Bill Moyers, legendary PBS journalist, 'Power of Myth' host, dies at 91

USA Today

4 hours ago

Bill Moyers, a former White House press secretary to Lyndon B. Johnson who became the thoughtful voice of public television, has died. He was 91.
Moyers died in a New York City hospital on June 26 following a "long illness" and complications from prostate cancer, his longtime friend Tom Johnson, the former CEO of CNN, confirmed. Tom Johnson was an assistant to Moyers during Lyndon Johnson's administration and said his former boss deserved a spot on the "Mount Rushmore of splendid journalists," with the likes of CBS's legendary Edward R. Murrow.
"In five decades of broadcast journalism, Bill reached the very highest standards of excellence in journalism. I believe he reached the same stature as Edward R. Murrow," Johnson tells USA TODAY. "He was one of President Johnson's most trusted advisors and in many ways was the son that LBJ never had."
Moyers won 35 Emmy Awards in his storied career, primarily for his work on PBS as host of "Frontline" and "Bill Moyers Journal." His career was punctuated by the 1988 landmark series, "Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth,' a series of six one-hour interviews with Campbell, the prominent mythologist and religious scholar. The accompanying book became a national bestseller, with both series popularizing Campbell's phrase, "Follow your bliss."
'Not only was Bill a journalist of the highest caliber, he played an essential role in the creation of PBS as a trusted aide to President Johnson," PBS chief Paula Kerger said in a statement. "It was my privilege to work closely with him for over three decades, and I was always inspired by the clarity of his vision and his unwavering commitment to the ideals that continue to inspire public media. Bill was always of service: as a journalist, a mentor, and a fierce champion for PBS. He fought for excellence and honesty in our public discourse and was always willing to take on the most important issues of the day with curiosity and compassion. While he will be greatly missed, we will continue to carry his legacy forward in service to the American people.'
Born Billy Don Moyers in Hugo, Oklahoma, on June 5, 1934, the son of a dirt farmer and truck driver, Moyers dropped the "y" from his first name when he took his first journalism job as a cub reporter at 16 in Marshall, Texas.
Moyers' career veered from Baptist minister to deputy director of the Peace Corps to Johnson's press secretary, a role he filled from 1965-67. Tom Johnson said Moyers played a pivotal role in shaping President Johnson's "Great Society" task forces and historic legislation. Moyers left Johnson's administration after growing disagreements with the President over America's escalating involvement in the Vietnam War.
In 1967, Moyers was a member of the Carnegie Commission on Educational Television that recommended the creation of a public broadcasting system. The report's recommendations led to the passage of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which authorized the establishment of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
As the publisher of the Long Island-based newspaper Newsday from 1967 to 1970, Moyers recruited legendary journalists such as Pete Hamill, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Saul Bellow, and led the paper to win two Pulitzer Prizes. "His time at 'Newsday' was quite remarkable," says Johnson.
Moyers was a senior news analyst and commentator for the "CBS Evening News" and chief correspondent for "CBS Reports."
Along with his Emmy wins, Moyers won two Alfred I. Dupont-Columbia University Awards, nine Peabody Awards and three George Polk Awards. Moyers also received the first-ever Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the American Film Institute. In 2013, Moyers officiated at the wedding of "Star Wars" creator George Lucas and CBS News reporter Mellody Hobson.
Moyers is survived by his wife and frequent producer, Judith Davidson Moyers, the president of their production company, and three children, among them the author Suzanne Moyers and author and TV producer William Cope Moyers.