Bill Moyers Journal Teams Up With Expose to Show How Earmarks Really Work

Bill Moyers Journal Teams Up With Expose to Show How Earmarks Really Work

Bill Moyers Journal to premiere new episodes of Expose: America's Investigative Reports monthly beginning February 22 on PBS

NEW YORK, Feb. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, February 22, Bill Moyers Journal and the Emmy award-winning PBS series Expose: America's Investigative Reports profiles Seattle Times reporters as they "follow the money," tracing millions of dollars worth of campaign contributions flowing to members of Congress, and billions in federal dollars flowing out of Congress in the form of "earmarks." Expose will premiere a new piece one Friday per month as part of Bill Moyers Journal, which airs Fridays at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings (http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/about/airdates.html)). Watch a preview (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SYhonCtpP4).

"We are glad to further its mission of broadening the reach of top-notch investigative journalism by airing Expose," said Bill Moyers. "This first segment on earmarks should resonate in this election season when candidates have been questioned about the practice."

The segment shows how a Seattle Times team led by reporter David Heath, who -- after analyzing a database he created based on thousands of government reports -- recognized a clear pattern. "Going though the names of the people giving ... campaign donations and where they work, I noticed the companies [were] ... getting earmarks," says Heath. "I knew at that point I had a story."

"This is the kind of story we've been bringing to our audience for two seasons," says Expose executive producer Tom Casciato. "It mixes shoe-leather reporting with sophisticated, journalistic data analysis, and we're excited it will be reaching a large new audience as part of Bill Moyers Journal."

"Expose has always presented the ways in which investigative journalism, at its best, is done. And with this new venture on Bill Moyers Journal, we can continue the mission to demonstrate that investigative journalism is substantive, important, and influential," says Stephen Segaller, Director of National Programming for Thirteen/WNET.

The segment also focuses on how earmarks for some products were added to the defense appropriations bill even in cases in which the military either rejected them, or didn't want them in the first place. In one case, a $4.65 million patrol boat the Coast Guard hadn't even asked for and decided it couldn't use was eventually given away by the Coast Guard to a California Sheriff's office. "They're selling a product to the military that they're not even using," says Heath.

While its pieces air on Bill Moyers Journal, Expose will continue to update and maintain its Web site, and information about the subject and segments will also be part of the Journal site. Both sites can be accessed at www.pbs.org. The segment will available for viewing in advance of the broadcast at www.pbs.org/expose.

Viewers can post questions for Seattle Times reporters after the broadcast at The Moyers Blog at www.pbs.org/moyers.

Expose: America's Investigative Reports is a production of Thirteen/WNET New York and is funded by Bernard and Irene Schwartz, the Park Foundation, Kingsford Capital Management, the Reva and David Logan Foundation, and Scott and Jennifer Fearon.

Bill Moyers Journal is a production of Public Affairs Television, Inc. Funders for Bill Moyers Journal include: the Partridge Foundation, a John and Polly Guth Charitable Fund; the Park Foundation, dedicated to heightening public awareness of critical issues; The Kohlberg Foundation; The Herb Alpert Foundation; Marilyn and Bob Clements and The Clements Foundation; Bernard and Audre Rapoport and The Bernard and Audre Rapoport Foundation; the Fetzer Institute; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Orfalea Family Foundation; the Public Welfare Foundation; and our sole corporate sponsor Mutual of America Life Insurance Company.

Bill Moyers Journal

PBS's critically acclaimed public affairs series Bill Moyers Journal stays on the news cycle and provides fresh alternative insights into our democracy. Viewers have come to expect signature interviews, produced reports, and analysis with an editorial focus on providing information not available in the mainstream media. On-air and online, the series delivers thoughtful perspective and context with a wide range of voices that help viewers be more engaged and informed citizens.

Contact:
Rick Byrne
Bill Moyers Journal
byrner@thirteen.org

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Bill Moyers Journal

CONTACT: Rick Byrne of Bill Moyers Journal, +1-212-560-8406,
byrner@thirteen.org

Web site:

http://www.pbs.org/expose
http://www.pbs.org/moyers

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