Jim Lehrer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Lehrer
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Lehrer at the 2007 Texas Book Festival
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| Born |
James Charles Lehrer
May 19, 1934 Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
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| Died | January 23, 2020 (aged 85) Washington, D.C., U.S.
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| Education | Victoria College |
| Alma mater | University of Missouri |
| Occupation | Journalist, news anchor, author |
| Years active | 1959–2012 |
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Notable credit(s)
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PBS NewsHour The Dallas Morning News The Dallas Times Herald |
| Spouse(s) |
Kate Staples
(m. 1960) |
| Children | 3 |
| Military career | |
| Service/ |
 United States Marine Corps |
James Charles Lehrer (born May 19, 1934 – died January 23, 2020) was an American journalist and writer. He was best known as the main news anchor and editor for the PBS NewsHour on PBS. Jim Lehrer also became famous for leading many important U.S. presidential debates. He wrote many books, both stories and non-fiction, using his experiences as a journalist. He also wrote about his interests in history and politics.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jim Lehrer was born in Wichita, Kansas. His mother, Lois Catherine, was a bank clerk. His father, Harry Frederick Lehrer, managed a bus station. Jim went to middle school in Beaumont, Texas. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio. There, he was the sports editor for the school newspaper.
He earned an associate's degree from Victoria College. In 1956, he got a bachelor's degree in journalism. This was from the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri.
After college, Lehrer joined the United States Marine Corps. He served for three years as an infantry officer. He later said that his time in the Marines helped him see the world differently. It made him feel more connected to global events.
Journalism Career
In 1959, Jim Lehrer started his journalism career. He worked at The Dallas Morning News in Texas. Later, he became a reporter for the Dallas Times-Herald. He covered the sad event of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. He was a political writer for several years. In 1968, he became the city editor.
Lehrer began his television career at KERA-TV in Dallas. He was the Executive Director of Public Affairs. He also hosted and edited a nightly news program. He then moved to PBS in Washington, D.C. There, he became the Public Affairs Coordinator. He also joined the Journalism Advisory Board.
He worked as a correspondent for NPACT (National Public Affairs Center for Television). This is where he met Robert MacNeil. In 1973, they reported on the Senate Watergate hearings. They also covered the famous Watergate Tapes broadcast live on PBS. Lehrer also reported on the House Judiciary Committee's investigation into President Richard Nixon.
The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
In October 1975, Lehrer became the Washington correspondent for "The Robert MacNeil Report." This show was on Thirteen/WNET New York. Two months later, on December 1, 1975, he became a co-anchor. The show was then renamed "The MacNeil/Lehrer Report."
In September 1983, Lehrer and MacNeil launched a new show. It was called The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour. After MacNeil left in 1995, the program was renamed The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. In 2009, it became the PBS NewsHour.
Jim Lehrer had heart surgery in April 2008. Ray Suarez filled in for him as anchor. Lehrer returned to the show on June 26, 2008. He stepped down as the main anchor of the PBS NewsHour on June 6, 2011. However, he continued to lead the Friday news analysis parts. He also stayed involved with the show's production company.
Awards and Recognition
Jim Lehrer received many awards for his journalism. These included several Emmys. He also won the George Foster Peabody Broadcast Award. Other honors included a William Allen White Foundation Award. He also received the University of Missouri School of Journalism's Medal of Honor. In 2004, he was given an honorary Doctor of Journalism degree.
Presidential Debate Moderator
Jim Lehrer was very involved in U.S. presidential debates. He created documentaries called Debating Our Destiny in 2000 and 2008. These films showed parts of special interviews with many presidential candidates since 1976.
Journalist Bernard Shaw called him The Dean of Moderators. This means he was the most experienced debate leader. Lehrer led twelve presidential debates. These debates took place from 1988 to 2012. As of 2016, Lehrer was on the board of the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD).
His last debate was the first general election debate of 2012. He had said he would not moderate any debates after 2008. But the CPD asked him again, and he agreed. He was interested in the new debate format. This debate was held at the University of Denver. It focused on issues within the United States.
Lehrer's performance as a moderator received mixed reviews. He often let candidates speak longer than their time limits. Some people criticized this and his open-ended questions. However, others praised his style. They felt it allowed the candidates to control the debate more.
Personal Life and Hobbies
Jim Lehrer was married to Kate Lehrer for sixty years. She is also a writer. They had three daughters and six grandchildren. His father was a bus driver. Jim Lehrer himself loved buses. He collected bus items like depot signs, driver caps, and old toy buses. In college, he worked as a ticket agent for a bus company. He also supported bus museums in California and Pennsylvania.
Lehrer was a very active writer. He wrote many novels. He also wrote plays, movie scripts, and three personal memoirs. His book, Top Down, is a novel based on the events around the Kennedy assassination. His last play, Bell, was produced by the National Geographic Society. This was part of their 125th anniversary.
Death
Jim Lehrer passed away at his home in Washington, D.C. on January 23, 2020. He was 85 years old.
