A television legend and pioneer has died. Phil Donahue, whose unique daytime talk show inspired a host of imitators and wannabes and earned him the title of “the king of daytime talk,” passed away on Sunday after what his family called a “long illness.” He was 88.
“The Phil Donahue Show” debuted in Dayton, Ohio, in 1967 and eventually had a 29-year run in syndication. The show, which switched its name to “Donahue” in 1974 and aired on more than 200 stations in the U.S., was like nothing that had ever been seen before.
The New York Times’ Clyde Haberman wrote, “Almost from the start, ‘The Phil Donahue Show’ dispensed with familiar trappings. There was no opening monologue, no couch, no sidekick, no band — just the host and the guests, focused on a single topic. At the time, audiences were expected to be seen and not heard, unless prompted to applaud. Mr. Donahue changed that. He quickly realized from chatting with audience members during commercial breaks that some of them asked sharper questions than he did. And so he began his practice of stalking the aisles, microphone in hand, and letting those in the seats have their say. He also opened the telephone lines to those watching at home. Electronic democracy, as some called it, had arrived.”
Sometimes the guests were everyday people with everyday problems. Sometimes the guests were celebrities or world leaders. Topics ranged from raunchy to important, with no topic seemingly being off-limits.
The Chicago Sun-Times’ Richard Roeper wrote, “From Ronald Regan to Hubert Humphrey, from John Wayne to Richard Pryor, from Muhammad Ali to Nelson Mandela … they all did ‘Donahue.’ He took his show to Russia for a week of programs. He was the first Western journalist to visit Chernobyl after the 1986 nuclear disaster. He hosted a number of important TV specials, including one in which the late Ryan White, a teenager from Indiana who was one of the first children to be diagnosed with AIDS, talked to children about the illness.”
He also tapped into an audience that was often ignored. According to The Washington Post’s Fred A. Bernstein, Donahue’s show averaged 9 million viewers a day and 8 million of those were women.
Haberman wrote, “His appeal to women was unmistakable. He treated them like the adults they were, and on many days they made up 90 percent of his studio audience. ‘The average housewife is bright and inquisitive,’ he said in 1979, but television had treated her for too long ‘like some mental midget.’”
The formula worked, and inspired a generation or two of daytime talk shows.
Oprah Winfrey wrote on social media, “There wouldn’t have been an Oprah Show without Phil Donahue being the first to prove that daytime talk and women watching should be taken seriously. He was a pioneer. I’m glad I got to thank him for it. Rest in peace Phil.”
Donahue won nine Emmy Awards during his time as host, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden last May. Aside from his talk show, which had more than 6,000 episodes, Donahue regularly appeared on NBC’s “Today” show during the 1980s.
Roeper wrote, “Donahue was a passionate, energetic, risk-taking, groundbreaking, made-for-TV personality who embraced controversy and took on virtually any subject without hesitation. Yes, he could be over the top and bombastic — and that made for enormously effective television. With his trademark mop of white hair and his penchant for delivering fantastically theatrical monologues, Donahue was a singular presence.”
Donahue was married to actress Marlo Thomas of “That Girl” fame.
For even more, here’s The New York Times’ Maya Salam with “3 Episodes That Explain Phil Donahue’s Daytime Dominance.”
Avoiding layoffs
Earlier this month, the Poynter-owned Tampa Bay Times announced it was eliminating 60 jobs — about 20% of its workforce — because of economic hardships. The Times would first offer buyouts and then conduct layoffs if not enough people took them.
On Monday, Times CEO and president Conan Gallaty sent a note to staff saying that enough staffers took the buyouts for the Times to avoid layoffs. In the note, Gallaty said he was “relieved” that there would be no layoffs, and later added, “My thanks to all team members for taking on these difficult considerations and conversations.”
He also wrote, “As these changes are fully realized later this month, I appreciate the helpful transition work already started by those ending their time with our company. Though our people and products will change, our mission-driven work continues, focused on the future.”
New status
Former CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy had a rather lengthy conversation with Mediaite’s Kathryn Wilkens: “Oliver Darcy Dishes on CNN After His Sudden Exit.”
Darcy, who wrote the “Reliable Sources” media newsletter for CNN, left the network abruptly earlier this month to start his own independent newsletter called “Status.”
He talked to Wilkens about his plans for his new venture, why he left CNN, the state of CNN these days and so much more.
About CNN, Darcy talked about relatively new boss Mark Thompson and where the network stands in this world of cord-cutting. Darcy said, “I think people are still waiting to see exactly where the network is going. I think that they want to certainly go into the 21st century. I think they’re just still waiting for what that plan ultimately looks like. I think in Thompson’s last note, which I can’t remember when it was, but it was recently, he said, ‘it’s not going to happen overnight.’ I think there’s some desire to get somewhere sooner rather than later. And I think his team knows that, and they’re working on it. But he is the guy who did transform these institutions. So he does have that I think built in credibility with a lot of people. They’re just waiting for what that looks like. Like what’s the actual game plan here?”
Media tidbits
- Axios’ Alex Thompson has joined CNN as a political contributor. He will continue working at Axios, as well.
- The Athletic has launched a new editorial team and vertical on sports collectibles and memorabilia. In a statement, the Times said, “Readers can expect everything from explainers on the most sought-after collectibles to data-backed insight stories to news and analysis of the latest trends. The Athletic will provide trustworthy recommendations and guidance from knowledgeable collectors and industry experts to help readers navigate an increasingly in-demand space. Beyond avid collectors, this coverage will appeal to a range of fans, including those getting into sports collectibles for the first time.” As a part of the launch, The Athletic announces a multi-year exclusive collectibles partnership with eBay, which the Times said will provide sports fans with “memorabilia content and data-based insights from eBay’s global marketplace.”
- U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is scheduled to be interviewed on this morning’s “Fox & Friends” on Fox News.
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Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected].
