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Our
Team
"We always make the story the focus - not who delivers it.
We combine new fashioned technologies and ideas with old fashioned
integrity and values." - Annette Miller, Director of Research
& Information Services
Jim Lehrer
Executive Editor
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Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil have worked together since
1973, bringing the best in news reporting to PBS. |
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Jim Lehrer was born in Wichita, Kan. in 1934. He is a graduate
of Victoria College in Texas and the University of Missouri. After
three years as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps, he worked
for ten years in Dallas as a newspaperman and then as the host
of a local experimental news program on public television.
He came to Washington with PBS in 1972, teaming with Robert MacNeil
in 1973 to cover the Senate Watergate hearings. They began in
1975 what became "The MacNeil/Lehrer Report," and, in
1983, "The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour," the first 60-minute
evening news program on television. When MacNeil retired in 1995,
the program was renamed "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer."
Lehrer has been honored with numerous awards for journalism,
including a presidential National Humanities Medal in 1999. In
the last five presidential elections, he moderated ten of the
nationally televised candidate debates.
Lehrer has written 17 novels. His latest, "Eureka,"
was published in October 2007. He also has written two memoirs
and three plays. His 18th novel "Mack to the Rescue"
will be published in Spring 2008. He and his novelist wife Kate
have three daughters and six grandchildren.
More on Jim
Lehrer
Robert MacNeil
Series Reporter, Writer and Host
Robert MacNeil's journalism career spans 40 years, starting
with an five-year tenure at Reuters News Agency in London. In
1960, he entered the world of television as an NBC News London-based
correspondent. In 1963 he was transferred to NBC's Washington
bureau, where he reported on the unfolding civil rights story
and helped cover the White House. MacNeil was the NBC News correspondent
covering President Kennedy on the day he was assassinated in Dallas.
After a stint as a reporter for the BBC, MacNeil joined PBS
in 1971, where he first teamed with Jim Lehrer to co-anchor public
television's Emmy-winning coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings.
Their collaboration led to The MacNeil/Lehrer Report, which launched
in October 1975, becoming the NewsHour eight years later, and
went on to garner numerous awards, including two 1992 Emmy Awards.
Together, they founded MacNeil/Lehrer Productions and under its
auspices produced The NewsHour, The Story of English, Learning
in America, C. Everett Koop, M.D. and many other programs broadcast
on PBS and other network and cable television outlets.
MacNeil retired from daily journalism in 1995 but remains active
in MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. His latest project was as host
and editor for the three-part documentary, Do You Speak American?,
broadcast nationally on PBS in January of 2005.
MacNeil has won numerous awards, including Peabody Awards, a
Dupont-Columbia Award and the Fred Friendly First Amendment Award.
He is the author of several books, including Breaking News, The
Voyage, Burden of Desire, his critically acclaimed first novel,
The People Machine, and The Way We Were: 1963, The Year Kennedy
Was Shot. His memoir, Looking for My Country: Finding Myself in
America, was published in 2003. In 2005, he was the editor and
host for the MacNeil/Lehrer Productions documentary series on
PBS, Do You Speak American?
Born in Montreal and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Mr. MacNeil
graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa. He has four children,
and lives with his wife in Manhattan and Nova Scotia.
In 1999, MacNeil and Lehrer were inducted into the Television
Academy's Hall of Fame.
Lester M. Crystal
President
Les Crystal joined the NewsHour as its executive producer in
1983, and was instrumental in preparing the program for its debut
as the nation's first hour-long newscast. He served as the executive
producer for 22 years, and in November 2005 moved to his current
position as president of MacNeil/Lehrer Productions.
Formerly president of NBC News (1977-79), and executive producer
of the NBC Nightly News (1973-76), Les spent 20-years with NBC
serving as the chief producer of European news; participating
in the press corps that covered President Nixon's historic 1972
visit to China; and serving as the news division's executive vice
president. As vice president for affiliate news, Les oversaw the
sizable expansion of news feeds from the network to affiliated
stations. In 1976 and 1980, he was executive producer of NBC's
election night and convention coverage, and he supervised all
political and special news programming from 1980 to 1982.
Born in Duluth, Minnesota, Les earned a Bachelor of Science and
a Master of Science degree from Northwestern University's Medill
School of Journalism and began his broadcasting career in Duluth
as a news writer for KDAL radio and television. He was later news
director at both WFBG-TV/Radio in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and WFIL-TV
in Philadelphia.
In 1963, Les joined NBC in Chicago to produce WMAQ's nightly
news and its Emmy-winning documentary series, Dateline Chicago.
In 1965, he joined The Huntley-Brinkley Report as Chicago regional
manager, moving from there to New York in 1967 to serve first
as the program's news editor, then associate producer. He was
the Emmy-winning program's producer from 1968 to 1970.
