Journalist Jim Lehrer: The NewsHour

Dialogue presents a discussion with the anchor for PBS's The Newshour With Jim Lehrer. Marcia Franklin sat down with Lehrer when he visited Boise as the featured speaker for the Idaho Humanities Council's 10th Annual Distinguished Humanities Lecture and Dinner.

In his conversation with Franklin, the NewsHour anchor and executive editor talks about the influences that have helped shape him as a journalist and his passion for writing. Lehrer is the author of 16 novels, an award-winning journalist, moderator for 10 nationally televised presidential debates, and winner of the 1999 Presidential Humanities Medal.

Originally aired: 11/23/2006

Mr. Lehrer's Journalistic Guidelines:

• Do nothing I cannot defend.
• Cover, write and present every story with the care I would want if the story were about me.
• Assume there is at least one other side or version to every story.
• Assume the viewer is as smart and as caring and as good a person as I am.
• Assume the same about all people on whom I report.
• Assume personal lives are a private matter until a legitimate turn in the story absolutely mandates otherwise.
• Carefully separate opinion and analysis from straight news stories and clearly label everything.
• Do not use anonymous sources or blind quotes except on rare and monumental occasions. No one should ever be allowed to attack another anonymously.
• I am not in the entertainment business.