Maury Povich

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In the two-hour solo portion of his interview, Maury Povich talks about his career in radio news before entering the world of television. He describes becoming the long-time host of the show Panorama, anchoring local news in Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and launching the syndicated news magazine A Current Affair. He speaks of A Current Affair's popularity, and leaving the program to host his own talk show at Paramount, The Maury Povich Show. He also discusses his more recent talk show, Maury, detailing production on the show, guests, and what he believes is the appeal of the program.

In the thirty-minute joint portion of their interview, Maury Povich and Connie Chung describe how they met, when they married, and what their favorite things are about each other. Beth Cochran conducted the interviews on December 15, 2009 in New York, NY.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I always believed that there was a simpatico with news and talk. I believe that if you did news, that gave you credibility to do a talk show. And a talk show gave you depth that a news anchor spot wouldn't."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Maury Povich on covering JFK's assassination for radio

01:43

Maury Povich on covering the fall of the Berlin Wall on A Current Affair

02:28

Maury Povich on how A Current Affair got its name

02:02

Maury Povich on his talk show, Maury, at Universal

01:16

Maury Povich on the "Povich Rule"

01:38

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on following his father (sportswriter for The Washington Post) around when he was young; on attending the University of Pennsylvania

On his first job in broadcast journalism; on writing for radio news; on transitioning to television and becoming a host on the show Panorama

On anchoring the news in Chicago; on the "Povich Rule"; on co-anchoring news in Los Angeles with future wife Connie Chung; on doing news and a talk show at KGO in San Francisco and moving back east to Philadelphia

On his preference between hosting a talk show and anchoring news; on returning to Panorama; on Metromedia becoming FOX; on meeting Rupert Murdoch and the plan for A Current Affair

Chapter 2

On stories covered on A Current Affair and the show getting syndicated; on stories that were off-limits on A Current Affair; on how A Current Affair got its name and the sound effects in the introduction

On how A Current Affair changed broadcast journalism and American culture; on leaving A Current Affair and his two subsequent talk shows: The Maury Povich Show and Maury

On the content on his talk shows; on how media savvy guests on his talk show are; on his viewing audience and production on Maury

On his proudest career achievement and how he'd like to be remembered

Chapter 3

START OF JOINT INTERVIEW WITH CONNIE CHUNG: On how they met; on Povich being second banana to Chung in Los Angeles; on getting married; on being competitive as journalists; on reactions when fans see them together; on her appearances on David Letterman's show; on Weekends with Maury and Connie

On working together; on her off-pitch serenade; on giving each other career advice; on Chung as a trailblazer; on Povich not caring what critics think; on their Flathead Beacon newspaper

On the Flathead Beacon newspaper; on Povich's favorite story about Chung; on Chung's favorite story about Povich

Shows

Current Affair, A

Maury Povich on meeting Rupert Murdoch and the plan for A Current Affair

04:22

Maury Povich on his initial thoughts on A Current Affair

03:19

Maury Povich on stories covered on A Current Affair, the show getting syndicated, and its huge ratings success

07:30

Maury Povich on sometimes being uncomfortable with the stories on A Current Affair

01:50

Maury Povich on the major stories covered on A Current Affair

05:41

Maury Povich on how A Current Affair got its name and the sound effects in the introduction

02:03

Maury Povich on how A Current Affair changed broadcast journalism and American culture

03:22

Maury Povich on leaving A Current Affair and getting his own talk show at Paramount

01:48

Connie Chung and Maury Povich on competing for interviews when Povich was on A Current Affair

01:20

Connie Chung and Maury Povich on Povich's favorite Chung story

01:45

Late Night with David Letterman

Connie Chung and Maury Povich on Chung's appearances on David Letterman's show

01:25

Connie Chung and Maury Povich on Povich's favorite Chung story

01:45

Topics

Criticism of TV

Maury Povich on criticisms of his talk show Maury

01:49

JFK Assassination and Funeral

Maury Povich on covering JFK's assassination for radio

01:43

John F. Kennedy

Maury Povich on covering JFK's assassination for radio

01:43

Representation on Television

Maury Povich on co-anchoring news in Los Angeles with future wife Connie Chung; on her start at CBS

