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Brian Lamb

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Not to be confused with the former editorial director of GizmodoBrian Lam.
Brian Lamb
Lamb in 2012
Born
Brian Patrick Lamb

(1941-10-09)October 9, 1941(age 82)
Lafayette, Indiana,U.S.
Alma materPurdue University(BA)
Known forFoundingC-SPAN
Spouse
Victoria Martin
​
(m.2005)​
Awards
Military career
Service/branchUnited States Navy
RankLieutenant
UnitUSSThuban
Battles/warsVietnam War

Brian Patrick Lamb(/læm/;born October 9, 1941)[1]is an American journalist. He is the founder, executive chairman, and the now-retiredCEOofC-SPAN,an Americancable networkthat provides coverage of theU.S. House of RepresentativesandU.S. Senateas well as other public affairs events. In 2007, Lamb was awardedPresidential Medal of Freedomby PresidentGeorge W. Bushand received theNational Humanities Medalthe following year.

Prior to launching C-SPAN in 1979, Lamb held various communication roles including that of atelecommunications policystaffer for theWhite Houseand as the Washington bureau chief forCablevisionmagazine. He also served as a commissioned officer in theUnited States Navyfor four years. Lamb has conducted thousands of interviews, including those on C-SPAN'sBooknotesandQ&A,where he was known for his unique interview style that focused on short, direct questions.

Early life and education[edit]

On October 9, 1941, Lamb was born inLafayette, Indiana,and lived there until he was 22 years old.[2]Growing up, he wanted to be an entertainer and spent time as adisc jockeyand as adrummerin many local bands.[3][4]Lamb showed an early interest in television and radio, starting his first radio job atWASK (AM)—a local station in Lafayette—at the age of 17.[5]His job at the radio station gave him the opportunity to interview musicians includingLouis Armstrong,Duke Ellington,Nat King Cole,Count Basie,andThe Kingston Triowhile he was still in high school.[3]

After graduating fromJefferson High School,Lamb attendedPurdue University.There, he was a member ofPhi Gamma Deltaand graduated in 1963 with aBachelor of Artsinspeech.[1][6][7]During his junior year at the college in 1961, he coordinated a television program titledDance Datethat was similar toDick Clark'sABCseries,American Bandstand.[4]

Military service[edit]

Following his graduation, Lamb was accepted into theNavy'sOfficer Candidate School.Upon completion of his training, he served 18 months on theattack cargo shipUSSThuban,and then moved to the Pentagon where he served in the audio/visual office of theAssistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs.Lamb took up this role midway through theVietnam Warand, in addition to handling queries from radio and television networks,[8]he attended press briefings withDefense SecretaryRobert McNamara.[9]

In July 1967, followingriots in Detroit,Lamb was sent there tasked with providing recordings of news conferences ofGovernorGeorge W. Romneyof Michigan for theWhite House Situation Room.[4]He also served as aWhite House social aidetoLyndon B. Johnson,escortingLady Bird Johnsondown the aisle at the wedding ofChuck RobbandLynda Johnson.He later recalled, "For five years after I got out of the Navy and went back part of the time to Indiana, the only thing I was known to have ever done in my life was to escort Mrs. Johnson down the aisle."[4]Lamb spent a total of four years in the U.S. Navy and was ajunior grade Lieutenantat the time he left.[8]He later said that his time in the U.S. Navy was "probably the most important thing I’ve ever done".[4]

Early career[edit]

In December 1967, following his Navy service, Lamb's interest in politics led him to interview for the role of personal aide toRichard Nixonduring his campaign for the1968 presidential election,but, instead, he chose to return to Indiana. In August 1968, after working at a local television station in Lafayette, he spent ten weeks working for a group called "United Citizens forNixon–Agnew".[10]Following the campaign, he worked as a reporter forUPI Audioand, in 1969, becamepress secretaryfor SenatorPeter H. Dominick.[11][12]Afterwards, Lamb became an assistant for media and congressional relations toClay T. Whitehead,then the director of the White HouseOffice of Telecommunications Policy.[12][13]

