<<

James Karayn, Washington Bureau Chief National Educational Television Press comment on the National Educational Television broadcast /'67

4

41-"h Jerome P. Cavanagh and James J. Kilpatrick Paul Niven

Clinton Rossiter

Milton Friedman George Kerman and George Ball

Jr. Kenneth B. Clark Daniel P. Moym Ian A I thur M. Sc leunger, Press comment STATE OF on the THE National UNION!'67 Educational Television broadcast

`\. On January 10, 1967, Minneapolis, and Los National Educational Angeles, commentary on Television linked 70 the President's message affiliated ETV stations was offered by coast-to-coast for the Milton Friedman and network's first live inter- Walter Heller; George connected broadcast, Kennan, former U.S. State of the Union/'67. ambassador to Moscow; A half-hour introduction George Bail, former featuring James Reston, Under Secretary of State; associate editor of Kenneth B. Clark, rhe Times, psychologist and educator, preceded President Daniel P. Moynihan, Johnson's State of the director of the Harvard- Union Message. The M.I.T. Urban Studies address was followed by a Center; James J. one-and-three-quarter-hour Kilpatrick, editor and analysis by a ten-member columnist; and Jerome P. panel of historians, political Cavanagh, mayor of scientists, diplomats, Detroit. economists, and leaders N.E.T. also provided in urban affairs. exclusive live television In the N.E.T. "anchor" coverage of the Republi- studio in New York with can press conference at moderator Paul Niven the Capitol. State of were historian Arthur M. the Union/'67 lasted for Schlesinger, Jr., and three and one-half political scientist Clinton hours. A sampling of the Rossiter. From other press comment on this studios in New York, broadcast is reprinted on Boston, Washington, the following pages. , WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1967 TV:Johnson Hails Educational Video

Urges Its Development plement the three established N.E.T.'s First Network commercial chains. Normally as'Vital Public ' N.E.T. circulates programs by Attempt Is Success tape or film. Additional ex- periments in live networking jor points: the By JACK GOULD are by N.E.T, this of re- planned flective year. commentary by a DRESIDENT JOHNSON variety of public President Johnson's inclu- specialists in I urged last night the de- and the sion of educational television affairs importance of velopment of educational networking to a lively in his address heightened in- non- television as a "vital public commercial video service. terest in the forthcoming re- service" to enrich family life However, N.B.C., in a 20- port of the Commis- and serve as a teaching aid Carnegie minute review of the speech, sion for Televi- in the classroom. Educational showed that it would not be sion, a private group that will The President's endorse- hard for the commercial - make recommendations on the ment of the potential of the works also to make a con- noncommercial medium came organization, financing and tribution. They used the Early goals of in his State of the Union Mes- educational video. Bird satellite for a report on The Carnegie sage, which in itself consti- report is ex- British and French reaction pected by the end of this tuted a new chapter in the to the speech. evolution of television. month. The commission, oF- a N.E.T. completely scooped • tablished year ago with the approval of President .John- the commercial networks with His speech before Congress son, is headed by Dr. Jam's the live coverage of the Re- was the first State of the R. Killian Jr., chairman of publican press conference af- Union Message to be carried the Massachusetts Institute ter the State of the Union live on four national tele- of Technology. Message. In this instance the vision networks. National The conclusions of the noncommercial service pro- Educational Television, under Carnegie Commission, accord- vided an example of its sin- a special grant from the Ford ing to Washington reports, gular potential: showing the Foundation, put together a will be a basis for further viewer what the commeecial one-night hook-up of 70 .non- consideration of educational networks do not provide. THE commercial stations to corn- video's problems by both the Paul Niven was the mod- NEW YORK TIMES, White House and the Senate erator of the noncommercial Commerce Committee. program, which, is the might WEDNESDAY, National Educational Tele- wore on, increased in humor, vision used its first venture perceptiveness and candor. JANUARY 11, 1967 in coast-to-coast networking. The switching of the program as an example of how it be- from city to city ran off lieves a noncommercial serv- faultlessly, a testament to the ice can supplement coverage technical efficiency of the by the commercial networks. American Telephone and Tele- 'MOOD OF MISTRUST' Before the State of the graph . afford per- BY RESTON Union James Res- Once N.E.T. can DETECTED Message, facilities ton, editor of The manent live network Associate associate New York Times, was inter- it would not be surprising to James Reston, an Times viewed briefly on the mood see increasing be- editor of The New York and cor- of the country. Afterwards a tween commercial non- and veteran Washington night that panel of historians, political commercial video, a prospect respondent, said last exciting scientists, diplomats and lead- that could be both a "mood of mistrust" prevailed useful. ers in urban affairs analyzed and in Washington. He added he had like this the speech at length. never "seen anything here." The absence of cominercial since I hrvie been on a TV deadlines and the caliber Mr. Reston, speaking and distinction of the guest National Educational Television John. commentators enabled N.E.T. -irogram before President Union Men-, to offer a much more extend- son's State of the ed, searching and diversified 1n7e, said: analysis than the advertising- "This city is constantly look- supported networks. ing now for the other motive. N.E.T. proved its two ma- That is what they say—now what do they mean? This is not just the reporter's instinct, ail- ways looking down skeptically on politicians. There is reason for this. It is a very seriouti problem. It is the President's most serious problem." Mr, Reston said the 'rno.44 of mistrust" extended beyond the Johnson Administration. He said: "There is a serious skepticism and even a cynicism in the country at this tinie. Even with the Warren Commis. sion Report. Here is a commit- tee of the most distinguished citizens in this country presided over by the Chief Justice of the United States, and yet [the conclusions) are widely ques- tioned. Here you have Senator Robert Kennedy and [F.B.I. Di- rector] J. Edgar Hoover fight- ing with one another over whose telephone had been tapped and on whose authority." PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 11, 1967 Screening TV NET Scores With Speech By HARRY HARRIS educational network offered a ''the members of the opposition, Of The Inquirer stall half-hour black-and-white pro- whose numbers seem to have logue and a black-and-white increased somewhat." hut the the third consecutive pOR "open end" discussion of the general impression was of seri- year, President Jnhnson's speech by 10 authorities on eco- ousness, sincerity and determi- State of the Union speech Tues- nomic matters, urban affairs, nation. day night was linked to a TV civil rights and foreign policy. Television figured briefly in "first." his remarks. The prologue consisted of an Two years ago, In gain the Educational TV should he de- Illustrated history of the State of widest possible audience, the ad- veloped into "a vital national the Union speeches, an analysis dress was scheduled in prime resource," he said, and "the of the present ood of the U. S. time. Last year color was add- public should he served public, and indications by eight ed. This time it served as the through the public air waves." of the 10 guest experts of what basis of NET's first live coast- * * * they hoped the President would to-coast hookup, encompassing say. 75 educational stations. Mr. Johnson's "time of test- NET's coverage exceeded that ing" speech, his longest State of the better-heeled commercial of the Union address, was a networks. most effective TV performance. In addition to the pooled color- There were a few lighter mo- east of the speech itself, the ments, as when he referred to

PHILADELPHIA BULLETIN, JANUARY II, 1967 State of Union Address Coverage On TV Is impressive and Complete By REX POLIER Channels 10 and 6 came on mist Walter Heller, former regular rewscasts at 11 George Kennan Bulletin Television Critic with Amhassador P. M, (the address concluded Negro educator. Kenneth B. NATI ONAL Educational at 10.43 P. M.). Channel 3 car- Clark. and editor James J. Television network's unprece. ried its delayed 11 o'clock Kilpatrirk. dented live cnverage of Presi- newscast starting at 11.10 P. All were articulate and witty dent Johnson's State of the M. immediately after NBC had and their experiences and concluded its summary. BY provided a multi- Union address last night on backgrounds 11.30 P. M., network affiliates faceted appraisal of the Channel 12 demonstrated the here had resumed regular en- speech. Often they disagreed com- advantage it has over tertainment prerjamming. and that made for even more for doing mercial networks FORTY MINUTES after interesting exchanges. Clark such a job. completion of the address, and Kilpatrick clashed fte- Its 75 interconnected stations NET switched to Washington quently over the significance across carried a to carry live the Republican of the brevity with which the variety of reactions by impor- press - conference featuring speech touched on civil rights. tant diplomats, economists, Rep. (R•Mich), tnterconnection worked per- civil rights leaders, and gov- and Senator Everett M. Dirk- fectly. At 1230 the parhel. ernment officials prior to and son (RAID. Dirksen. who had pants were warmed up and immediately after the speech. told an NBC reporter earlier percolating. While CBS and NBC offered he wouldn't have the temerity NET spent $25n,0nn to show cogent summaries afterward to comment on the speech in a what kind of a lob it could do by their newsmen (NBC pre few moments, had a great deal with such an important na- sented French and English to say. So did Ford. The other tional event. We'd say it statesmen and their comments networks missed it complete- proved its point. President live by Atlantic satellite), ly'. Johnson, significantly, touch- neither could match NET's Paul Niven was NET's cap- ed upon the need to strengthen complete and impressive cov- able moderator. He was sta- educational television. He erage. The CBS analysis lasted tioned in Washington on a set also, with equal significance, less than 15 minutes. NBC's that included Arthur M. spoke about ascertaining that lasted 25 minutes. Both net- Schlesinger. Jr.. and political the public were being works' coverage also included scientist Clinton Rossiter. fully served by the publicly- hasty and brief cnrnmee*s Others across the country -who owned airwaves. from Republicans who could were linked with Washingo.on • • • be buttonholed in Washing- included former dipinraat ton and marched before George Bail, Detroit Mayor cameras. Jerome P. Cavanagh, econo- DENVER POST, FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 1967 Educational Television's Finest Hours

