CPB Statement on the Death of Robert MacNeil
April 12, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 12, 2024) – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), released the following statement from President and CEO Patricia Harrison regarding the death of Robert (Robin) MacNeil:
“The Corporation for Public Broadcasting mourns the passing of public media pioneer and journalistic icon Robin MacNeil, founding anchor of PBS’ daily evening news program, ‘The Robert MacNeil Report,’ which focused on a single issue each night. The show set the standard for trusted, in-depth, objective journalism that set public media apart and was the forerunner to today’s ‘PBS NewsHour,’ a program that continues to exemplify journalistic excellence.
“In his long and distinguished career, he covered the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 for NBC News; moderated PBS’ ‘Washington Week in Review’ from 1971-1974; won an Emmy Award for his coverage of the 1973 Watergate hearings on PBS; and teamed up with Jim Lehrer to start ‘The Robert MacNeil Report’ in 1975. After serving 20 years on the program, renamed ‘The MacNeil/Lehrer Report’ and then expanded to the 60-minute ‘MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour,’ he retired from anchoring in 1995. He later contributed to PBS coverage of the September 11, 2001, attacks for PBS and hosted a PBS miniseries ‘America at a Crossroads’ in 2007.
“Together with Jim Lehrer, Robin MacNeil was the recipient of many journalism and broadcasting awards, including CPB’s Ralph Lowell Medal.
“Robin’s professionalism, depth, and commitment to integrity set the tone for public television journalism and the trust it has with the American people. May his memory be a comfort to his family and all who knew him.”
About CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation authorized by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit cpb.org, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe for other updates.