Michael Francis Moore was born April 23, 1954 in Flint Michigan. After dropping out of the University of Michigan following his freshman year (where he wrote for the student newspaper The Michigan Times), Moore worked at the local Buick plant. At 22 he founded the alternative weekly magazine The Flint Voice, which soon changed its name to The Michigan Voice as it grew to cover the entire state. In 1986, when Moore became the editor of Mother Jones, a liberal political magazine, he moved to California and The Michigan Voice was shut down. Moore has been active in promoting his political views. Moore was a high-profile guest at both the 2004 Democratic National Convention and the 2004… Republican National Convention. He has directed and produced several documentaries such as Roger and Me, The Big One, Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11 and Capitalism: A Love Story. Between 1994 and 1995, he directed and hosted the BBC television series TV Nation, which followed the format of news magazine shows but covered topics they avoid. His other major series was The Awful Truth, which satirized actions by big corporations and politicians. In 1999 Moore won the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award in Arts and Entertainment, for being the executive producer and host of The Awful Truth, where he was also described as "muckraker, author and documentary filmmaker".