After the White House, Lamb returned to journalism as the editor of a biweekly newsletter entitled,The Media Report.[12][14]While editingThe Media Report,he also became the Washington bureau chief of trade magazineCablevision[15][16]for four years,[17]covering telecommunications issues.[18]During this time, he developed his idea of creating a public affairs-oriented cable network.[19]

C-SPAN[edit]

Main article:C-SPAN
SenatorRobert Byrd(right) flipping the switch for C-SPAN2 with Lamb and then-president of C-SPAN Paul FitzPatrick in 1986

In 1977, Lamb submitted to cable television executives a proposal for a nonprofit channel that would broadcast official proceedings ofCongress.[20]He later said, "The risks weren't very significant. No one knew who I was. If I failed, so what?"[1]The idea was approved in December 1977 and theCable Satellite Public Affairs Networkwas created as a private nonprofit business with a board of cable-operating company executives, funded by affiliate fees from cable companies.[21][22]At its launch the network had a staff of four employees, including Lamb, and an annual budget of $450,000. The first broadcast occurred on March 19, 1979, with live coverage of the first televisedHouse of Representativesfloor debate.[3][23]

By 2010, C-SPAN reached over 100 million households,[22]and the network employed 275 individuals inWashington D.C.and at its archives inWest Lafayette.[21]Its coverage includes a variety of public affairs programming, including presidential press conferences and Senate hearings, in addition to its gavel-to-gavel coverage of the House and Senate.[24]As of 2011,C-SPAN consists of three networks: C-SPAN, C-SPAN2 and C-SPAN3 plus a radio station, with more than 170,000 hours of C-SPAN footage available online via theC-SPAN Video Library.[2][25]Lamb is the former CEO and president of C-SPAN, and now serves as executive chairman of its board of directors.[3][26][27][28]He has described the network as "in every single way, the antithesis of commercial television".[4]

In March 2012, Lamb announced his plan to step down as CEO, handing control over to Rob Kennedy and Susan Swain.[26]

Hosting and interview style[edit]

Lamb (last on right) in a panel discussing the first use of asatelliteforcable television

On C-SPAN, Lamb hostedWashington Journal,Booknotes,and continues to hostQ&A,[26]and through these programs has become known for his distinctive interview style.[29]According to him, he learned the basics of broadcasting and interviewing from his high school broadcasting teacher, Bill Fraser,[3]who taught him to "stay out of the way" while he conducted interviews.[3]

Lamb does not discuss his own political views.[30]

According toThe Advocate,his style of interviewing is "Spartan",[31]and he has stated: "Too many interviewers intrude too much.… They try to make us think they're smarter than the person they're interviewing. Well, I assume I'm not smarter and if I am smarter I don't want the audience to find out."[3]

Booknotes[edit]

Lamb (middle) with co-CEOsSusan Swainand Rob Kennedy

In his 35 years at C-SPAN, Lamb has conducted thousands of interviews,[2]including 801 editions ofBooknotes,a weekly program he hosted focusing on nonfiction books.[1]

[14][32]His firstBooknotesinterview was broadcast on April 2, 1989,[27]and the final program aired on December 4, 2004.[17]Over the course of the program, Lamb's interviewees included authors, politicians, and world leaders includingGeorge H. W. Bush,George W. Bush,Jimmy Carter,Bill Clinton,Mikhail Gorbachev,Richard Nixon,Colin Powell,Christopher HitchensandMargaret Thatcher.[27][33]

The program's format was described in its tagline, "One author, one book, one hour",[34]and Lamb has stated that he spent an average of 20 hours reading and preparing for each interview,[1]though by some counts he spoke for less than five minutes over the course of each program.[35]

Lamb published five books based onBooknotesinterviews, each a collection of essays written from transcripts of his interviews with authors.[35][36]The books focus on writing, biographies of figures from American history, American history stories, "American character" and the life ofAbraham Lincoln,respectively.[17][36][37]

AfterBooknotesended, Lamb began hosting a new program titledQ&A,featuring interviews with figures from politics, technology, education, and media, as well as authors.[16][27][38]He also continued to hostWashington Journal,C-SPAN's morning call-in program, until 2008.[27][39]

