WASHINGTON -- May 23 -- Veteran PBS journalist will address Future of American Media Caucus on Tuesday

WHO: Bill Moyers

WHAT: Speech to the Future of American Media Caucus

WHEN: Tuesday, May 24, 2005, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

WHERE: Rayburn House Office Building, Room B354

DETAILS:

Bill Moyers, the former White House press secretary and host of numerous programs and series, including "NOW with Bill Moyers," will address the newly formed Future of American Media Caucus in a speech at the Rayburn House Office Building on Tuesday.

Moyers, whose investigative reporting has appeared on PBS for decades, is the recipient of more than 30 Emmy Awards, nine Peabody Awards, and two Polk Awards, including one for lifetime achievement. He will be speaking about the state of American media and what steps are needed to ensure a healthy, vibrant, diverse, and independent media.

Moyers' speech is sponsored by the Future of American Media Caucus, chaired by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.), which was organized to educate members of Congress and staff about media issues. The FAM Caucus currently has 19 members and is open to Republicans and Democrats "who believe in an accountable, diverse, fair and independent media."

Moyers' appearance on Capitol Hill follows his historic address to the National Conference for Media Reform on May 15, in which he spoke publicly for the first time about the recent controversy at PBS over recent actions by Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to eliminate "the perception of political bias" in PBS programs.

Video and audio of that speech is available at www.freepress.net/conference .

The full text of that speech is available at www.freepress.net/news/8120 .

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