N HIS State of the Union address Tuesday We don't envision ETV as a competitor for night, President Johnson observed that the wide-ranging fare of commercial televi- educational television had the potential of sion, but perhaps ETV by example can spur becoming "a vital public resource." the improvement of commercial TV programs. It was both coincidental and appropriate In any event, the future of ETV is looking that his words and image were being broad- up. and we in Denver can consider ourselves cast at that moment by 70 ETV stations across fortunate indeed to have a station such as the nation, including Denver's own pioneer KRMA with the staff, experience and facilities channel, KRMA. to take advantage of ETV's bright potential. Providing live coverage of the President's message was an ambitious undertaking for the National Educational Television Network and its affiliates, but by itself was no different from what the commercial networks were providing. What made the NET program ex- traordinary, however, was the searching anal- ysis of the State of the Union address by a distinguished group of panelists. DENVER POST, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1967 The free-swinging views expressed by such men as Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Clinton Rossi- ter, Walter Heller, Milton Friedman, George Kennan and others were at times incisive, On the Air ycoNweemmmovyw witty and irreverent. Though the entire pro- gram lasted nearly 31/2 hours, there were few dull moments. In our opinion, these were ETV's finest hours. And, more than any previous program, J. Fred Muggs, this one underscored the potentiality of ETV in the realm of public affairs. rri HE Ford Foundation deserves praise for Smart Alec .1_ providing funds that made Tuesday night's excellent program possible, and for its over-all campaign to enlarge the nation's cultural hor- izons through sponsorship of quality ETV yvvediswee„Nywww, by Bob Tweedell projects. Echo, Not Choice TV coverage of President Johnson's State of the Union speech Tuesday night reminded me of a long-forgotten po- litical campaign slogan which had something to do with a choice, not an echo. Denver-area viewers had no choice if they wanted to watch TV from 7:30 to approximately 8:40 p.m. It was LBJ or nothing. All five of Denver's TV stations zeroed in on the illustrious gathering in Washington, D.C., and since the cov- PHILADELPHIA BULLETIN, erage originated through a "pool" arrangement, there wasn't JANUARY 13, 1967 even a choice among techniques or approaches. Among other thinv,s, this raises a question about pro- gramming in the public interest. A lot of viewers probably NET Shows Its Stuff weren't interested in . hearing the President speak in the first place, and a lot more probably interest as he National Educational Television is be- droned on for an hour and four minutes. ing showered with praise on its first ven- KBTV, Channel 9, which debated almost to the last minute ture in putting a live public affairs pro- whether to televise the speech live, returned to its regular schedule gram on its network. It is well deserved. as soon as the talk was finished. The other three commercial stations offered analyses, NET'S coverage of the State of the summaries, news reports and related information following the speech, and Union message, and its use of a dis- then resumed normal programming. tinguished panel of commentators before KRMA-TV, Channel 6, participating in the first live net- and after the President's address, brought work program ever offered by educational TV, aired a com- a new element to the difficult task of "in- prehensive 31/2-how report which included the LBJ speech stant reaction." and informative and interesting reaction to it by a group of Those who believe in the great po- experts participating in a far-flung round-table discussion. tential of the Educational Television net- It was an auspicious debut for a fledgling ETV network work—if it can get needed funds—have which inevitably will have far-reaching effects on U.S. tele- won a point, vision. WASHINGTON POST, JANUARY 12, 1967 DENVER POST, THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1967 Live Network Telecast On the Air Proved Vitality of NET Historic Night By James E. Clayton Washington Post Staff Writer NATIONAL Educ a tional Unfortunately, educational Television was given a chance For KRM A-71/ television is not yet able to do Tuesday night to show what it can do with public affairs pro- this kind of thing on a regular gramming when it has the basis. It could tackle Tuesday . night's program, its first wveiww~www. by Bob Tweedell For three and a half hours, major, interconnected live about 75 of the NET stations program, only because the The night of Tuesday, Jan. 10, 1967, will be listed as a (including WETA, Channel 26, Ford Foundation put up the landmark in the history of noncommercial television in this here) carried an uninterrupted money to show what a non- program centered on Pres- country and of KRMA-TV, Channel 6, in Denver. commercial network could do. ident Johnson's State of the For the first time, a nationwide network of ETV stations, Union address. including KRMA, was established for a live telecast. Despite the quibbling one might do over the technical It was a significant program which centered on and in- problems of the program, the cluded (in color) President Johnson's State of the Union mes- result was a tour de force. sage. Both before and after the ad- The speech might have been better, but that is a minor dress, distinguished commen- point. The important thing is that the National Educational tators from the academic and journalistic worlds talked Television (NET) network convincingly demonstrated its about the Nation's problems ability to present polished, professional programming on a and the President's approach level seldom reached by commercial TV. to them. It was a breakthrough, a historic first step along a road Their views, from all parts that will take ETV from the horse-and-buggy age in which of the political spectrum, It has been living to the age of instant electronic communi- were informative and interest- are all accustomed to. ing. And it was a delight to cation which we hear them speak without in- TUESDAY NIGHT'S 31/2-hour ETV program started at 7 terruption except for a live p.m., a half-hour before the President spoke, with a scene- telecast of part of the Repub- setting introduction that featured comments by newspaper lican leadership press confer- columnist James Reston and brief statements by a panel ence on Capitol Hill at 11 p.m. It is a rare event to have of experts about what they hoped LBJ would say. such a collection of talent After the speech, NET stayed on the air for almost two gathered for one program. Ar- hours to bring viewers an entertaining, informative, provo- thur M. Schlesinger Jr., Clin- cative round-table discussion by the same experts of the ton L. Rossiter, George F. President's remarks, sandwiched around a brief news con- Kennan, George W. Ball and ference featuring Republican party leaders. Kenneth B. Clark appeared from New York. Others joined The analysts were grinding some axes, to be sure, but the discussion from afar: Wal- their collective performance was sharp, witty, lucid, and re- ter W. Heller from Minneapo- markably free of the stodgy classroom atmosphere that lis; Milton Friedman from Los many people unfortunately—and often justifiably—associate Angeles; Daniel Patrick Moy- with ETV. nihan from Boston; James Re- ston, James J. Kilpatrick and Paul Niven deserves much credit for his capable han- Jerome P. Cavanagh from dling of the moderator's job; he kept the conversation flow- Washington. ing and at the same time kept the experts from treading on one another's toes. It was a slick technical job, too, with hardly a slip in the switching process that took viewers back and forth from to Washington to Boston to Minneapolis to Los Angeles. It should be noted that this aspect of the pro- gram was centered at New York facilities of the CBS-TV network. A final note: Tuesday night's accomplishment, which re- portedly cost about $250,000, was made possible by the Ford Foundation, which some day will get due recognition for helping to move ETV from a Model T to a Lincoln-Continental operation. THE NATIONAL OBSERVER, MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 1967 More With East Europe? Why Mr. Johnson's Pica Produces Debate