In 2011, Lamb donated his collection of books from theBooknotesseries, many containing his personal marginalia, to the rare books collection ofGeorge Mason Universityto create an academic archive.[40]

Issues[edit]

As CEO of C-SPAN, Lamb was involved in issues related to ensuring public access to the proceedings of the federal government and also to increasing media access to legislative and judicial proceedings. Lamb opposed the "must-carry"provisions of theCable Television Protection and Competition Actof 1992, which he later stated, had led to 10 million Americans losing or experiencing reduced access to C-SPAN.[41][42]In 1998, he wrote to theHouse Committee on Energy and CommerceandSenate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,arguing against digital must-carry legislation.[39][43]During theimpeachment of President Clinton,Lamb wrote to then-Senate Majority LeaderTrent Lott,urging the Senate to "keep this process open to the public" and formally requesting permission for televised coverage of the Senate's deliberations.[44]In addition, he has written to House Speakers of both parties in 1994, 2006 and 2010, requesting that independent media cameras be added to the House floor to allow a more complete view of debates.[45][46]Lamb has also written to chief justices Rehnquist and Roberts requesting the televising oforal argumentsbefore theSupreme Court of the United States[47][48]and other federal courts.[13][49]

Personal life[edit]

Lamb (left),Jerry Coleman,andBeau Bridgesreceiving theLone Sailor Awardin 2011

Lamb has spent most of his life inWashington, D.C.,[17]and currently lives with his wife, Victoria, inArlington, Virginia.[14]He married Victoria Martin in September 2005.[19]The couple met in grade school atSt. Mary's Cathedraland had dated in Washington, D.C., in the 1970s, later restarting their relationship in 1998.[29][50]

Lamb has never been a member of a political party, though he did work for the RepublicanNixon–Agnewcampaign in 1968.[17]He is not registered as aDemocratorRepublican.He has voted for candidates across the political spectrum during presidential elections.[51]In an interview Lamb stated he has "been listening to both sides so long that I don't know what I think anymore."[20]

The late writerChristopher Hitchensdedicated his 2005 biography ofThomas Jeffersonto Lamb; on the title page appear the words, "For Brian Lamb... a fine democrat as well as a good republican, who has striven for an educated electorate".[52]

Awards and recognition[edit]

George W. Bushcongratulates Lamb (left) and his wife during the presentation of thePresidential Medal of Freedom

Lamb has received numerous honors and awards for his work at C-SPAN. He was inducted into the2000 Cable Hall of Fameat the Syndeo Institute at the Cable Center.[53]Lamb was the recipient of theNational Press Club's Fourth Estate Award in 2002.[54]The following year, he was awarded theNational Humanities Medal,[55][56]the Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Award,[9]and The Media Institute's Freedom of Speech Award.[6]

In November 2007, Lamb received thePresidential Medal of Freedom—the highest civilian award in the United States—from then PresidentGeorge W. Bushfor his work at C-SPAN;[24][57]the White House announcement stated that Lamb had received the award for his "dedication to a transparent political system and to the free flow of ideas".[58][59][60]In September 2011, Lamb received The Lone Sailor award from theU.S. Navy Memorial,recognizing individuals who begin their careers in the Navy, and to have gone on to have had "exceptional civilian careers".[8]

In addition, he has received a number of communications-related awards, including the Manship Prize for Exemplary Use of Media and Technology fromLouisiana State University's Manship School of Mass Communication,[31]and theAl NeuharthAward for Excellence in the Media.[14]In 2011, he was awarded the Gaylord Prize for Excellence in Journalism sponsored by theGaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communicationat theUniversity of Oklahoma,[11][61]and was named as one ofLibrary of American Broadcasting's 2011 "Giants of Broadcasting".[16]

Lamb has received multiple honorary doctorates, including one from his alma mater,Purdue University.[6][62]Purdue also awarded him its Distinguished Alumni Award in 1987, with the university later renaming its communications department as the Brian Lamb School of Communication in 2011.[6][63]In 2015, Lamb was awarded an honorary doctorate fromGettysburg College.[64]In 1997, Lamb received The Lincoln Forum'sRichard Nelson CurrentAward of Achievement.[65]

Bibliography[edit]

In addition to his five books based onBooknotesinterviews, Lamb has written a book withRichard Norton Smithabout the gravesites of American presidents,Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb? A Tour of Presidential Gravesites,[66]and a companion book to a series of C-SPAN interviews with Supreme Court justices,The Supreme Court: A C-SPAN Book, Featuring the Justices in their Own Words.

