NewsHour viewers remember Robert MacNeil

Journalist Robert MacNeil, who co-founded the program that became the “PBS NewsHour,” died April 12 at the age of 93.

After the success of their 1973 gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings, MacNeil and Jim Lehrer co-created a TV news show that became a mainstay on PBS. MacNeil stayed with the show, initially known as “The Robert MacNeil Report,” until 1995. For two decades, the longtime co-anchor guided viewers through major news events with his in-depth coverage, passionate storytelling and creative wordsmithing.

We asked people to share their memories and thoughts about MacNeil, often called “Robin” by those closest to him.

Here’s how viewers and former colleagues are remembering his life and legacy.

Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

“Thank you for including Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch in the memorial of Robert MacNeil. News impacts us all, and Robert MacNeil understood why and how.”

— Christopher of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania

“In college, I interned on the Hill for Sen. Sam Nunn, R-Ga. His advice to interns was to watch the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour every night, as he did. For over 30 years and counting, I followed that advice. I learned the value of serious news coverage and absorbed the culture of respectful debate on serious issues. A lifetime of education thanks to Jim, Robert, Gwen, Judy and those who followed.”

— Dorothy of New York

“I was at an important job interview and it slipped out that I was an avid viewer of MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour … and sad MacNeil had just retired. As soon as I spoke, my interviewer lit up and remarked she also watched the show, nodding in agreement at my comment. More than any words we spoke, I felt that moment connected us and symbolized who were. And … I got the job.”

— Cheryl of Anaheim, California

“From my heart, I want to say thank you to Robert MacNeil for his cornerstone contributions to journalism, and his skill in serving it up to his audience. And for the respect he had for his audience. I hope dearly he will continue to inspire more talented and good people to this most crucial of professions. He made his mark, and I hope PBS and their peers continue to be worthy of it.”

— Doug of West Hartford, Connecticut

“Journalism at its best. MacNeil’s life’s work is a monument to the crucial social role of the media in a democracy. Farewell, Robert MacNeil.”

— Edgardo of New York

“Robert MacNeil was my introduction to news at age 18. He and Lehrer taught me what news should be and how it should be consumed. Thirty years later, those lessons still guide my choice of news and how well I’m able to naturally assess and analyze its credibility and quality. Thirty years later, MacNeil is still my first and only deeply trusted news source. Your influence is missed daily and remains a guiding news light.”

—Amelia of Houston, Texas

“Our whole family loved and appreciated Robert MacNeil’s calm, wise reporting of the news. We always felt like we were getting a measured and well-informed picture of what was happening in the larger world. His tone was never sensational or arrogant; rather, he projected a sense of respectful curiosity and appreciation of the complexity of life. He was also a fine writer. We are so grateful for his life and work.”

—Melissa of Comer, Georgia

“Robert MacNeil will be known, in part, as a newscaster who took the ‘sensation’ out of the news and looked behind the superficial to search for and often uncover the ‘whys’ and the ‘how.’ I always felt I could trust this guy.”

—Jerry of St. Paul, Minnesota

NBC NEWS — “1992 National Party Convention Coverage” — Pictured: (l-r) NBC News’ Tom Brokaw, PBS’ Robert MacNeil, PBS’ Jim Lehrer of “The MacNeil/Lehrer Report” join together for coverage of the 1992 Democratic and Republican Conventions — (Photo by: Ken ReganNBC News/NBCU Photo Bank)

“Jim Lehrer passed away in 2020. Now, Robert MacNeil passes.

I remember when I started watching them beginning in my early 20s and throughout their careers. I knew nobody else my age was interested in this type of news analysis but it seemed to me at the time to be a way of educating myself in news and use of language. It was much easier for me to listen to these guys than to sit and do school work and study, which required patience and discipline that did not come naturally to me.

I’m thankful for and owe a debt of gratitude for having had these guys in my life and the example they set as adults discussing difficult and complex topics. I learned a lot from both of them.

Having the opportunity to be exposed to Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil‘s collaborative partnership, their quiet, calm and humble personalities, along with what seemed to me to be a unique and thoughtful approach to presenting the news were important in my development and growth during my early 20s.”