• In his State of the Union message be to drive all the Communist countries which we would sell to the Soviet Union, last week, President Johnson again called back into subservience to or Russia they already buy anywhere else in the for closer relations and expanded trade or anything else. It should be to make it industrialized world. It is just a question with Russia and the East European Com- possible for them to fulfill the inclinations of whether we sell them or whether some- munist countries. That passage inspired a they have shown in North Korea. to Ru- body else sells them. debate among eminent scholars and diplo- mania, to Yugoslavia, to Czechoslovakia. There is almost no art that mats on a special program has not telecast by Hungary, to pursue their national policies. been communicated in most of these areas. the National Educational Television net- And that's the bost hope we have. And The list which has been expanded has work (see Page 201. The following ex- why the Republicans should serve the pur- been a very carefully selected list. There cerpts from that debate include the views poses of those who want to restore a uni- is nothing that they gain from us that of Milton Friedman; historian fied Communist movement by denying they cannot get anyway. And it is just a Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.: George Ball, for- what help we can to these countries vis- question of whether they get it from us mer Undersecretary of State; and George a-vis their independent policies I really with the possibilities of a greater inter- Kennan, retired career diplomat archi- and cannot imagine. change of ideas and some opening of tect of the postwar U.S. the policy of Soviet Mr. Ball: I am always rather amazed windows as far as we are containment. concerned, or at what seems to me the totally naive as- get it from some place else. sumption that we confer great benefits I think that what troubles Professor on any nation by trading with it. The Mr. Ball: I was very much interested Friedman is not an economic problem or fact is that in the first place trade is a the strengthening of the Soviet Union. It that the President singled out the problem mutual affair, as I think the Yankee of trying to establish an easier relation- is a moral problem. And I think he is traders have demonstrated with consider- confused by it. ship with the Soviet Union, which seems able success over the years. And then in to me very urgent, and put it squarely up the second place, I think we might as Dr. Friedman. Very possibly—we all to the Congress to pass the legislation well grow up and admit that if we don't have our confusions. But I do think that which is necessary and to ratify the treaty trade with them, the rest of the world is you cannot have it both ways. You can- which is necessary to make progress in going to anyway. Our technology isn't all not simultaneously say that we are con- this direction, because this has been really that good. And by and large the thing tributing to a strengthening of the Com- the big impediment. that we have to sell them are the things munist world, that we are going to con- I think as far as the President and the they are going to he able to buy from tribute to the independence of the sepa- Administration are concerned, we would other people. All we do by this great act rate states, that we are going to improve have gone very much farther on establish- of self denial on our part is to prevent cur relations with them by trading with ing relations with the Soviet Union of an ourselves from earning some foreign ex- them, and also say that trading with easier kind if there had been any assur- change that we certaioly need from the them does them no good. No doubt you ance that we would have had Congres- point of view of the ; are quite right, that there are alternative sional support, which certainly hasn't been but even more than that, we destroy the sources of supply. No doubt they can get forthcoming up to this point. possibility of opening the windows, of the elsewhere. But it is also true Mr. Kennan: I thought, too, that what spreading back and forth some kind of that it raises a question that by our the President said about our relations interchange which could over time have being willing to provide it more readily, with Russia and were a far greater effect on their political situ- that makes it a little easier and a little constructive and hopeful. It is a question ation than it ever could on ours if we be- cheaper. And the question we have to with which I have been associated for lieve in the integrity of the system which face is whether whatever harm we do to nearly 40 years now, and it seems to me we have here and approach it with some them by not trading with them is more that a time has come when we have real degree of confidence. important to us than the harm we do opportunities to reduce these tensions, to Dr. Friedman: I have very mixed feel- ourselves by not trading with them. ings about the problem of trading with the get rid of what the President referred to Mr. Ball. I think the question is Communist world because it does as the harsh spirit of the Cold War, and seem to whether our refusal to trade with them me, as Mr. Ball says, trading is a two-way to start a more constructive situation in would in any way affect their political street, that both of us benefit, and our relations with these countries. that on judgment as to what they are going to do the whole by an increase Now, he, the President, has not met to in trade we can for —because manifestly spread American influence. date with the support in Congress for whether we trade with them or not isn't movement along that line which I think he On the other hand, I do believe that going to have enough effect on their ability should have received. I think there must much of the discussion that has just been to supply North Vietnam to make any be some very serious misunderstanding going on leaves out of sight or buries one difference. very simple, obvious fact. The Russians in the Congress on these subjects. I hope Dr. Friedman: Insofar as it has any that these matters can be talked out in the are in fact providing a large fraction of effect . . near future, and that we can go along as the armaments which are being used by Ball: a unified nation in developing this part of the North Vietnamese to shoot down our Mr. But it doesn't. our foreign policy. I think there are cer- airplanes and to shoot our men. And it Dr. Friedman: Then it has no effect tainly limitations on it, so long as the seems to me under those circumstances either way, then there is nothing to be continues as we know it to- there is a real question to be asked, and gained. - day. Nevertheless, I think we ought to be it is not a simple-minded question, whether Mr. Ba!I: Not at all. I'here is a great prepared as soon as we can overcome that under those circumstances we should, deal to be gained in other areas. The obstacle to move just as rapidly as possi- without any clear or definite quid pro ability to find sources—areas of common ble in this direction. guns, be widening the list of products interest between ourselves and the Soviet Mr. Schlesinger: It seems to me that that we permit to be sent to the Soviet Union—which do not concern Vietnam the more we can make it possible for the Union, that we permit them to get from directly. countries, for example, of Eastern Europe us—for example, a recent widening of the Mr. Kennan: I could not agree more to have an economic life of their own, the list of products there included some radar strongly with what Mr. Ball has said. If more we can integrate them, their econo- element items. he hadn't said it, I would have said it mies, into the West, the more we make it So that I do think this is a very real, myself. possible for them to pursue independent important question, and not something The differences between certain Com- policies which they have in the last few to be passed off simply on the grounds munist regimes are probably greater than years shown every inclination to do. of the. fragmentation of the world Com- the differences between certain Commu- I think this whole notion, as I say, of munist movement. nist and certain non-Communist regimes a unified, monolithic conspiracy—which Mr. Ball: You know, I am very much in this world. And whoever purports to had a certain reality in the '30s and '40s surprised at a sophisticated economist talk about our relations with communism when the Soviet Union was the single and like Professor Friedman putting forth without stating which Communist he is sole center of Communist authority—no such nonsense as this. In the first place, talking about is simply entering upon a longer has it, And our policy should not the kinds of products which might be sold, meaningless discussion. THE NATIONAL OBSERVER, MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 1967 THE NATIONAL OBSERVER Well-Planned Splurge Underscores ETV Potential

The plan had sounded almost quixotic. stations didn't have the elaborate equip- accepts invitations to appear on television, Yet with rented facilities, limited funds, ment needed for NET's discussion be- agreed to join former Undersecretary of and idealistic gumption, educational tele- tween participants in studios hundreds of State George W. Ball in analyzing Mr. vision went up against the giants of tele- miles apart. Johnson's statements on foreign policy. They were joined by economists vision news last week and impressively NET's long-held ambition has been to Walter W. Heller and Milton Friedman, urban- Illustrated what it has been contending function as a full-fledged video network, transmitting live programing to its af- affairs experts Daniel P. Moynihan and all along: That this country needs a non- Mayor Jerome P. Cavanagh of Detroit, commercial TV network to take up where filiates on a daily basis. The cost of such service, however, has been too steep for historians Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and the commercial networks leave off. Clinton Rossiter, editor-writer the noncommercial organization, which is James J. Kilpatrick, The point was dramatically made by supported by donations and grants, most- and educator and civil-rights spokesman Kenneth a 31/2-hour telecast mounted by National ly from the Ford Foundation. The group's Clark. Four of the men were later asked by officials Educational Television (NET) around hopes were lifted last summer by the Ford of commercial networks to appear on their President Johnson's State of the Union Foundation's proposal for the establish- State of the Union programs, but declined. ment of a national satellite system that message. For the first time, educational would transmit all video programing and As it turned out, NET's first attempt the television (ETV) stations all over subsidize noncommercial ETV with its at nationwide broadcasting was a brilliant country, 70 of them, were linked together profits. So last fall NET decided to demon- success and, it is hoped, a harbinger of by telephone lines and microwave relay strate what a noncommercial network, regular network news service to ETV broadcast instan- facilities to receive a free of advertising and time limitations, stations before long. Mr. Kobin predicts taneously—just as commercial stations was capable of doing. that an interconnected ETV network will receive telecasts from the CBS, NBC, and functioning on regular basis a year Plans to focus the be a ABC networks. NET not only transmitted demonstration on from now, and that noncommercial tele- the State of the Union the speech coast-to-coast, as it was being message were vision will reach its full potential as soon evolved last month. delivered in the Capitol at Washington, NET budgeted $100,- as a satellite system is put into full opera- 000 from its operating D.C., but supplemented it with a thought- fund, which is tion—perhaps in two or three years. replenished annually by a $6,000,000 ful half-hour prolog, coverage of part of But even though the commercial net- donation by the Ford Foundation, for the Republicans' post-address press con- the works were patently outclassed last week, ambitious project. Though all the ference, and a thorough post-address bills they have little reason to fear their matur- have not yet come in, NET people think ing rival, according to Mr. Kobin. "We analysis of the speech by prominent gov- the total cost may run as high as $150,000. compete with the commer- ernment, academic, and don't want to journalistic networks," insists. "We want to figures. cial he Experts Lined Up Early fill a void by doing what they don't do— The achievement was a clear scoop Panelists for the discussion were lined backgrounding, analyzing, putting things over the three commercial networks, none up by mid - December. Soviet affairs in perspective. There's room, and a need, of which continued its coverage past 11:07 specialist George F. Kennan, who rarely for all of us." —DAN!EL GREENE p.m., EST. By the time Mr. Johnson had finished (he talked about 20 minutes longer than the networks had estimated he would), the CBS newsmen had only about 15 minutes left for interviews and com- mentary; their NBC rivals stayed on 7 minutes longer. ABC returned to right after the address. The Goal Was Explanation In contrast, NET's guest experts, speaking from studios in five cities, criti- cized, analyzed, and interpreted Mr. Johnson's message for the benefit of people watching ETV channels until 12:30 a.m., EST. Explains Bill Kobin, NETts programing vice president: "We wanted to demonstrate what we feel NET could do on a regular basis, given adequate facilities and funding. The commercial networks do a good job of covering news; what they always fall down on is explain- ing the news." NET took full advantage of the news value of its tour de force too. It hired a Washington, D.C., company to transcribe the complete program overnight so that transcripts, 103 pages long, could be de- livered to newspapers and wire services in the city by the following morning. And just as NET had hoped, editors made lib- eral use of quotes from the program. Rented Facilities The telecast originated at CBS News headquarters in New York City, where NET rented a studio and broadcasting fa- cilities. A nonprofit operation with no pro- duction or broadcasting facilities of its own, NET normally hires independent pro- duction or local educational TV stations to film and tape the cultural and public-affairs programs that it sup- plies to its 112 affiliates by mail. But ETV WASHINGTON POST, SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 1967