A complete list of his published works:

  • C-SPAN: America's Town Hall(1988) Washington, DC: Acropolis Books.ISBN0-87491-889-8.
  • Booknotes: America's Finest Authors on Reading, Writing, and the Power of Ideas(1997) New York:Random House.ISBN978-0-8129-3029-0.
  • Booknotes Life Stories: Notable Biographers on the People Who Shaped America(1999) New York:Times Books.ISBN978-0-8129-3339-0.
  • Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb? A Tour of Presidential Gravesites(1999) withRichard Norton SmithandDouglas Brinkley.Washington, DC:National Cable Satellite Corp.ISBN978-1-8818-4607-9.OCLC229172738.
  • Booknotes: Stories from American History(2001) New York:PublicAffairs.ISBN978-0-1420-0249-0.
  • Booknotes: On American Character(2004) New York:PublicAffairs.ISBN978-1-5864-8342-5.
  • Abraham Lincoln: Great American Historians on Our Sixteenth President(2008) Brian Lamb and Susan Swain,PublicAffairs,New York City.ISBN978-1-58648-676-1.
  • The Supreme Court: A C-SPAN Book, Featuring the Justices in their Own Words(2010) Brian Lamb and Susan Swain,PublicAffairs.ISBN1-58648-835-X

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdePeter Meredith (31 October 2005)."Playing It Straight".U.S. News & World Report.Archived fromthe originalon 22 February 2012.Retrieved16 November2011.
  2. ^abcAbe Aamidor (25 May 2008)."Q&A Brian Lamb Founder, CEO of C-SPAN".The Indianapolis Star.p. I12.
  3. ^abcdefgDon Freeman (5 February 1989)."Good interviews are Brian Lamb's style".The San Diego Union-Tribune.pp. TV week 6.Retrieved15 February2012.
  4. ^abcdef"Changing the Channel".National Endowment for the Humanities.24(2): 14+. March–April 2003.ISSN0018-7526.Archived fromthe originalon April 1, 2003.RetrievedApril 1,2003.
  5. ^Kevin Cullen (27 July 2002)."Legend's Lafayette ties strong".Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN).Retrieved15 February2012.
  6. ^abcd"Purdue Names School of Communication for C-SPAN Founder".States News Service. 8 April 2011.Retrieved15 February2012.
  7. ^"Famous Alumni".purduegreeks.Purdue Interfraternity Council. Archived fromthe originalon 5 September 2008.Retrieved28 February2012.
  8. ^abcJoshua Stewart (6 June 2011)."C-SPAN founder among Lone Sailor awardees".Navy Times.Retrieved15 February2012.
  9. ^abAaron Barnhart (3 May 2003)."Win like a lamb; C-SPAN remains a reliable source thanks to founder's fair approach".Kansas City Star.Retrieved15 February2012.
  10. ^Lou Prato (September 1992)."The Man Behind C-SPAN".American Journalism Review.Archived fromthe originalon 2013-06-03.Retrieved8 December2011.
  11. ^abJames S. Tyree (9 November 2011)."OU honors C-SPAN founder with Gaylord Prize".The Norman Transcript.Archived fromthe originalon 30 January 2013.Retrieved9 November2011.
  12. ^abc"Mr. Brian Lamb's Bio".The Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Award Foundation. Archived fromthe originalon 20 January 2012.Retrieved8 December2011.
  13. ^abMaureen Groppe (15 June 2008)."C-SPAN founder's life is an open book".The Indianapolis Star.Retrieved15 February2012.
  14. ^abcd"C-SPAN Founder, Chairman And CEO Brian Lamb To Receive Al Neuharth Award At USD On Oct. 6".University of San Diego. Targeted News Service. 23 August 2011.Retrieved15 February2012.
  15. ^Jane E. Kirtley (Winter 2008)."Founding Father: How C-SPAN's Brian Lamb Changed Politics in America".Journalism and Mass Communications Quarterly.Retrieved15 February2012.
  16. ^abc"Williams, Amanpour, Lamb, Join LAB Giants".TVNewsCheck.11 September 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 5 February 2013.Retrieved9 November2011.
