Moyers returning to public television in January with weekly show

Starting in January, veteran newsman Bill Moyers will provide a fully funded, hourlong weekly program — Moyers & Company — to public television stations.

"There will be a diversity of voices," Moyers told stations in a letter today (Aug. 22), "one-on-one interviews with lively minds rich in experience and insight, as well as an exchange of views among people who may disagree on politics, governance, faith, religion and the state of democracy, but who nonetheless agree on the importance of a civil dialogue about their differences."

The aim, he said, is to offer viewers "some different news, some new voices and fresh thinking, and an occasional cultural grace note." American Public Television will distribute the series and New York's WNET, Moyers' longtime home base, will be the presenting station.

Content will be distributed across platforms to better reach new audiences. Stations also will receive customized promos, tools for local underwriting, and streaming content for websites.

Moyers was in talks in April with PBS for distribution of a series, which PBS ultimately declined. Network President Paula Kerger told Current in May, "He needed us to guarantee that we could give him another common carriage position on Friday night, and we can't quite do that yet." She added, "I certainly want Bill Moyers on public broadcasting, for sure."

Moyers said he will provide details in November at the American Public Television Fall Marketplace in Memphis, where he will deliver the keynote address.