Hooray for NET National Educational Television, in its presenta- tion of the President's State of the Union Mes- sage, performed precisely as the "vital public resource" which he urged it to become. One simply does not expect the commercial networks to give intelligent opinionated men the chance to express controversial ideas at length in prime time. This is what was done by the panel as- sembled by NET for what was its first Nation- WASHINGTON STAR, JANUARY 12, 1967 wide hookup Tuesday night. The show was in- tended to prove, at this moment of heightened possibilities for educational television, that it can do something which conventional commercial sta- Educational TV Proves tions cannot easily do. NET made its point ex- a Point tremely well. By BERNIE HARRISON Star TV Critic Here is the very stuff of which The single most exciting show educational TV should be this week was on educational formed, a service of such ob- TV. And it wasn't vious value that there can be no a program so NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, JANUARY 11, 1967 much as a happening. argument. It had to be exciting, Last because it was a happening; the Tuesday, Washington's experts were on the spot, re- channel 26 and educational TV stations around quired to articulate their views the country and perform under live pres- • were gathered into a live President Lifts State of TV inter- sure. They (the experts) might connected network for the first have some second thoughts about time to provide instant and The invaders Land on fascinating comment, what they said, and the way ABC from the viewer. By KAY experts gathered in a half dozen they said it, but not GARDELLA cities, on the President's State The program was sad in Whether you agree with President Johnson or not on of the Union address. another respect, for the expense the State of the Union, things at least did look rosier in living color last night; the Oh, there were little things of forming the network is clear- President healthier, and the that ly beyond the capabilities of a state of TV improved temporarily went wrong, but that could because of two important devel- have happened on a commercial system of stations existing on opments: network. In fact, the problem of voluntary contributions or First, the address, delivered interconnection was beyond the occasional grants. And trying to calmly and forthrightly by our capabilities of NET and the get any money out of this Con- chief of state, was carried on ra- actual switching was gress, as I inferentially gathered dio and TV networks in precious handled prime time, a precedent estab- out of CBS, New York, where from Tuesday's programming, s not going to be easy. lished by LBJ in January of Paul Niven was functioning as 1965, and the first State of the moderator. Commercial Tv can't afford Union message delivered at night I missed the prelude to the his kind of programming, it since President Roosevelt did it speech, a half hour that included claims; educational TV can't in 1936. a historical perspective, com- afford NOT doing this kind of Second, jyatiama I 1diitiot, show. That, in a lalaxiaiaz, boosted in the Presi- ments by James Reston, and nutshell, is the dent's address, finally rose to brief notes by experts on what dilemma. the occasion and performed a they would like Mr. Johnson to service that it should have done say. I was watching "The from its very inception. LBJ's Invaders," on ABC. But I caught 9:30 P.M. address was accorded the rest of the program which Jive coverage on a coast-to-coast followed. It began with Niven's 75-station NET hookup, brack- eted by in-depth pre- and post- recapitulation of major points of speech analyses. the address, much as the com- Following the long address, mercial networks would do, but NBC and CBS, in addition to then went on to present the educational Channel 13, offered views of some 10 well-known post-speech analyses. One salient experts (economist Walter point everyone zeroed in on was Heller, George Kennan, George the President's t a x proposal. Ball, historians Clinton Rossiter Anchoring NBC's session was Frank McGee, and for CBS it waa and Arthur Schlesinger Jr., and Walter Cronkite. others). The viewer may not One of the experts on Channel have agreed with many of the 13, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., re- observations of the experts, but portedly turned down a chance it was always stimulating to to appear on the NBC show. He said, particu- was already committed to the listen to what they NET broadcast. Beak!25 - the net- larly when they were dis- works, many local radio outlets agreeing. carried the address. HOUSTON CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1967 NET Covers LBJ Speech Like a Champion BY ANN HODGES Following the speech, NET continued Its unprecedented coverage with a lively Radio-TV Editor and fascinating 90-minute exchange of opinion on the context of the presiden- The National Educational Television tial message by an impressive corps of Network presented what was probably experts in domestic and foreign affairs. one of the most important TV programs And it also switched over to the offi- of the decade Tuesday night on Ch. 8. cial Republican press conference for the It was that network's first live tele- opposition analysis, which was then an- alyzed by the experts. cast, on the occasion of President John- Last year, recall, the commer- son's state of the union address. It you'll cial networks bowed to Republican de- came through without a hitch, with mands for equal time several days af- some of it full color—another educational ter the presidential address. TV first. NET, which hopes by this telecast to Fittingly enough, a portion of the demonstrate to Washington leaders the President's speech dealt with educa- important role it could play in the na- tion's information communications tional television, which he Urged "should and system, was more politic. It gave every- be developed into a vital national re- one an opportunity to have his say im- source." mediately after the speech. He also added a note that the com- Educational television already is plan- mercial television industry must be pon- ning more cable hookups for important dering today—that "we must insist that events. Such innovations in noncommer- cial programming could be the forerun- the public interest be fully served on ner of a new, profoundly important di- the public airways." mension for American television.

NEW YORK POST, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1967 Critics Say the Message Doesn't Co Far Enough By RALPH MAHONEY President Johnson's Slate of the Union message came under criticism today not so much for what it said but for what it. failed to say. The President had flatly con- tions with Soviet Russia. not attack the "critical issue" cluded his speech when It under- And the President's proposed of open housing. went dissection by a panel of 6 per cent surcharge on income Detroit Mayor Jerome P. historians, economists, diplo- was described by Walter Cavanagh said the message mats, civil rights workers, a Heller, former head of the failed to meet the needs of the journalist and a city official on President's Economic Advisory cities and he was critical of the a National Educational TV pro- Council as "sensible and well President for his emphasis on gram. within the capacity of the coun7 the "politically popular" Head. Historian Arthur M. Schles- try."' Start program, which, accord- inger Jr. dismissed the speech But ing to Cavanagh, is clouded by as "moderate- ... not so much economist Milton Friedman said "serious doubts." to solidly the people behind him he did not believe 'an Increase The most severe criticism as to mollify those opposed." In taxes .. Is In the right di- came from two civil rights lead- "It certainly was not a Harry rection . . . the main effect of ers. Truman speech," added political the hike. will be not to cut Noting the President devoted scientist Clinton Rossiter. the budget deficit but to raise "four lines to civil rights and The only real praise came spending" 40 lines to crime in the streets," from diplomat George German Daniel P. Moynihan, director Kenneth B. Clark remarked: "It and former Under Secretary of urban studies at Harvard Is clear that the honeymoon Is of and State George Ball, who said the Massachusetts Institute over between Mr, Johnson and they were pleased by the Presi- of Technology was disappointed the responsible civil rights dent's advocacy of warmer rela- because, he said, the speech did leaders." WORLD JOURNAL TRIBUNE, JANUARY 12, 1967 AL SALERNO NET Elated By LIU Plug