  17. ^abcdeFrank J. Prial (4 December 2004)."After Many Million Pages, 'Booknotes' Ends Its Run".The New York Times.Retrieved15 February2012.
  18. ^"The Top 100: Brian Lamb, C-SPAN Founder".Irish America.31 May 2005. p. 94.Retrieved15 February2012.
  19. ^abBob Kemper (9 May 2009)."Brian Lamb: An Outsider Inside Washington".Washington Examiner.Retrieved9 November2011.[permanent dead link]
  20. ^ab"Pure Politics".Scene.17 June 1993. p. SC1.Retrieved15 February2012.
  21. ^abThomas Heath (18 September 2011)."Value Added: A 46-Year Career Built on Letting Viewers Make Up Their Own Minds".Washington Post.Retrieved20 December2011.
  22. ^abPaul Bedard (22 June 2010)."Brian Lamb: C-SPAN Now Reaches 100 Million Homes".usnews.Retrieved15 February2012.
  23. ^"A C-SPAN kind of man: Brian Lamb is a mirror of his creation".The Baltimore Sun.5 March 2001. pp. 1E.Retrieved15 February2012.
  24. ^ab"Lamb opened government with C-SPAN".Journal and Courier.3 November 2007.Retrieved15 February2012.
  25. ^"Our Mission".c-spanvideo.org.C-SPAN.Retrieved20 December2011.
  26. ^abcStelter, Brian (March 18, 2012)."C-Span Founder to Step Down as Chief Executive".The New York Times.RetrievedMar 11,2013.
  27. ^abcde"Don't worry, Brian Lamb fans. C-SPAN founder still aboard despite net's new presidents".The Associated Press.4 December 2006.Retrieved14 February2012.
  28. ^Anchor: Linda Wertheimer, Reporter: Mary Ann Akers (19 March 1999)."C-SPAN network celebrates its 20th year on the air quietly".All Things Considered.National Public Radio (NPR).Retrieved15 February2012.
  29. ^abDonald P. Myers (15 March 2004)."D.C. in a plain brown wrapper; When he started C-SPAN 25 years ago, Brian Lamb created 24-hour catnip for policy wonks, bookworms and the civic-minded".Newsday (New York).Retrieved15 February2012.
  30. ^Nick Gillespie (December 2010)."The Democratizer".Reason.Reason Magazine.Retrieved16 November2011.
  31. ^ab"Booknoteswas benefit for books ".The Advocate.11 December 2004.Retrieved15 February2012.
  32. ^Susan L. Rife (9 December 2001)."Slices of History; Excerpts from author interviews on C-SPAN's 'Booknotes' are compiled by host; Brian Lamb".Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Florida).Retrieved15 February2012.
  33. ^Nicholas A. Basbanes(27 July 1997)."C-SPAN founder finds a literary niche or authors on 'Bookends'".Sunday Telegram (Massachusetts).p. C5.Retrieved15 February2012.
  34. ^"About Booknotes".C-SPAN.Archived fromthe originalon 31 January 2009.Retrieved15 November2008.
  35. ^abEd Will (1 June 1998)."'Booknotes' a C-SPAN staple Authors, ideas attract the attention when Brian Lamb asks basic questions ".The Denver Post.p. F05.Retrieved15 February2012.
  36. ^abJoe Mysak (4 February 2009)."Lincoln's Ego, Wife, Prose Style Explored in Bicentennial Books".Bloomberg.Retrieved20 December2011.
  37. ^Laura Dempsey (18 November 2001)."C-SPAN Creator/Show Host Chronicles Events of America; Brian Lamb's love for books has resulted in four of his own".Dayton Daily News.Retrieved16 February2012.
  38. ^"About Q&A".C-SPAN.Retrieved27 November2014.
  39. ^ab"C-SPAN: The Other Washington Monument".TVNewsCheck.20 April 2010.Retrieved12 November2011.
  40. ^John Kelly (21 September 2011)."In Brian Lamb's 'Booknotes' marginalia, a record of our time's serious thoughts".TheWashington Post.Retrieved8 December2011.
  41. ^James Lardner (14 March 1994)."The Anti-Network".The New Yorker.Retrieved16 February2012.
