Maury Povich

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half hour Archive 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. Beth Cochran conducted the interview (which includes a half-hour joint segment with Povich's wife, Connie Chung) on December 15, 2009 in New York, NY .

"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 ...
Maury Povich
Highlights
Maury Povich on covering JFK's assassination for radio
Maury Povich on covering the fall of the Berlin Wall on A Current Affair
Maury Povich on how A Current Affair got its name
Maury Povich on his talk show, Maury, at Universal
Maury Povich on the "Povich Rule"
Full Interview

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

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Maury Povich on meeting Rupert Murdoch and the plan for A Current Affair
Maury Povich on his initial thoughts on A Current Affair
Maury Povich on stories covered on A Current Affair, the show getting syndicated, and its huge ratings success
Maury Povich on sometimes being uncomfortable with the stories on A Current Affair
Maury Povich on the major stories covered on A Current Affair
Maury Povich on how A Current Affair got its name and the sound effects in the introduction
Maury Povich on how A Current Affair changed broadcast journalism and American culture
Maury Povich on leaving A Current Affair and getting his own talk show at Paramount
Connie Chung and Maury Povich on competing for interviews when Povich was on A Current Affair
Connie Chung and Maury Povich on Povich's favorite Chung story

Late Night with David Letterman

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

Criticism of TV

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Maury Povich on criticisms of his talk show Maury

Diversity in Television

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

JFK Assassination and Funeral

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Maury Povich on covering JFK's assassination for radio

John F. Kennedy

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Maury Povich on covering JFK's assassination for radio

Richard M. Nixon

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

Television Industry

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Maury Povich on Metromedia becoming FOX
Maury Povich on criticisms of his talk show Maury

Television and the Presidency

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Maury Povich on covering JFK's assassination for radio
Maury Povich on covering the Senate Committee Watergate Hearings for Panorama and launching political pundits on the program

Underrepresented Voices

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

Women

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

Anchor

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Maury Povich on his preference between hosting a talk show and anchoring news
Maury Povich on what makes a good news anchor

Hosts

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Maury Povich on his preference between hosting a talk show and anchoring news
Maury Povich on enjoying hosting Maury
Maury Povich on advice for aspiring talk show hosts

Journalists & News Producers

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Maury Povich on his preference between hosting a talk show and anchoring news
Maury Povich on what makes a good news anchor

Talk Show Host

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Maury Povich on his preference between hosting a talk show and anchoring news
Maury Povich on enjoying hosting Maury
Maury Povich on advice for aspiring talk show hosts
Genres

News and Documentary

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

Talk Shows

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Maury Povich on criticisms of his talk show Maury
Maury Povich on his talk show, Maury
People

Roger Ailes

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

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

Barry Diller

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

Phil Donahue

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

Don Hewitt

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

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

Jay Leno

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Connie Chung and Maury Povich on her off-pitch serenade

David Letterman

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

Tammy Faye Bakker Messner

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Maury Povich on the major stories covered on A Current Affair

Rupert Murdoch

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Maury Povich on meeting Rupert Murdoch and the plan for A Current Affair
Maury Povich on Rupert Murdoch believing he made Povich's career

Maury Povich

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Connie Chung and Maury Povich on how they met

Tom Shales

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

Tom Snyder

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

Brandon Tartikoff

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

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

All Interviews

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