WHUT in Washington, D.C., just launched its first pledge drive in eight years. "Our attitude is that every dollar we raise through this drive is a dollar more than we had last year," says Jennifer Lawson, general manager.

"By default, documentary filmmakers are put in a dissident position because we are being critical of what's happening in the world," says film director Mark Achbar in the Washington Post.

Lehrer tells Brokaw, Jennings and Rather: "You guys are a hell of a lot more important than your bosses are willing to admit." During a seminar yesterday on political reporting, Lehrer scolded the big networks for sparse primetime coverage of the party conventions. PBS's senior newsman elaborates on Poynter Online: "Journalism organizations that say the conventions are not important are essentially saying the election of a president is not important."