  42. ^Brooks Boliek (29 May 1998)."Lamb: Digital Rule Could Bump Cable Net in Millions of Homes Cable".The Hollywood Reporter.Retrieved3 January2012.
  43. ^Christopher Stern (1 June 1998)."C-Span chief pans digital must-carry".Daily Variety.Retrieved16 February2012.
  44. ^James Warren (10 January 1999)."C-SPAN's Beltway Buddha Wisely Pushes for TV Coverage".Chicago Tribune.Retrieved9 November2011.[permanent dead link]
  45. ^Catalina Camia (15 November 2010)."C-SPAN asks GOP leader John Boehner for more camera access".USA Today.Retrieved3 January2012.
  46. ^Alex Weprin (15 November 2010)."C-SPAN to Incoming House Speaker John Boehner: Let Us Use Our Own Cameras to Cover Congress".TVNewser.Mediabistro. Archived fromthe originalon 18 September 2011.Retrieved3 January2012.
  47. ^"C-SPAN asks court to allow TV coverage".The Victoria Advocate.25 November 2000. p. 7A.Retrieved15 February2012.
  48. ^Michael McGough (14 November 2005)."Ardor in the Court".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.p. B7.Retrieved15 February2012.
  49. ^Paul M. Weyrich (30 March 2004)."Nice Guys Don't Always Finish Last".Human Events Online.Archived fromthe originalon 26 January 2013.Retrieved15 February2012.
  50. ^"Citations Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom".Picture caption.The White House: Official Site. 5 November 2007.Retrieved14 November2008.
  51. ^Mark Leibovich (11 July 2002)."Brian Lamb's Flock; The Unassuming C-SPAN Founder and Host Has a Faithful Audience".The Washington Post.Retrieved15 February2012.
  52. ^Hitchens, Christopher (2009).Thomas Jefferson: Author of America.Harper Perennial.Retrieved24 May2024.
  53. ^"Brian Lamb".Syndeo Institute At The Cable Center.Retrieved2024-06-07.
  54. ^"National Press Club to Honor Brian Lamb with Fourth Estate Award".U.S. Newswire.24 April 2002.Retrieved15 February2012.
  55. ^"National Humanities Medal".2002 Annual Report.National Endowment for the HumanitiesOfficial site. Archived fromthe originalon 17 January 2009.Retrieved15 November2008.
  56. ^Erin Smith (5 May 2003)."Adapting their skills to life".Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN).Retrieved15 February2012.
  57. ^"Citations Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom".The White House: Official Site. 5 November 2007.Retrieved13 November2008.
  58. ^Maureen Groppe (8 November 2007). "Brian Lamb receives medal of freedom". Gannett News Service.
  59. ^"Citations Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom".georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov.White House official website.Retrieved29 April2017.
  60. ^"An honorable recipient".The Washington Times.17 November 2007.Retrieved15 February2012.
  61. ^John Eggerton (13 September 2011)."Lamb Wins Gaylord Prize".Broadcasting & Cable.Retrieved16 February2012.
  62. ^"Plumeri to Class of 2011: Take Risks and Anything is Possible".States News Service.16 May 2011.Retrieved16 February2012.
  63. ^"Purdue naming new communications school after C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb, a Purdue alumnus".Associated Press. 4 September 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 19 January 2013.Retrieved9 November2011.
  64. ^Varner, Casey."Class of 2015: Preparing for the 180th Commencement".Gettysburg College.Retrieved5 June2015.
  65. ^The Lincoln Forum
  66. ^Robert Novak (31 January 2004)."CNN Saturday Morning News: The Novak Zone".CNN.Retrieved16 February2012.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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