COVERING WATERGATE: Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer reflect on PBS coverage of the Senate hearings

On Friday, May 17, 2013 PBS NewsHour presents a special report looking back at the scandal that transformed American politics and journalism and ultimately ended a presidency.  Forty years ago, in the summer of 1973, Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer led public broadcasting’s live coverage of the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities hearings on Watergate — co-anchoring all 250 hours of the proceedings.  The then unprecedented, gavel-to-gavel coverage transfixed the nation.

MacNeil and Lehrer recount their memories of some of the more gripping moments in the hearings and explain how the experience forged their friendship, their journalistic partnership and transformed the face of television journalism.

PBS NewsHour is also asking viewers to share their reflections of the hearings, its impact on their lives and their perception of government or the media. To partipate in this special online report, viewers can share their reflections in one of several ways:

• Join the Public Insight Network and fill out this form with your written memories or comments.
• Call our oral history hotline at (202) 599-4PBS and share your story with us in a voice mail message (limit 3 minutes).
• Send a tweet with the hashtag #CoveringWatergate

The PBS NEWSHOUR broadcasts each evening on your local PBS station (check local listings.)

For more information, contact:

Anne Bell
abell@newshour.org
(703) 998-2175
@AnneBell