Firing Line
The Libertarian Credo
TV Flash files “The Libertarian Credo” as hour 239 of 326 in the TV Flash guide — Firing Line (1966–1999) on Syndicated/PBS, season 17, episode 12, aired 1982-04-02, 120 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S17E12: listed hour 239 of 326 in the Firing Line guide, hour 2 of 7 in season 17. It aired 1982-04-02 (120 min). The listed hour before it is “The Issues Involved in Local Control of Reading Matter” (S17E05). Next is “The Economy and the Blacks, Part I” (S17E30).
Viewer FAQ
Where does The Libertarian Credo sit in the Firing Line guide?
S17E12 is listed hour 239 of 326 — hour 2 of 7 in season 17, season 17 episode 12.
When did Firing Line S17E12 air?
The Libertarian Credo aired 1982-04-02 and is listed at 120 minutes.
Where should I start?
A Buckley hour with a guest from across the aisle and room for full sentences is the contract. Clipboard, drawl, no countdown clock. Sample debates, not a serialized doctrine.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Firing Line is William F. Buckley Jr. turning argument into spectator sport: clipboard, drawl, and guests from across the aisle in conversations that refused the sound bite. Syndicated, then PBS, it ran for decades on polysyllables. Political talk before the countdown clock — intellectual blood sport with manners, and sentences allowed to finish on national television.
Clipboard, drawl, and a guest from across the aisle — argument as spectator sport before the countdown clock. Firing Line is William F. Buckley Jr. turning political talk into ballet and blood sport at once. Premiered 1966, then ran through syndication and PBS into 1999. Sesquipedalian flair, pointed civility, ideas as combat. Public-affairs TV with a maestro's ego. Sentences allowed to finish on national television. **It set a gold standard for intellectual TV debate across ideological lines.**
Filed against
- William F. Buckley Jr. as Host
William F. Buckley Jr. hosted Firing Line as argument-as-spectator-sport — clipboard, drawl, guests from across the aisle in conversations that refused the sound bite. Syndicated, then PBS, decades on polysyllables. TV Flash files him as…
Also in season 17
- S17E05 The Issues Involved in Local Control of Reading Matter
- S17E30 The Economy and the Blacks, Part I
- S17E31 The Economy and the Blacks, Part II
- S17E35 Debate: Resolved That the Feds Should Get Out of Higher Education, Part I
- S17E36 Debate: Resolved That the Feds Should Get Out of Higher Education, Part II
- S17E38 The Roosevelt Legacy