Bill Moyers, Host of New Public Television Series Moyers & Company, Keynote Speaker at APT Fall Marketplace 2011

Public television veteran journalist to share views on public media and discuss his new series featuring interviews with people of differing opinions on topics ranging from politics and governance to faith and religion.

BOSTON (August 25, 2011) – The veteran public broadcaster Bill Moyers will be the keynote speaker at the annual APT Fall Marketplace in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, November 10. Moyers, who this week announced plans to release MOYERS & COMPANY, a new public television program in January 2012, will be speaking about the series and the state of journalism and public media. Moyers retired his series Bill Moyers Journal in May 2010; however, with the support of several of his long-time funders and a new grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, he has been working with his team at the independent production company, Public Affairs Television, to design a new broadcast that will be presented on public television by THIRTEEN for WNET and distributed by American Public Television.

One of the most prolific public broadcasting figures for more than 40 years, Moyers told stations this week that the new series MOYERS & COMPANY “will offer different news, some new voices and fresh thinking, and an occasional cultural grace note.” He added: “We will feature people we think you and your community will want to know. There will be a diversity of voices, one-on-one interviews with lively minds rich in experience and insight, as well as an exchange of views among people who may disagree… but who nonetheless agree on the importance of a civil dialogue about their differences.”

The format will feature at least two segments: “one timely and one timeless interview.” He intends to occasionally include an essay and has said that the look and feel of this new effort will present something “new and different” including the set, music and graphics.

Moyers, who has just published his seventh book Bill Moyers Journal: The Conversation Continues, will provide more in-depth information about the series as well as commentary about the state of public media at APT’s annual Marketplace meeting where public television station leaders and award-winning producers will gather to screen nearly 100 new programs. APT is a leading distributor of high-quality news, documentaries, how-to, travel, drama and other programs to the nation’s more than 350 public television stations. The new series carries a commitment from Moyers to “work with local public television stations to distribute the content through television, radio, the Web, apps and social media – in order to reach not only our long-time core audience but new audiences as well.”

A key member of the public media family, Moyers is known for such groundbreaking series as Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth (which will be offered to public television stations next year on the 25th anniversary of its original broadcast), A World of Ideas, On Our Own Terms, Moyers on Dying in America, Healing and the Mind, The Language of Life, NOW with Bill Moyers, and Bill Moyers Journal. Among his many award-winning investigative documentaries have been Facing the Truth (South Africa after apartheid), Capitol Crimes (the Jack Abramoff story) and Buying the War. He has also been a senior news analyst for CBS News and senior correspondent for the acclaimed documentary series begun by Edward R. Murrow, CBS Reports. His work has received more than 35 Emmys and Moyers was presented the Lifetime Emmy Award in 2006 for “devoting his lifetime to the exploration of the major issues and ideas of our time and our country, giving television viewers an informed perspective on political and societal concerns.”

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About APT
American Public Television (APT) has been a leading distributor of high-quality, top-rated programming to America’s public television stations since 1961. Since 2004, APT has distributed approximately half of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles. Among its 300 new program titles per year are prominent documentaries, news and public affairs programs, dramatic series, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies, including For Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots, A Ripple of Hope, Rick Steves' Europe, Newsline, Globe Trekker, John McLaughlin’s One on One, Inside Washington, Simply Ming, Travelscope, America's Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Lidia's Italy, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home, Murdoch Mysteries, Doc Martin, Rosemary & Thyme, BBC World News, The Rat Pack: Live and Swingin’, Johnny Mathis: Wonderful, Wonderful! and John Denver: The Wildlife Concert. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. In 2006, APT launched and nationally distributed Create® – the TV channel featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming. APT is also a partner in the WORLD™ channel expansion project including its web presence at WORLDcompass.org. For more information about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org. For more information on Create, visit CreateTV.com.

About WNET New York Public Media
WNET is America’s flagship public media outlet, bringing quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. The parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET produces such acclaimed PBS series as Great Performances, American Masters, Nature, Need to Know, Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Noah Comprende and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through SundayArts, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.