NewtonNMinowTelevisionandthePublicInterest.docx

NewtonNMinowTelevisionandthePublicInterest.docx

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NewtonNMinowTelevisionandthePublicInterest

Newton N. Minow:

 "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