For David Brinkley, it was a short encore as a corporate pitchman on the program that once carried his name.
ABC News said it has informed the advertising agency of agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland that it will no longer accept commercials featuring the 77-year-old newsman.The ads display Brinkley in a role similar to the one he had performed as host of ABC's "This Week." Prepared by Jones & Thomas of Decatur, Ill., the commercials began airing Jan. 4 during breaks in the Sunday morning public-affairs program.
"I've moved," Brinkley says in one spot. "Since television began I have brought you the news . . . the news, straight and true. I will still speak straight and true, I'll never change that.
"But now," he goes on, "I will bring you information about food, the environment, agriculture; issues of importance to the American people and the world."
All on behalf of ADM, a longtime sponsor of the show.
Brinkley retired in October from the program he launched in 1981. Cokie Roberts and Sam Donaldson are now hosts of "This Week."