President Johnson's unexpected call in his Tuesday speech for support of educational television 8,1most brought on dancing in the streets in that area of the broadcasting community. John Kiermaier, head of Ch. 13 here, said it should not have come as a surprise, considering what the ETV stations have done and can do with sufficient finances. But he said he was delighted that Mr. Johnson should find room in his State of the Union Message to dwell on the need to de- velop ETV. Kiermaier also said it was "most encouraging" for the future. John White, president of National Educational Tele- vision, the networking arm of ETV stations, said he was "surprised and pleased" at the President's remarks. White was encouraged that the President did so even though the Carnegie Commission had not yet come up with what is expected to be the definitive report on educational television in America. "In the absence of (It) I thought he might have deferred comment. . . ." White said. The NET president also was gratified that Mr. Johnson had specified the need for a general informational and cultural service, rather than just an instructional one. In his speech. Mr. Johnson said "we should develop educational television into a vital public resource to enrich our homes, educate our families, and to provide assistance In our classrooms." The statement probably took the last bit of starch out of those who would restrict ETV merely to serving as a fun- 'tel through which programs are fed into classrooms. As commercial TV has slowly lifted its sights and moved into cultural and informational areas, and as ETV has painfully expanded its mission, the two services have come increasingly EXAMINER, JANUARY 12, 1967 closer to competition with each other. A major TV network once served notice, along with Its annual contribution to help the struggling Ch. 13. that it ought to begin looking elsewhere for help, because one doesn't siphon off profits to a competitor. Service It was co-incidental, if not ironic, that the President's A Major call for support of rrv. came on the very night that the medium was demonstrating what it. could do if it had the WE WATCHED with admiration the other money. NET has connected 75 stations by leased wire (pro- coverage of President Johnson's grams now are shipped around by air mail) to devote the night the in-depth entire evening to the President's message, and fore and aft State of the Union address by the National Ed- commentary on it by a distinguished panel of analysts-- ucational Television iNET) network and KQED. a few of whom reportedly rejected commercial network bids to do it for love, honor and conscience. The program. lasting more than two hours. Up to now, ETV has been living on handouts. But the with a history of State of the Union recent Ford Foundation proposal to finance it through a opened non- , the President's surprise backing, and addresses beginning with George Washington. ETV's own demonstration (via Ford Foundation donation) LBJ's address was carried live: Then followed of what it can do on a national basis, all Point to blue sky historians, econ- days ahead. spirited debates and analyses by omists. politicians and others. When it was ended, even .the best-informed among viewers must have acknowledged that their knowledge of current public affairs had been broadened. This, was a major service to the public by non-commercial, educational television. MILWAUKEE JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1967 Experts Dissect State of the Union By GORDON L. RANDOLPH squarely up to the senate to But, he said, the president "We arp faced with a reces- Of The Journal Staff ratify the consular treaty with appeared to be trying "not to sion," he said. "A tax increase will not do President Johnson got more Russia. solidify support behind him, much harm, but it is He said it was up to con- but to not going in the right direc- brickbats than praise Tuesday mollify those opposed." gress, too, to approve trade George F. Kerman, former tion." night in the National Education- agreements that. would "open ambassador to Russia and Yugo- Kenneth B. Clark, a. Negro al Television's first live national windows" of accommodation be- slavia and a critic of the ad- New York educator and civil network production, "State of tween the United States a n d ministration's Vietnam policy, rights leader, charged the presi- the Union-1967." Communist nations. said he hoped that the president dent with off hand and scanty The 3IA hour special was Heller Approves would be explicit about aims in treatment of civil rights. carried by 75 NET stations Heller was pleased that the the forthcoming administration He asserted that the presi- throughout the country. It was report on Vietnam. president expressed confidence dent, in not being more forceful underwritten by a Ford Foun- Criticizes Republicans about civil rights, had aban- dation grant. In Milwaukee, it that the nation could pursue its doned responsible He said it was Negro civil was carried on WMVS, chan- war on such things as , "a time of rights leader and given aid real opportunity to and nel 10. get rid of comfort to black crime and blight and the war the harsh spirit of the cold nationalists The program featured 10 ex- who always had contended in Vietnam at the same time. war," but that congress had that perts in such fields as foreign the administration was falling (Heller is a 1931 graduate of not been responsive to some affairs, civil rights, urban af- short on civil rights. Shorewood high school.) praiseworthy administr a- fairs and economics, comment- A conservative, Whereas defense costs con- tion suggestions so far. James J. Kil- ing on President Johnso n's patrick, editor sumed 10% of the gross nation- Kennan criticized Dirksen of the Richmond state of the Union message. (Va.) al product in 1960, Heller said, and Ford for failing, he said, News Leader, said John- president's appearance The to recognize "significant differ- son's short treatment of civil congress included, before was ences" in Communist regimes. rights would not win him any as well as part of a later press He said there were more differ- friends in the south. conference by two Republican ences between some of them While he endorsed Johnson leaders, Sen. Dirksen of Illinois than there were between some on Vietnam, he characterized and Rep. Ford of Michigan. non-Communist countries. (Ken- most of the speech as "the GOP Criticized, Too nan was ‘bOrn in Milwaukee.) same old bland, cream of wheat rhetoric." Generally, the panelists, lib- Clinton Rossiter, a conserva- erals and conservatives alike, tive spokesman who is a Cor- Mayor Jerome P. Cavanagh thought less of the Republican nell university political scien- of Detroit and Daniel Patrick performance than Johnson's, tist, said the president had Moynihan, former labor depart- though one of them reminded "smothered us with rhetoric." ment official, were sharply crit- the others that they had not The president, he added, "tried ical of the president's programs to touch everybody, but he involving urban problems, • al- seen all of Dirk se n's and Kennan Heller Ford's conference. touched nobody." though Cavanagh was pleased Program participants were in it took 9% in 1966. He did note "Faced with " with the proposal to increase home mortgage credit New York, Washington, Boston, that the president should have by o n e Rossiter complained th a t billion dollars and finance Minneapolis and Los Angeles. left an option to abandon the the Johnson lacked the confidence model cities program. James Reston, New York 6% surtax if the sof- in the country so strongly ex- Times associate editor and col- tened. pressed by President Franklin Moynihan observed "the umnist • and a persistent and Leading off the criticism, D. Roosevelt in 1943. chastened air of the president's caustic critic of President Arthur M. Schlesinger, jr., his- But Rossiter felt that the Re- uddr es s." Ile criticized the Johnson, set the critical tone of torian and specie! assistant to publicans were just as bland as president of rnot being more forceful the program in a 30 minute the late Presides]t Kennedy, Johnson. on open housing and portion preceding the presi- said he did not like Johnson's Milton Friedman, University deplored what he siad was the administration dent's speech. proposal to m ge the com- of Chicago economist and ad- having passed merce up its last chance to implement From Washington, Reston and labor departments viser to , con- into a meaningful redistribution said mood of distrust pervad- a new and libor tended that the tax increase of a income in the nation, only about department. would not be accompanied by includ- ed the nation, not use of children China Basic Enemy drastic domestic spending cuts, ing or family the presidency, but other allowances. things, including the Warren His strongest criticism, how- as it should be. commission and the press. ever, was that he felt Johnson was fuzzy about Vietnam, leav- Two Panelists Praise ing doubt whether there would Johnson, however, won praise be wider escalation of the war from George W. Ball, former there. undersecretary of state, and Schlesinger said that in com- Walter W. Heller, a liberal paring the war in Vietnam to economist and former chair- the Communist threat in Berlin man of the council of econom- 20 years ago and aggression in ic advisers under Presidents Korea 16 years ago. Johnson Kennedy and Johnson. failed to recognize that com- Ball defended the president munism no longer was a mono- against criticism over Vietnam, lithic, unified form and that asserting that Johnson's reaf- Communist China was the bas- firmation of administration pol- ic enemy. icy was all that should be ex- Schlesinger s a i d, however, pected in such a speech. that after hearing Dirksen and He praised the president for Ford, "I must say, Johnson promising to push efforts for looks better." He said the Re- improving relations with the So- publicans demonstrated a lack viet Union and eastern Euro- of faith in the country and in- pean nations and for putting it eptness in foreign policy. ATLANTA JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1967 TELEVISION IN REVIEW Stepchild ETV Network Begins to Show Speed

