NewtonNMinowTelevisionandthePublicInterestWord文件下载.docx

NewtonNMinowTelevisionandthePublicInterestWord文件下载.docx

《NewtonNMinowTelevisionandthePublicInterestWord文件下载.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《NewtonNMinowTelevisionandthePublicInterestWord文件下载.docx（9页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

"

Television 

and 

the 

Public 

Interest"

Thankyouforthisopportunitytomeetwithyoutoday.ThisismyfirstpublicaddresssinceItookovermynewjob.WhentheNewFrontiersmenrodeintotown,Ilockedmyselfinmyofficetodomyhomeworkandgetmyfeetwet.ButapparentlyIhaven'

tmanagedtostayoutofhotwater.IseemtohavedetectedacertainnervousapprehensionaboutwhatImightsayordowhenIemergedfromthatlockedofficeforthis,mymaidenstationbreak.

First,letmebeginbydispellingarumor.IwasnotpickedforthisjobbecauseIregardmyselfasthefastestdrawontheNewFrontier.Second,letmestartarumor.Likeyou,IhavecarefullyreadPresidentKennedy'

smessagesabouttheregulatoryagencies,conflictofinterest,andthedangersofexpartecontacts.And,ofcourse,weattheFederalCommunicationsCommissionwilldoourpart.Indeed,ImayevensuggestthatwechangethenameoftheFCCtoTheSevenUntouchables!

Itmayalsocomeasasurprisetosomeofyou,butIwantyoutoknowthatyouhavemyadmirationandrespect.Yoursisamosthonorableprofession.Anyonewhoisinthebroadcastingbusinesshasatoughrowtohoe.Youearnyourbreadbyusingpublicproperty.Whenyouworkinbroadcastingyouvolunteerforpublicservice,publicpressure,andpublicregulation.Youmustcompetewithotherattractionsandotherinvestments,andtheonlywayyoucandoitistoprovetouseverythreeyearsthatyoushouldhavebeeninbusinessinthefirstplace.

Icanthinkofeasierwaystomakealiving.

ButIcannotthinkofmoresatisfyingways.

Iadmireyourcourage--butthatdoesn'

tmeanIwouldmakelifeanyeasierforyou.Yourlicenseletsyouusethepublic'

sairwavesastrusteesfor180millionAmericans.Thepublicisyourbeneficiary.Ifyouwanttostayonastrustees,youmustdeliveradecentreturntothepublic--notonlytoyourstockholders.So,asarepresentativeofthepublic,yourhealthandyourproductareamongmychiefconcerns.

Astoyourhealth:

let'

stalkonlyoftelevisiontoday.1960grossbroadcastrevenuesofthetelevisionindustrywereover$1,268,000,000;

profitbeforetaxeswas$243,900,000,anaveragereturnonrevenueof19.2percent.Comparedwith1959,grossbroadcastrevenueswere$1,163,900,000,andprofitbeforetaxeswas$222,300,000,anaveragereturnonrevenueof19.1percent.So,thepercentageincreaseoftotalrevenuesfrom1959to1960was9percent,andthepercentageincreaseofprofitwas9.7percent.This,despitearecession.Foryourinvestors,thepricehasindeedbeenright.

Ihaveconfidenceinyourhealth.

Butnotinyourproduct.

ItiswiththisandmuchmoreinmindthatIcomebeforeyoutoday.

Oneeditorialistinthetradepresswrotethat"

theFCCoftheNewFrontierisgoingtobeoneofthetoughestFCC'

sinthehistoryofbroadcastregulation."

Ifhemeantthatweintendtoenforcethelawinthepublicinterest,letmemakeitperfectlyclearthatheisright--wedo.Ifhemeantthatweintendtomuzzleorcensorbroadcasting,heisdeadwrong.Itwouldnotsurprisemeifsomeofyouhadexpectedmetocomeheretodayandsayineffect,"

Cleanupyourownhouseorthegovernmentwilldoitforyou."

Well,inalimitedsense,youwouldberight--I'

vejustsaidit.

ButIwanttosaytoyouearnestlythatitisnotinthatspiritthatIcomebeforeyoutoday,norisitinthatspiritthatIintendtoservetheFCC.IaminWashingtontohelpbroadcasting,nottoharmit;

tostrengthenit,notweakenit;

torewardit,notpunishit;

toencourageit,notthreatenit;

tostimulateit,notcensorit.Aboveall,Iamheretoupholdandprotectthepublicinterest.

Whatdowemeanby"

thepublicinterest?

Somesaythepublicinterestismerelywhatintereststhepublic.Idisagree.Sodoesyourdistinguishedpresident,GovernorCollins.Inarecentspeechhesaid,

Broadcastingtoservethepublicinterest,musthaveasoulandaconscience,aburningdesiretoexcel,aswellastosell;

theurgetobuildthecharacter,citizenshipandintellectualstatureofpeople,aswellastoexpandthegrossnationalproduct....BynomeansdoIimplythatbroadcastersdisregardthepublicinterest....Butamuchbetterjobcanbedone,andshouldbedone.

Icouldnotagreemore.

AndIwouldaddthatintoday'

sworld,withchaosinLaosandtheCongoaflame,withCommunisttyrannyonourCaribbeandoorstepandrelentlesspressureonourAtlanticalliance,withsocialandeconomicproblemsathomeofthegravestnature,yes,andwithtechnologicalknowledgethatmakesitpossible,asourPresidenthassaid,notonlytodestroyourworldbuttodestroypovertyaroundtheworld--inatimeofperilandopportunity,theoldcomplacent,unbalancedfareofaction-adventureandsituationcomediesissimplynotgoodenough.

Yourindustry