Les is married, has three children and lives in Washington D.C.
and Scarsdale, New York.
Dan Werner
Executive Producer
Dan Werner is Executive Producer, MacNeil Lehrer Productions,
focusing on two high priority MLP endeavors -- the By the People
civic engagement project, now in its third successful year, and
"the.News©," a non-commercial venture being developed
to provide a daily, multi-media news feed to middle and high school
students nationwide. Prior to becoming Executive Producer, Dan
served as President MacNeil/Lehrer Productions for nine years.
He also established the Online NewsHour and serves as its publisher.
Formerly the associate executive producer of The NewsHour with
Jim Lehrer and its predecessor, The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, Werner
is one of PBS's leading news and public affairs special-events
producers.
He served as executive producer of the November, 2000 PBS special
broadcast, Time to Choose: A PBS/NPR Voter's Guide. He also has
organized the innovative local-national civic engagement project,
By the People and served as executive producer of the 1996 and
2003 National Issues Convention. Werner served as producer of
public television's gavel-to-gavel coverage of the 1992 Democratic
and Republican National Conventions and helped coordinate PBS's
convention coverage in 1996.
Werner graduated with honors in politics from New York University.
He earned Juris Doctor and Masters in Journalism degrees from
Columbia University. Werner is married with two children and lives
with his wife in Bethesda, Maryland.
Contact Dan Werner: DWerner@Newshour.org
David Sit
Vice President
David Sit is responsible for the operations, production and
business affairs for MacNeil/Lehrer Productions and The NewsHour
with Jim Lehrer. Sit's career includes thirty years in television,
combining skills in management, programming and broadcast technology.
Before joining MLP, Sit worked for two public television stations
in New York. He was Managing Director and Station Manager at WNYC-TV
and Director of Engineering at Thirteen/WNET. Prior to his work
in public television, Sit was a technical supervisor with ABC,
where he worked on special broadcasts such as the Olympics and
coverage of presidential primaries, national nominating conventions
and election night coverage. Sit was awarded an EMMY and a CPB
Gold Award for his weekly teen magazine program In the Mix, which
aired for four years on PBS, during his tenure at WNYC-TV. He
also served on numerous steering committees for the NYC Board
of Education.
An immigrant from mainland China and Hong Kong, Sit attended
the City University of New York and holds degrees in electrical
engineering and computer science. He resides in Arlington, Virginia.
Contact David Sit: DSit@Newshour.org
Susan Mills
Director of Program Development
Susan Mills joined The NewsHour in 1983. She directs new MLP
programming initiatives on cable, network television and other
media outlets. Recent productions launched by Mills include Do
You Speak American?; The First Lady: Public Perceptions, Private
Lives; Debating Our Destiny; By the People; and Lady Bird Johnson.
Mills joined MLP in 1983, serving as foreign affairs producer
specializing in Latin America and the Philippines. She covered
breaking news, including the Falklands War, the rise of the Sandinistas
in Mangua, drug-running in Bolivia, the war in El Salvador and
the fall of Ferdinand Marcos in Manila. She later served as managing
producer for the NewsHour in New York City overseeing videotape
reports and graphics for the program.
Mills started her career at CBS News, where she produced In the
News and 30 Minutes, the innovative, award-winning programs for
children.
Mills' reporting and programming work have been recognized by
four Emmy awards, ten Emmy nominations, a George Foster Peabody
Award, an Alfred I. Dupont Award, Ohio State University's Journalism
Award and the Gavel Award from the American Bar Association.
Mills is a graduate of Wells College, where she has served on
the Board of Trustees. She resides in McLean, Virginia.
Contact Susan Mills: SMills@Newshour.org
Annette Miller
Director of Research & Information Services
Annette Miller oversees the department providing research for
the NewsHour's correspondents, reporters and producers. The department
also maintains a video archive of NewsHour programs and segments,
as well as footage of interviews conducted by NewsHour personnel
and "b-roll" from MacNeil-Lehrer's 30 years of production.
Annette has worked at MacNeil-Lehrer since its inception. She
was a reporter and Washington news editor before starting the
department she now heads. She is a graduate of New York University
and received a master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate
School of Journalism. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia with her
daughter.
Contact Annette Miller: AMiller@Newshour.org
Rob Flynn
Director of Communications
Rob Flynn directs advertising, marketing and communications
for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and other projects of MacNeil
Lehrer Productions.
Prior to joining MacNeil Lehrer Productions, Flynn served as
the managing director of marketing and communications at The Golf
Channel in Orlando, Florida and as the senior director of public
affairs at The National Cable Television Association in Washington,
D.C.
Prior to his tenure at the NCTA, Flynn held various positions
at major New York City advertising agencies.
Flynn graduated from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut,
and lives with his wife, Sally, and their three children in Fairfax,
Virginia.