By RICK DU BROW where its funds are coming switching for the educational HOLLYWOOD (UPI)—A non- from. organization. commercial, thre e-and-a-half- hour The Ford Foundation's pres- video program was ident, beamed McGeorge Bundy, and its Furthermore, as this viewer live and coast-to-coast television Tuesday adviser, Fred Friend- wandered around KCET, it was night as the National ly, have Educational helped demolish this possible to see a microphone Television network atmosphere of opened a window on the future. respectable ivory with the "NBC" brand—an tower-ism and local grass- The broadcast centered around, obvious hand-me-down — and and growing. Yet that there is still included, President John- so much also overhead lighting equip- son's to be done—almost State of the Union address ment to Congress. everything, in fact—was all too bearing the NBC initials, obvious Tuesday night to Educational television had one yet another sign of the stepchild who knew, for instance, that the never before attempted such a status of educational video. major, central oint of the facilities for President Johnson's call, in his interconnected live pro- the gram. The NET broadcast was, in fact, address Tuesday night, for the plans called for at the New about 75 York studios of the development of educational of NET's affiliates to commercial CBS-TV network, receive it instantaneously television is certainly warrant- rather which handled the technical ed. than in the network's usual slow way. Such efforts at immediacy been egged on by the Ford Foundation's revolutionary pro- posal last year to use a domestic satellite plan that would help provide funds for cultural. video on a massive, instantaneous basis. More large experiments are expected this year. What was achieved by NET Tuesday night was not so much a significant technical develop- ment—for coast-to-coast live television is standard for com- mercial networks. True, a three-and-a-half-hour live na- tionwide broadcast without com- mercials is an achievement of sorts. But above all, the idea was simply the taking of the first step by NET—the doing of the program at all, rather than NEW YORK POST, THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1967 picayunish critical appraisal of its points here and there. For this viewer, who watched the broadcast at the Los Angeles educational television station, KCET, it was a night of mixed feelings — of gratitude that NET had finally moved, yet of slight depression that it -1bn The such a Air had taken so long to do basic thing because the funds have been lacking. In short, the -.ca. By BOB WILLIAMS depression stemmed from one's realization at what a stepchild NBC and CBS drew 38 and 37 tional Educational Television educational television is to per cent, respectively, of the which provided excellent ana- broadcasting, despite all the audience that tuned in on cover- lytical coverage of the story on fine cliches. It has been living age of President.Johnson's State some 70 stations Including Ch. basis, fearing to of the Union message. ABC 13 here. You see, the TV rating on a handout checked in with a comfortable game is a fiercely financial step on toes, hewing close to the 25 per cent ... The irony in the thing and educational TV can't establishment line—in short, too count on the LBJ audience was afford to buy its way into the often seemingly over-aware of the absence of mention of Na- big count .. . , JANUARY 30, 1967

TV-RADIO Casting the NET Wider politicians who expect to loft a speech in occasional shows, such as the recent and the air and grab a few headlines." Even superb "The Poor Pay More," which cost In his State of the Union Message, critics of the show admitted that many about $56,000. President Johnson declared: "We should a politician would be -more thoughtful Thus, NET could not readily afford to develop educational television into a vi- about his proclamations if he knew a pay $70,000—as it did for the Presiden- tal public resource." Indeed, his Vital panel of experts was waiting to demolish tial message—for rental of land lines personal interest was illustrated that very his arguments. alone. So it asked Ford for additional as- night. Leaving Congress and hustling Since its founding in 1953, NET has sistance, and the foundation agreed to back to the White House, he promptly always wanted to score just this kind of reimburse NET for the networking costs. switched on the educational television impact. However, hampered by a lack "We didn't do this just because of the channel to watch the remainder of a of adequate financing, it has been little State of the Union Message," said NET three-and-a-half-hour National Educa- more than a syndication service, provid- public-affairs director Donald Dixon."We tional Television special devoted to his ing its 112 affiliates with five hours of were saying, 'These are some of the message. While the three commercial programing a week. Films from the NET things we could give the public if we networks provided only scant analysis, cultural division can take twelve weeks had the finances.' Eventually, we would NET employed eleven top-level special- to reach some affiliates, and its public-af- hope to get enough money to be inter- ists, including sometime Presidential aide fairs shows need a fortnight to achieve connected on a regular basis—not just Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., distinguished national coverage. Now aided by its covering events, but creating events." Kremlinologist George Kennan and New perennial benefactor, the Ford Founda- Growth: To be sure, there would be York Times columnist James Reston, in a tion, NET is making a vigorous—if still problems with constant networking. The witty, informative discussion that put the selective—stab at being a legitimate cost would probably be from $6 million commercial coverage to shame. fourth network. to $8 million annually. And some NET "Hooray for NET," beamed a Wash- This month NET twice rented land affiliates would have difficulty accepting ington Post editorial. The White House lines from' the American Telephone & all the NET programing: one-t!iird are and State Department requested imme- Telegraph Co. and broadcast live pro- owned by universities that program diate transcripts, LBJ was reported to be both fascinated and upset by what he saw, and the was noticeably atwitch about the precedent set by such swift, incisive dissection of a major politi- cal event. "It poses a real problem," said one top Washington observer, "for those

Plena° Schnpu. Salisbury I right) meets the press: For educational TV, a milestone grams to 70 of its affiliates. Its effort on courses now shown in the evening. Oth- the State of the Union Message was fol- ers are community stations that must give lowed last week by an hour-long inter- priority to local problems. "We can't ram view of New York Timesman Harrison it down their throats," said Curt Davis, Salisbury .about his two-week trip to head of NET cultural programing. "It North Vietnam. Salisbury's interviewers will take a gradual working out." were some solicitous Times colleagues Meanwhile, the network is growing. who, while avowedly disagreeing with NET is planning at least two more net- several of his conclusions, were often so work shows in the next few weeks: hour- polite that the hour was more dull than long programs of selected highlights and enlightening. Nevertheless, the show still analysis on the testimony of George Ken- marked a milestone for NET. nan and former ambassador to Japan Ed- Interconnection: For the past. three win O. Reischauer before the Senate years, the Ford Foundation has provided Foreign Relations Committee. (Only one about 80 per cent of NET's annual $8 commercial network—NBC—has indicat- million budget. To produce its five hours ed any interest in live coverage.) of programing a week (two and a half NET, of course, will not fully compete cultural, two and a half public affairs), In covering all major live events for quite NET allots an average of less than a while. But lately educational television $20,000 per hour, less than half of what has been "doing what TV should do, the commercial networks ordinarily pay. opening up new territory," says Fred W. Consequently, it relies heavily on pur- Friendly, former president of CBS News chasing foreign TV films—for as little as and now TV adviser to the Ford Foun- $1,000 per half hour—and saves most of dation. "We are out to conquer air time Its meager budget for producing its own for the real world." CHICAGO DAILY NEWS, WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1967 JANUARY 11, 1967 By Dean Gysel NATIONAL Educational Education TV Scoops Commercial Television took a firm and his- toric step Tuesday night by connecting 75 stations, includ- Hookups on State of Union Talk ing WTTW, for the first time to broadcast the President's By .JACK GOULD. of the country. news conference after the mes- (New York Times TY Critic) State of the Union address. (c) 1e67, N.Y. Times News Service After the speech, a panel of sage. In this instance, the non- Prior to the speech, James historians, political scientists, commercial service provided an NEW YORK—President John- Reston of the New York Times diplomats, and leaders in ur- example of its singular poten- gave a foreword on the mood son urged Tuesday night the de- ban affairs analyzed the speech. tial: Showing the viewer what of the, country. Afterward, velopment of educational televi- The absence of commercial the commercial networks do not NET covered the GOP press sion as a "vital public service" TV deadlines and the caliber provide. conference and then settled to enrich family life and serve and distinction of the guest However, NBC, in a 20-min- back for a 21/2 hour analysis as a teaching aid in the class- commentators enabled NET ute review of the speech, by 10 experts, including Ar- room. to offer a much more extended, showed that it would not be thur Schlesinger Jr., John Gal- Mr. Johnson's endorsement of searching, and diversified an- hard for the commercial net- braith, George Ball, Walter the potential of the non-com- alysis than the advertising-sup- works also to make a contri- Heller and Detroit Mayor mercial medium came in his ported networks. NET proved bution. They used the Early Jerome Cavanagh. State of the Union message, its two major points: The value Bird satellite for a report on The discussion started with which in itself constituted a of reflective commentary by a British and French reaction to a dissection of the speech and new chapter in the evolution of variety of speci alists in the the speech. then evolved into a general television. field of public affairs and the Once NET can afford perma- commentary on national and importance of networking to a nent live network facilities, it His speech before Congress world affairs. lively non-commercial video would not be surprising to see The cross-section of opinion was the first State of the Union service. address to be carried live on increasing competition between plus the time afforded to de- NET completely scooped the commercial and non-commercial velop the discussion lent a per- four national t e levision net- works. commercial networks with the video, a prospect that could be spective that the networks can- live coverage of the Republican both exciting and useful. not or do not give. National Educational Televi- This treatment should con- sion, (NET), under a special tinue to he a province of grant from the Ford Founda- NET. tion, put together a single night's hook-up of 70 non-com- mercial stations to complement the three established commer- cial chains. Normally NET cir- culates programs by tape or film. Additional experiments in live networking are planned by HOUSTON POST, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1967 NET later in the year. Mr. Johnson's inclusion of the subject of educational televi- sion in his speech heightened David Galin interest in the forthcoming re- port of the Carnegie Commis- sion for Educational Television, a private group that will make NET-Cast Cheers recommendations in the future organization, financing, a n d goals of educational video. of LW Message The conclusions of the Carne- gie commission, according to Congratulations! Your TV-radio commenta- Washington reports, will serve tor (Millie Budd, Post Jan 10) correctly pre- as a basis for further considera- dicted the immense success of NET and Chan- tion of educational video's prob- nel 8's pioneering network telecast of the State lems by both the White House of the Union Address. The terse, sometimes and the Senate Commerce com- humorous dialogue, coming before and after mittee. the address, among 10 nationally-known ex- perts provided a welcome change of pace from NET used its first venture on the bland, take-no-sides attitude of the com- coast-to-coast networking as an mercial network "analysts." For two-and-one- example of how it believes a half hours, without interruption, the viewer non-commercial s e r vice can was exposed to a forthright presentation of supplement coverage by c o m- the significant problems facing our nation mercial networks. during the coming year. Before the President's speech, For those of us who do not buy enough de- James Reston, associate editor odorant, cigarettes, beer, etc, to make such of the New York Times, was in- programs commercially feasible it was Indeed terviewed briefly on the mood a welcome treat. CHICAGO DAILY NEWS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1967