—Toby of Skokie, Illinois

“I’m one of many people who had long careers in media starting with MacNeil/Lehrer. On a personal note, I’m grateful for a brief, handwritten card that Robin sent me in 1979, a few months after my internship ended. Back at college, I was invited as the ‘date’ to a Rhode Island school prom. The thought of two men trying to buy tickets to a prom was audacious enough to get the attention of the Associated Press. My parents were horrified to read about their gay son in the hometown newspaper. But that month, Robin sent me his card. ‘Dear Ed, see you’ve MADE the news. Vive la liberté.’ This gave my parents hope that their queer son was not a lost soul, and just possibly employable. Years later, I learned that Robin’s son, Ian, came out when he too was 20. Robin took the news in stride and later made a public expression of his love for his son. Robin was a decent, honorable man with a big heart, and I’ll always appreciate the enormous impact he made on my life.”

—Ed of Newport Coast, California

“I moved to Canada in 1977 from South Africa and Robert and Jim very quickly became my source of nightly news, as balanced, honest, open journalists and in addition, they oozed ’good peopleness,’ (my word). Maybe it was because Robert was Canadian, and I won’t hold it against him that he later became a U.S. citizen (smile). Ever since then, PBS NewsHour has been and remains my daily news. As time goes by, I feel ever more gutted as ‘my family’ moves on the greener pastures. For me, Jim, Robert and Gwen are still so much a part of you all. Even now, having lived in Mexico for going on 14 years, you guys are still in our home every evening. … Robert, thank you for setting the benchmark you did and for those who followed it. Keep on keeping on, with condolences, gratitude and thank you, Robert, for a wonderful life well lived.”

—Charles of San Carlos, Mexico

“I was a summer intern at the NewsHour in 1986, and remember it being the experience of a lifetime. The show was so highly respected. I remember Henry Kissinger coming in for an interview, and Desmond Tutu and Barbara Walters floating in to have dinner after the show. Robin’s grace, his love of language, his high standards and his desire to build a journalistic programme based on balance, accuracy and fairness always shone through. But what he taught me, most of all, was to believe that anything was possible. Anything. That summer opened up my eyes to what I might be able to become, it changed the course of my life. And for that, I will always be grateful. Rest in peace, dear Robin.”

—Rosemary of Ottawa, Canada

“I was with Robert from Watergate on, remember fondly his ‘Story of English’ series (and bought the book), and respect greatly what he and Jim brought to journalism, public television and the nation. He was hugely important and utterly splendid. Icon has become so overused, but he truly is one. Television and news are better (best, actually) because of him. And his legacy lives on. Bravo, Robert! Thank you! And rest in peace.”

—Jeanne of New York

“Among the finest memories of Robert McNeil I can remember was the coverage he and Jim Lehrer did during presidential conventions. Their ability to bring to the public unvarnished details of the proceedings was essential to understanding what elements produced candidates Apart from that, the tribute aired on April 12 gave viewers a greater sense of just how far-reaching influence he had on fair-minded people. His contributions will resonate for years.”

—Alan of Westhampton, New York

“I first encountered news on PBS through Robert MacNeil. I was in high school and discovering there was more to history, and current events, than the snippets in textbooks, and snapshots on network shows. It started me on a journey to major in English and history in college and a career in teaching. I remember using many items from Mr. MacNeil’s documentary on the development of English in my classes. I hoped I could inspire my students the way he inspired me. My family knew not to bother me when the Newshour was on. Both my children grew up with a healthy respect for the full story, and how to ask probing questions. I hope these traditions inspire students today — we will need them. Thank you Robert MacNeil, and thank you PBS.”

—Bonnie of Maine

“We found the MacNeil/Lehrer Report almost by accident, switching channels one evening back in 1976, and immediately were hooked — such sustained, respectful, informed discussion was to be found nowhere else. Robert MacNeil set the tone and modeled the standards every night, and we were very appreciative of what he showed was possible on TV news, but so rarely, rarely achieved. Thank you, Mr. MacNeil! Rest in peace.”

