Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Joins PBS' Weekly Newsmagazine NOW as a Contributor

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Joins PBS' Weekly Newsmagazine NOW as a Contributor LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The PBS weekly newsmagazine NOW announced today that environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be a regular contributor to the Emmy-winning series in 2005. Kennedy is a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and has earned a reputation as a leading thinker on environmental issues. "Robert Kennedy brings the kind of long view on environmental and public affairs issues that has been the hallmark of NOW," said executive producer John Siceloff. "We expect that his voice as a defender of the environment will resonate with our audience and add to the array of thought-provoking perspectives that will get our audience thinking and talking about important issues." Kennedy is expected to appear as a regular guest on NOW when environmental issues are in the news. In addition to his post at the NRDC, Kennedy serves as Chief Prosecuting Attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and President of Waterkeeper Alliance. He was named one of Time magazine's "Heroes for the Planet" for his success helping Riverkeeper lead the fight to restore the Hudson River. He is also a Clinical Professor and Supervising Attorney at Pace University School of Law's Environmental Litigation Clinic. He has worked on environmental issues across the Americas, and he is credited with leading the fight to protect New York City's water supply. Among Mr. Kennedy's published books are the New York Times' bestseller Crimes Against Nature (2004), The Riverkeepers (1997), and Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr: A Biography (1977). His award-winning articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, The Nation, Outside magazine, The Village Voice, and many other publications. In addition to Kennedy, NOW announced other regular contributors to the series in 2005 including: Christine Todd Whitman, Former Administrator of the EPA Former head of the EPA under President George W. Bush and former Governor of New Jersey Christine Todd Whitman has had a long record of promoting public-private partnerships to advance the public good. She is currently co-chair of the National Smart Growth Council, serves as presidential appointee to the Millenium Challenge Corp., serves on the UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, and is a partner in The Whitman Strategy Group. Constance Rice, Civil Rights Attorney Civil Rights Attorney Constance Rice is known for success in tackling problems of inequity and exclusion. She is co-director of The Advancement Project, a public policy and legal action group that supports organizations working to end community problems and address racial, class and other opportunity barriers. Angus King, Former Governor of Maine Elected as an independent in 1994, Angus King was governor of Maine from 1995 to 2003. As governor, King was responsible for a total rebuild of the state's mental health and corrections systems and for the largest increase of lands in conservation in the state's history. King is a distinguished lecturer at Bowdoin College and an attorney in Portland, Maine. NOW airs Friday nights at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) and is a production of JumpStart Productions, LLC in association with Thirteen/WNET New York. Photos of Robert F. Kennedy and other press materials are available at http://www.pbs.org/pressroom. PRESS CONTACTS: Rick Byrne NOW Ph: 212.560.8406 Email: ByrneR@thirteen.org Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050115/NYSA009 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: NOW CONTACT: Press - Rick Byrne for NOW, +1-212-560-8406, ByrneR@thirteen.org Web site: http://www.pbs.org/now http://www.pbs.org/pressroom ------- Profile: International Entertainment