PBS NewsHour this is not a problem; just make sure to send them a donation if you like what you see, because running a
news program takes a lot of money.
This program has not gone without criticism; in late 2006 Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) released a study they hand conducted over the space of six months. They accused NewsHour of favoring the Republican Party and not having enough minorities featured on their program. I do agree most television programs are biased and do not give you the whole story, but NewsHour gives a pretty balanced report and is one of the few programs on PBS that does so.
After you have watched this program, support it by supporting its sponsors. AT&T, PepsiCo, and New York Life are all sponsors of PBS and NewsHour. Doing so will help keep this program on the air ad free, in times like these we need more programs like NewsHour, programs with reporters who tell it like it is and don't just spit out all the junk we hear from mass media. So the next time you need to be updated on current events check out NewsHour.