Comment U.S. Finding Educational TV's Value nation. reacting to a ruthless By Norman Ross National cu-rient Events Test, Americans are so spectacularly enemy's hlood terrorism in of President Johnson's State misinformed on current events brute %%a:0, in 1%, hich a great in the Union address. carried that one in four of those nation should not behave? ABC, that Chiang Chicago by NBC, CBS. quizzed thought agreed that Tze-tung, SCHLESINGER WON and WTTW. contained Kai-shek, not Mao these were good questions. hut head of the Chinese Com- a passage calling tor expan- is doubted that President John- munist Party. sion of educational television. son would come to grips with Knowledge of Vietnam is them. Before and after the speech equally hazy. By 10th grade The President touched on educational network of 75 the standards nearly three-quarters so many areas, both interna- stations, linked of the country flunked the tional and domestic, that it co- together by test. was easy for a viewer to for- for axial cable get the fields he totally ig- live BUT FOR THOSE v. ho do its first nored or touched on wits telecast, gave care, the NET discussion was Ii ghtly. WI's participants ex- informative. a good quite pointed them out. ot the F. Kennan. ex-am- ample George He devoted . tem lines to of ser- to both the U.S.S.R. kind bassador civil rights, and did so the it alone Yugoslavia. spoke little, vice and ver day Congiess was disci- in comparison with can perform. especially its am historian, Arthur plining most flambos Commercial the voluble and famous Negro member. ss Jr. air time is so" Schlesinger He ignored the space pin- that President John- Ins briefly expensive But he summed gram completely. did not again ros- son had barely left the call for repeal of the contro- cogently the ques- trum before at least one net- and most versial I4B section of. the Taft- work aired a hard sell sales tions President Johnson has Hartley las. did not espouse pitch. not answered to the satisfac- proposals for the federal go•- Since he talked—and talked tion of the comm.. ernment to share tax revenues ,%ith or to most effectively—for an hour nil V. states redistribute income by guaranteeing mini- and 13 minutes, there was lit- the bombings produ- • Are mum incomes or enactment of network analysts tle time for five enough militarily to be family tax allowances, and the highlights to discuss even worth their cost in human echoed Barry Goldwater re proposals before the 10 of his lives and in deterioration of crime and violence in the p.m. news again recapped a moral stance before the streets. few of the main points he our made. world? TECHNICAL FLUBS and But NET. the National Edu- •To sase a .20th-rate semi- pedantic aspects aside, NET's cational Television network, nation are we destroing our coverage added a dimension to stage for of the State of was able to set the relations with numerous other. consideration speech by columnist James the Union message that only bis far more important countries? Reston's talk on the mood of educational TV has the time the country and on the 90th • Are the South Vietnamese or inclination to provide. Congress, which had just con- doing enough to help them- Given a few years it might vened. selves, or has our as yet un- even help more of us to real- ize that Chiang Kai-shek ix not And it devoted an hour and Jeclared war become an after the President the head of the Chinese Com- 45 minutes American war? finished to a discussion by ex- munist Party. perts scattered across the •Have we become mired country. down with a semi-peinianent colonial responsibilio. in an FOR MOST viewers. the ss hich colonialism has Johnson speech itsell. or esen era in discredited? the news program excerpts, been town) was piobabiy enough. • Ale we using. iii Vietnam. Ac: lin to a recent CBS methods ww, oith 01 a great SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER,JANUARY 11, 1967

John Voorhees 611111fInVIIJIIIIMIIIIIIIM11111111111111111!:111111111111111011finurnwhoollomnimummummuidimplifwmfif Prime-Time President

111M1111111 1 11111111111111011111W111111111111111111111MIMIllf1111111filf1111111111111111111111fIll!f011111tIPIMIIIIIIIIMI0111111141111MM

