(solemn music) (solemn music) (solemn music) [Narrator] He was a dreamer who pioneered new paths in the early days of television and became a legend in public broadcasting.

(solemn music) (solemn music) For nearly 70 years, Ron Hull made Nebraska Public Media his life's work.

(solemn music) [Ron] This triangular plot of Buffalo grass is the gateway to Catherland.

Here on the divide between the Republican and the Little Blue lived some of the- [Narrator] Hull began his career at Nebraska's public television station in 1955, just a year after it was founded.

(solemn music) It was only the ninth station to sign on to the PBS system.

(solemn music) [Ron] Television was new, it was exciting.

♪♪ We didn't know what we were doing (laughing) half the time.

♪♪ I made $4,200 a year and thought, "Man, look at me."

(solemn music) There were four of us, and a secretary who was very important ♪♪ that started Nebraska Public Broadcasting.

[Ron] Recently as 150 years ago, this vast and beautiful, expansive country- [Narrator] Hull began producing and directing a vast array of television programs during a time when the technology struggled to keep pace with creative ambitions and possibilities.

I said to her, "Were you satisfied Willa with choosing literature as your profession?"

She said, "Oh yes, Carrie."

I think that if you really have a desire to do something [Narrator] Hull set his sights on creating television programs that both informed and entertained.

Without having any stories to read and the storyteller- [Narrator] He featured the famous Sons and Daughters of Nebraska alongside renowned historians, scholars, and writers.

Mode of life that has now taken on faith and notice how many noble things there are in men in spite of the meanness that you see.

(solemn music) Well, I want to believe that.

-I do believe that.

-Oh.

Oh, It's true.

♪♪ You know, our mission has never changed.

We still represent the finest cultural, scientific, educational values, that's what started us, what motivated us.

(solemn music) I think the guiding light is to always 24 hours a day present the highest quality we can afford or acquire or produce to give to the people.

(solemn music) If you can inspire other people they can accomplish anything.

(solemn music) That mission hasn't changed.

(solemn music) [Narrator] Hull also served as a program advisor with the US Foreign Service in South Vietnam where he assisted in the development of a public television service.

(solemn music) Nationally, Hull served as director of the Program Fund for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in Washington DC where he pushed for more history programming.

There, he initiated the long-running PBS history series "The American Experience," brought Bill Moyers back to public television and gave Ken Burns his first seed money for his documentary series on the Civil War.

(solemn music) (solemn music) [Ron] Our job in public broadcasting is to present an excellent program followed by an excellent program followed by another excellent program.

(solemn music) Everything's possible (solemn music) if you bring ♪♪ the right spirit, attitude, work to it.

(solemn music) [Narrator] Hull served as a special advisor to programming at PBS before returning to Nebraska for the remainder of his career to again serve as a special advisor, this time, to the place where it all began for him, Nebraska Public Media.

(solemn music) [Ron] Nobody does anything by themselves.

We all stand on the shoulders of giants.

(solemn music) I'm just grateful that I've had the privilege of working here.

(solemn music) [Narrator] Ron Hull, broadcasting pioneer and legend, storyteller and dreamer.

(solemn music) (solemn music) (solemn music)