Contact Rob Flynn: RFlynn@Newshour.org
FranMarie Kennedy, Ph.D.
Development and Marketing
Dr. Franmarie Kennedy develops and markets MLP services. She
has worked in all aspects of education policy, communications,
marketing and fundraising as a consultant to non-profit organizations,
foundations, corporations and as an executive in both government
and academic institutions.
Dr. Kennedy served on two White House staffs formulating education
policy and held executive positions at the U.S. Department of
Education and the National Institute for Literacy. She has held
management positions at Georgetown University and American University.
Since 1995, Dr. Kennedy has produced several documentaries for
television. Over the past 5 years, she has concentrated on television
projects involving the integration of technology into curriculum
and distance learning projects involving teacher training and
skills development.
Kennedy holds a Ph.D. in education administration from American
University. She lives in Washington, D.C.
Contact Franmarie Kennedy: FKennedy@Newshour.org
Renu Thomas
Director of Production
As Director of Production for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, Thomas oversees the technical and
production management for the NewsHour and other MLP projects.
In addition, her responsibilities include financial management,
sales and marketing for MLP's web-DVD development.
Prior to joining MLP, Renu was the Director of Studio Operations
for NBC, where she was responsible for management of the network's
news and entertainment production studios. Before joining NBC,
Renu was with General Electric for over 8 years where her experiences
included Corporate Audit and Six Sigma working in a variety of
GE businesses. Her other career experiences include mergers &
acquisitions integration with Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Estee
Lauder.
Renu graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science
and Master of Engineering in Operations Research & Industrial
Engineering. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Cornell
Engineering Alumni Association and the President's Council on
Cornell Women.
Contact Renu Thomas: RThomas@Newshour.org
Lee Banville
Editor, Online NewsHour
Lee Banville joined the Online NewsHour, the multiple award-winning
companion Web site to the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, as one of
the three original editors in October 1995. Since then, Lee has
served as the creator and manager of special projects including:
the Iraq war and its aftermath; the terrorist attacks of Sept.
11th; the six national political conventions; Debating Our Destiny,
a look at 40 years of presidential debates; The Impeachment of
President Clinton; and @the Capitol, the Online NewsHour's analysis
of the 105th and the 107th Congresses. In August 1997, Lee was
named the Managing Editor of the Online NewsHour and took over
complete operations in October of 1998.
As editor of the NewsHour's Web presence, Lee has also served
on numerous commissions and working groups throughout public broadcasting,
including the redesign of PBS.org, the PBS Innovation Working
Group, and has consulted with dozens of local PBS and NPR stations
to aid their effort to provide new digital content.
Before joining the NewsHour, Lee worked at the public relations
firm of Fleishman-Hillard in Washington, D.C. and as a reporter
for the Norfolk, VA-based Virginian-Pilot. Lee is a graduate of
the College of William and Mary, and lives in Washington, D.C.
Contact Lee Banville: LBanville@Newshour.org
Gail M. Leftwich
Executive Director, By the People
Gail Leftwich Kitch directs By the People, an MLP initiative
that utilizes public television to encourage and support informed
citizen dialogue around policy issues.
Prior to joining MLP in late 2003, Leftwich served as president
of the Federation of State Humanities Councils, the national membership
organization of the state affiliates of the National Endowment
for the Humanities. She served as director of Cambridge Forum,
in Cambridge, Mass., and as principal of Strategic Business Consultants,
an international business consulting organization.
Mrs. Kitch practiced law during the 1980s, first with Arent,
Fox, Kintner, Plotkin, & Kahn, PLLC in Washington, DC, and
then at Goodwin, Procter LLP in Boston, MA, after graduation from
University of Chicago Law School and Bryn Mawr College. She is
a former board member and chair of the Massachusetts Foundation
for the Humanities and was a Radcliffe College Public Policy Fellow
during 1997-1999. Among other activities, Ms. Leftwich currently
serves as President of the Board of National History Day and is
a member of the Board of Advisers of the National Conference on
Citizenship, the Standing Committee on Gavel Awards of the American
Bar Association, and the Board of Trustees of Wells College in
Aurora, New York.
Leftwich earned her law degree from University of Chicago Law
School. She presently resides in Washington, D.C. and Charlottesville,
Virginia with her husband.
Contact Gail Leftwich: GLeftwich@Newshour.org
The
Staff of the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
Our Facilities
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions - Main Office
2700 Quincy St., Suite 250
Arlington, Virginia 22206
703-998-2170
Production Studio
WETA-TV
3620 S. 27th Street
Arlington, Virginia 22206
Denver Production Center
2400 Ulster Street
Denver, Colorado 80238
West Coast News Bureau (San Francisco)
2601 Mariposa Street
San Francisco, California 94110
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