02:42

Richard M. Nixon

Maury Povich on covering the Senate Committee Watergate Hearings for Panorama and launching political pundits on the program

01:49

Television Industry

Maury Povich on Metromedia becoming FOX

00:46

Maury Povich on criticisms of his talk show Maury

01:49

Television and the Presidency

Maury Povich on covering JFK's assassination for radio

01:43

Maury Povich on covering the Senate Committee Watergate Hearings for Panorama and launching political pundits on the program

01:49

Underrepresented Voices

Maury Povich on co-anchoring news in Los Angeles with future wife Connie Chung; on her start at CBS

02:42

Connie Chung and Maury Povich on Chung as a trailblazer

01:04

Women

Maury Povich on co-anchoring news in Los Angeles with future wife Connie Chung; on her start at CBS

02:42

Connie Chung and Maury Povich on Chung as a trailblazer

01:04

Professions

Anchor

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Maury Povich on his preference between hosting a talk show and anchoring news

02:34

Maury Povich on what makes a good news anchor

01:29

Hosts

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Maury Povich on his preference between hosting a talk show and anchoring news

02:34

Maury Povich on enjoying hosting Maury

00:45

Maury Povich on advice for aspiring talk show hosts

04:16

Journalists & News Producers

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Maury Povich on his preference between hosting a talk show and anchoring news

02:34

Maury Povich on what makes a good news anchor

01:29

Talk Show Host

View Profession

Maury Povich on his preference between hosting a talk show and anchoring news

02:34

Maury Povich on enjoying hosting Maury

00:45

Maury Povich on advice for aspiring talk show hosts

04:16

Genres

News and Documentary

Maury Povich on meeting Rupert Murdoch and the plan for A Current Affair

04:22

Maury Povich on his initial thoughts on A Current Affair

03:19

Talk Shows

Maury Povich on criticisms of his talk show Maury

01:49

Maury Povich on his talk show, Maury

13:24

People

Barry Diller

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Maury Povich on leaving A Current Affair and getting Barry Diller's wrath

01:02

Brandon Tartikoff

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Maury Povich on Paramount's Brandon Tartikoff's advice to him for The Maury Povich Show

01:17

Connie Chung

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Maury Povich on co-anchoring news in Los Angeles with future wife Connie Chung; on her start at CBS

02:42

Maury Povich on a chance to work with his wife, Connie Chung, on a half-hour access show which fell through

02:04

Connie Chung and Maury Povich on how they met

01:41

David Letterman

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Connie Chung and Maury Povich on Chung's appearances on David Letterman's show

01:25

Connie Chung and Maury Povich on Povich's favorite Chung story

01:45

Don Hewitt

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Maury Povich on Don Hewitt of 60 Minutes being a fan of A Current Affair

00:47

Donald J. Trump

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Maury Povich on Mikhail Gorbachev's planned meeting with Donald Trump, and how A Current Affair spoofed it

02:05

Jay Leno

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Connie Chung and Maury Povich on her off-pitch serenade

02:19

Jeffrey Katzenberg

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Maury Povich on a chance to work with his wife, Connie Chung, on a half-hour access show which fell through

02:04

Maury Povich

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Connie Chung and Maury Povich on how they met

01:41

Phil Donahue

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Maury Povich on what Phil Donahue added to the talk show format

00:37

Roger Ailes

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Maury Povich on Roger Ailes being hired to do research on his popularity and re-vamp his image

03:37

Rupert Murdoch

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Maury Povich on meeting Rupert Murdoch and the plan for A Current Affair

04:22

Maury Povich on Rupert Murdoch believing he made Povich's career

00:58

Tammy Faye Bakker Messner

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Maury Povich on the major stories covered on A Current Affair

01:51

Tom Shales

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Maury Povich on TV critic Tom Shales' unflattering critique of his talk show

01:49

Tom Snyder

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Maury Povich on his preference between hosting a talk show and anchoring news

01:07