Firing Line
Season 8
Firing Line was an American public affairs show founded and hosted by conservative William F. Buckley, Jr., founder and publisher of National Review magazine. Its 1,504 episodes over 33 years made Firing Line the longest-running public affairs show in television history with a single host. The erudite program, which featured many of the most prominent intellectuals and public figures in the United States, won an Emmy Award in 1969.
Where to Watch Season 8
27 Episodes
- How Much Protection for the Press?E21
How Much Protection for the Press?As Mr. Buckley frames the question, "When last heard from, Congress had before it 59 separate bills designed to provide 59 varieties of protection for newsmen." These "shield laws" were politically explosive; the Pentagon Papers and the leaks that prompted President Nixon to authorize the Plumbers had been front-page news for much of his Administration. - Democracy and Political ScandalE30
Democracy and Political ScandalIn Mr. Foot's previous appearance on Firing Line (#75), the themes were economic, and what principally emerged was Mr. Foot's absolute commitment to socialism. Here, discussing comparative British and American scandals (while Watergate was still less than half over, a British sex scandal had been dispatched in weeks), he is less predictable, and all the more interesting. - The Security of Europe
E35The Security of EuropeSir Alec had been Britain's--the West's, really--point man at the Helsinki Conference (formally, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe), and he had spoken strongly on the need for the Soviet Union to offer more than "pious declarations" on behalf of freedom and to take positive steps towards "freedom of movement of people and ideas." However, many observers felt that he had not demanded enough in the way of concrete actions. Was Sir Alec being overly cautious, or was he being reasonable? - Can We Have An Independent Prosecutor?E39
Can We Have An Independent Prosecutor?As Mr. Buckley recounts in his introduction, the Watergate hostilities, which had already been in the headlines for more than a year, had just escalated with the Saturday Night Massacre. Our guest had been fired for refusing to fire Independent Prosecutor Archibald Cox, and he here speaks knowledgeably about the legal and moral ramifications and the probable next steps.