—Catherine of Ormond Beach, Florida

“Working for Robin was no picnic. He was a wordsmith, and his aspiration for his reporters was that we be wordsmiths, too. He demanded accuracy, a thoughtful, well-written backgrounder — akin to a New York Times analysis article; he wanted sharp questions, a strong pre-interview with the points the guests would make, and he rarely gave compliments. Excellence was the standard. When you heard ‘good job,’ you know you had gone above and beyond. Those of us in the New York office all venerated Robin and were a little afraid of Jim, who would famously find the crack in our reporting when we thought we’d done our best. I think we were all proud just to know Robin MacNeil. He instilled in us a pride in our mission to be fair, and keep the facts in front of the story.

Another Robinism: ‘D.T.Y.S.F.S.’ – ‘Don’t take yourself so f*****g seriously.’ It was on the top of his teleprompter every night, a reminder to lighten up from the smooth, urbane persona he presented. Robin was wicked funny, scary smart, and generous. I got hired as the ‘Minority Affairs’ reporter, and chafing at the box I was in, lobbied for more. One day, Robin asked me into his office and asked how I’d feel about covering the Middle East and U.S.-Soviet relations. That beat opened up a whole universe for me. I’ll never know what he saw in me, but I hope I have lived up to it.”

—June of New York

“I came to the U.S. as a child of a non-English-speaking, poor immigrant family. I attended inner-city schools where we all spoke ‘Spanglish.’ I happened to watch Robert MacNeil during the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour when I was in my 20s. Listening to him took my breath away. His demeanor was so classy and he spoke so eloquently. Up until then, I had only heard broken English around me. I was hooked and tried watching the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour as much as possible. Mr. MacNeil inspired me to learn about politics, the arts and business. Most importantly, he inspired me to expand my English vocabulary. This enabled me to not only interview for jobs that would have been completely out of my league but also gave me access to social circles outside my immigrant community. He holds a special place in my heart and I will miss him.”

—Gaby of Houston

“As he did with many New York families, Robert MacNeil spent many evenings with our family. Our children would report their own observations which reflected their familiarity with Jim and Robin, like my two-year-old nephew exclaiming, ‘Hey look Mom, Jim got a haircut!’ We trusted their dignified, honest, thoughtful and unbiased reporting.

I ran into Robin on 77th Street a couple of times after he passed the NewsHour torch…thoughtfully leaving it in such good hands. He was always gracefully willing to be engaged in conversation. One such occasion was the eve of his departure, as he announced he was ‘heading home to Nova Scotia.’ I shared that my favorite spot there was a granite outcrop called Peggy’s Cove, where my daughter, brother and I had shared an intimate encounter with pilot whales at sunset. He revealed that that same slab was where his father had proposed to his mother, Peggy.

I’m sure many feel, as we do, like we’ve lost a family member, one we were so grateful to have at our dinner table.”

—Joan of Cape Cod, Massachusetts

“I literally grew up watching Robert MacNeil. As a child, I watched his coverage with Jim Lehrer of the Watergate hearings. Then I watched Robert MacNeil almost continuously – really every weeknight – on the Robert MacNeil Report, the MacNeil/Lehrer Report, and, of course, the NewsHour. Looking back, it truly was a golden age of TV news reporting and journalism and he made it golden. One moment sticks out from my memory and veteran MacNeil viewers will surely remember it. When Ronald Reagan became president in 1981, it was apparent that he and his administration had very little interest in nuclear arms control and disarmament. … Into that atmosphere of fear and intimidation, Robert MacNeil spoke for all of us when he confronted Ken Adelman, one of the administration’s military hawks, about the administration’s intransigence on the issue. Adelman clearly did not like being challenged on air. One must bear in mind that in those days journalists and reporters rarely, if ever, dared to challenge members of the establishment. Sadly, they still do. To me, Mr. MacNeil was extraordinary and will always be in the firmament of TV news, yet I felt he not only spoke to his viewers but for them. He will be sorely missed and he can never be replaced. Robert MacNeil, RIP.”

—Christopher of New York

“Having started to watch the half-hour version of the news [that] would become the NewsHour in college I can remember very clearly the moment in 1983 when it became a full hour. I had already been convinced earlier that it was an amazing show because of the mix of Jim Lehrer as a politically savvy kind of street fighter for truth in Washington, and Robin as a kind of visionary literate generalist, who could put in context the new stories covered by the rest of the reporters and make it feel very personal. He had a kind of a passion for understanding the world that really was communicated to me over those many hours I spent listening. I never stopped and now all these decades later I still listen to the news every night to try to understand the context of the world, and I think a lot of my understanding of the international and Washington scene came from the incredibly deep conversations that Robin and Jim had over the years. I can remember enjoying equally well ‘The Story of English’ and’ I Speak American’ — both series I watched because Robin had touched me in the news context — as I continued to listen and be impressed by his passion for the things he loved. He made me appreciate being an American in a way I’ve never felt before. He’ll be greatly missed, but I’m so happy that the news tradition has continued to put things in context and to make our life a little richer through the efforts that know are underappreciated and underfunded, but not by its audience, which happily has included me all of my adult life.”

—Charles of New Haven, Connecticut

121242 02: (NO NEWSWEEK – NO USNEWS) Governor Bill Clinton (D-AR) and former California governor Jerry Brown speak with news anchor Robert MacNeil during a taping of the MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour April 1, 1992 in New York City. Clinton defeated Brown and other Democratic contenders for the party’s nomination and went on to defeat incumbent Republican George Bush in the presidential election. (Photo by Cynthia Johnson/Liaison)

“It’s hard to add anything to the tributes by PBS colleagues yesterday, which were so beautiful and meaningful. But his legacy (and Jim Lehrer’s) is evident each day when I watch NewsHour. His high standards, intelligence, and thoroughness allowed his audience to be well-informed as well as wanting to learn more about each story. In a world where egos can often dominate the news, his soft, low-key delivery was very welcome. He will certainly be missed but we’re so fortunate that the anchors and reporters for NewsHour have learned his lessons well. May his family and friends find some comfort in a life well lived.”

—Joseph of Greensboro, North Carolina

“My heart swelled when I heard Mr. MacNeil passed away. … I was impassioned Mr. MacNeil’s Canadian identity was brought up in the excellent tribute to him on your program yesterday, April 12, not only because I am Canadian, but also because it showed once more how his signature to the Newshour still lives on. Mr. MacNeil, and Mr. Lehrer, always brought to the air a complete and thorough picture of any event, so much so that I rarely have been left with a question hanging on my mind after any episode. I find that to be his legacy to the NewsHour, that the work and product of reporting is so complete and honest that little is left to doubt. The NewsHour crew since he left, and since Mr. Lehrer left, carry that badge up to today, and I thank you all ever so much for this. I watch your program and I still rarely have a question left hanging in limbo: all have been answered.

To that, I salute Mr. MacNeil and his family and friends. My condolences to all of them. My condolences to everyone at the Newshour, it must be a most solemn day. But fret not, the Canadian Scottish in Mr. MacNeil will pop up many a times in your minds and put a smile on your face, I am sure. Thank you.”

—Guy of San Jose, California

“I had tears streaming down my face at the lovely testimonials for Robert MacNeil from the NewsHour on Friday.

I have been watching the NewsHour since 1984 when I lived in the US 1983-1992. I returned to Australia in 1992 and have been watching again the last several years as it is rebroadcast on one of our national broadcasters called SBS. I now have the NewsHour on my phone so I can watch it at any time. We don’t have anything like the NewsHour in Australia so I appreciate the show very much.

I think what I appreciated most about Robert MacNeil was his intelligence: he was able to operate on any level that the person he was talking to operated on. I particularly enjoyed his razor-sharp sense of humour. The magic fairy dust, as Judy Woodruff called it, of the very obvious chemistry and synergy between Robert and Jim Lehrer elevated the show to a completely new level. I hope that the NewsHour continues in their very high standard of quality journalism.”

—Alan of Ballarat, Australia