Perhaps the most stimOating thing about President Janson's "State of the Union" message, presented Tuesday night on TV, was the fact it was live. It wasn't on tape or, with one exception, on a three-hour delay to the West Coast. As one watched the sober-appearing President it was somehow exhilerating to realize it was actually happen- ing 'at that moment — and since so little TV actually is live these days, this helped to balance the blandness of President Johnson's 70-minute speech. KIRO-TV, of course, opted not to carry it live, feeling it was more important to present the premiere of 'Mr. Terrific," which is already on a one-day delay, and ta present President Johnson at 10 p.m. (KVOS-TV, for those lucky enough to be able to get it, did carry the CBS network's coverage live, however, and the speech was succinetly discussed by a battery of CBS newsmen like Eric Sevareid, Marvin Kalb and Walter Cronkite at its conclusion to fill out the 90-minute period.) NBC'S coverage, seen here on Channel 5, included a 30-minute discussion of the message, anchored by Frank McGee and including, as well as other NBC newsmen, such qualified experts as J. K. Galbraith whose com- ments revealed they were less than overjoyed. ABC schewed comment upon the speech since it al- minutes of its Beatle special and the BARRON'S, JANUARY 16, 1967 ready cut into 15 network had its premiere of "The Invaders" — first things first! AS FOR NATIONAL Educational Television, it was a big night since more than 70 stations lin Kcrs-Tv. were ]irked together to provide N.E.T. with a bona fide net- work. More than three hours was devoted to the Presi- The Work dent's message (and Channel 9 bugged out of the net- work at 9:10 p.m. because the sound being received was snotty), beginning at 6 p.m. with a 30-minute profile of previous "State of the Unicn" messages. Once the President's message was finished, Paul Brief Notes of the Week Niven served as traffic manager-commentator for vari- ous experts stationed around the country who comment- National Educational TV "expertise" was balanced by ed, mostly unfavorably, upon the President's statements. covered the State of the NET's transmission of a Re- (Chief concern centered on the fact that only two lines Union Message with a line- publican news conference up of academic "stars" to following the Message. LBJ had been devoted to civil rights.) There was also a good comment on the document himself wants to "develop portion of a Republican news conference, called right prior to and after its de- educational television into a after the President finished, which found gallant Sena- livery. Except for Milton vital public resource to en- tor Dirksen in his usual fine, if somewhat confused, form. Friedman, of the University rich our homes, educate our Actually, the NET coverage provided what excite- of Chicago, all of the "ex- families and to provide as- ment there night's prime-time Presiden- perts" was to Tuesday picked to "educate" sistance in our classrooms." tial show producer Jim Karayn round- the nation were chosen to Last Tuesday's performance because executive present a "liberal" point of proved that NET still has to ed up experts whose opinions were enough at variance view, tending toward the left learn the difference between so the discussion often became heated and thus shed of the President and support.. education and propaganda. more light on problems facing the 90th Congress than ing the Ken.nedy clan. Their * * 0 what the President said. CHARLOTTESVILLE DAILY PROGRESS, JANUARY II, 1967 Civil Rights Leaders Call Speech 'Shameful Retreat' NEW YORK (AP) — Presi- leaders, economists, historians "options" open to withdraw dent Johnson's State of the Un- and others expressed their from the tax boost "if the econ- ion message was criticized by views. omy softens more than he civil rights leaders during a na- Walter W. Heller, former thinks and is not in good shape tionwide discussion of the ad- bead of the President's Council at midyear." dress over the National Educa- of Economic Advisers, said the George F. Kennan, diplomat tional Television network. proposed 6 per cent tax sur- and critic of American involve- For the first time, 75 educa- charge is 'sensible and well ment in Vietnam, praised the tional stations throughout the within the capacity of the coun- President for advocating warm- country carried a live hookup of try." er relations with the Soviet Un- the State of the Union message. Heller wondered, however, if ion — for "getting rid of the After the address, civil rights the President had left sufficient harsh spirit of the cold war." Former Undersecretary of State George W. Ball expressed surprise that the President put the question of Soviet relations "squarely up to the Congress," MEMPHIS PRESS-SCIMITAR, JANUARY 12, 1967 whicl- is considering the ratifi- cation of the treaty to establish consul offices throughout the Impressive Analysis of LBJ's Message country. A DAY LATE—thereby losing some immediacy but none The civil rights leaders who of the significance — local viewers saw on video tape last attacked Johnson's message night the impressive analysis of the President's State of the were Dr. Ralph Abernathy, act- ing president of the Southern Union address broadcast live Tuesday evening on 75 other Leadership Confer- educational tv stations. Christian ence; and Kenneth B. Clark, a its point — even when covering an event N.E.T. proved Negro educator from New York, has its own that the other three networks are, it Both said the President's speech studios around the contribution to make. Scattered in devoted far too little time to country were ten of the nation's most articulate authorities civil rights. ranging from conservatives like on socio-economic affairs, "The President's State of the liberals like Kenneth Clark and James J. Kilpatrick to Union speech was a tragic and an excellent Arthur Schlesinger Jr. Paul Niven was shameful retreat from the ma- moderator, sometimes raising questions, sometimes letting jor domestic problem of our the men pace themselves. time — civil rights," said Aber- The liberals seemed to be Mr. Johnson's toughest nathy. "Coming on the heels of critics until after the panel listened to portions of a press the dastardly persecution of sonference then being held by Rep. Gerald Ford and Sen. Congressman Adam Clayton ..-S.verett Dirksen. Kenneth Clark then said the Republicans Powell, this speech can only *lowed a remarkable ability to snatch defeat from the jaws serve to increase the despair of victory. Some of the Republican reaction was called and frustration of the ghetto." "simple minded" by a few panelists and others took issue Major Jerome P. Cavanagh with that. of Detroit, a Democrat, criti- cized The entire discussion was marked by frankness, th President for playing up what Cavanagh termed the brackishness, and real brain power. Unlike the comments "politically popular" Head we've heard from elected officials, the Start program. He said this program searched for the long view of history; and what really is clouded with "serious doubts" made the program soar was that the panelists were deeply about its effectiveness. versed in their subject matter. They knew all the nuances. Historian Arthur M. Schle- N.E.T. isn't the only network able to gather such a singer Jr. called the message collection of minds, but it's the only one which did. This "a moderate kind of speech, not first coast-to-coast educational tv hookup was an industry tile solidify the people behind milestone; the one regrettable thing about it from our him, as to mollify those op- vantage point was the WKNO, the 26th ETV station in the posed." country, was not equipped with the necessary local circuits Milton Friedman, a Universi- to show it live. ty of Chicago economist, said * * "the main effect of the tax hike COMING IN rVIEW: Tomorrow — "Today" celebrates will be not to cut the budget def- it 15th anniversary, 7 a.m., Channel 5 . . . Tim Conway icit, but to raise spending. We debut's as "Range," 8 p.m., Channel 13 . . An outstanding are now faced with recession. I Henrik Ibsen drama "An Enemy of the People" starring don't really believe an increase is on "N.E.T. Playhouse," 8:30 p.m., Channel in taxes is in the right direc- 10 "An Island Called Ellis." 9 p.m., Channel 5. tion," THE NEW REPUBLIC, JANUARY 21, 1967

THE NEW REPUBLIC

No Staying Power?

President Johnson began his State of the Union Message by bluntly asking Congress and the nation to decide whether they have or haven't the staying power to wage effective war on poverty at home as well as a war in Asia. It's a good question. Part of the answer is that both can be done, but the former is in the national interest while the latter is an unnecessary drag. Unfortunately, Mr. Johnson proceeded to make clear that he suspects the nation has lost interest in the war on poverty, even if he himself hasn't. Discussion of domestic problems occupied much of his speech (some hawks grumbled about the time he devoted to poverty when he should, according to them, have been talking about the war in Vietnam), but his proposals for advancing the war against want at home were so modest, and he put them for- ward so diffidently, that he seemed to be saying he knew the Congress is willing to vote him money for Vietnam but not for domestic re- habilitation. He may be right; he is supposed to have a feel for the congressional mood; other experts too insist that the new Congress is for escalation in Vietnam and for de-escalating the poverty war even below the sublevel of last year's preliminary skirmish. If that is the national mood, the President would have served us better by sound- ing a bugle call to duty, rather than murmuring his regrets. Perhaps Mr. Johnson is looking, beyond this year and deliberately cutting thin to win in 1968. Why bother, if he has really aban- doned serious hope of getting done those things he insists he most wants to do. What actually is it that he most wants to do? In its ad- mirable coverage of an uninspiring message, National Educational Television interviewed, among others, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., who said the speech seemed to him to be designed "not to solidify the people behind [President Johnson] as much as to mollify those op- posed [to the President]." On the same program, Clinton Rossiter agreed that "we had one hour and 13 minutes of mollification," and he called the message "a very consensus-minded speech that didn't ruffle anybody's feathers." That proved a disputable assertion. As one conservative Southern Democrat pointed out, not unhappily, Mr. Johnson devoted exactly 45 words out of several thousand to civil rights, and civil rights leaders have every reason to be ruffled. In the 88th Congress civil rights was the star, and in the 89th it still had a supporting part. That part has been taken over by a Safe Streets and Crime Control Act of 1967. The year's theme, according to the Presi- dent, is to be: "Order must be maintained.- This is to be a year of THE NEW REPUBLIC

violent fighting in Vietnam, and of fighting "violence" polluted water. In that sense, most of us are now poor at home. Just what does "maintaining order" mean? and can get richer only by agreeing to let government Will steps be taken to make life more tolerable in - federal, state and local spend money on cleaning the inner city, or will the Congress be satisfied to in- up the environment. The wealth to do it is there. By troduce local police forces to "the latest anticrime expressing haggard doubts that there is maybe not weapons"? Mr. Johnson did "urge special methods and enough, Mr. Johnson gave a conservative Congress the special funds to reach Americans trapped in the ghet- excuse it is looking for to cut down spending on wel- toes," yet his proposed rescue operation seemed cloud- fare. He will make a timid request - which Congress ier, fuzzier, more unreal than the instant communica- will take its own sweet time even considering for a tions and special alarm systems that he said are to six-percent-tax surcharge on rich and become part of the arsenal against crime. "We should middling rich individuals, and he pointed out that cor- transform our decaying slums into places of decency porate profits after tax rose more than five percent last through the landmark model cities program," droned year. (Senator Philip Hart of Michigan says that after- the President. "1 intend to seek for this effort the full tax business profits rose by a staggering 88 percent in amount Congress authorized last year." That's $400- the past nine years.) But a tax boost now or soon seems million, for loo cities - the cost of about a week's Viet- to us of very doubtful social or economic benefit, and nam fighting. And getting Congress to appropriate if the Congress does approve one, it will probably even that amount is going to be a tough battle. Mr. accompany it with a ruthless slashing of "public spend- Johnson didn't sound as if he has much stomach for it. ing"- though not of course for Vietnam. In that case, The message yielded at least one clue to why not. "1 we may get the worst possible consequences for the wish,- Mr. Johnson said mournfully, "we could do all entire economy; a tax increase coinciding with slowed- that should be done, and that we could do it now. But down public spending just as both private spending the nation has many commitments and responsibilities and are tapering off. which make heavy demands upon our total resources. Mr. Heller, who long advocated the tax increase the . . . Let us resolve to do all we can with what we have, President asks for, seems now to want it mainly to knowing it is far, far more than we have ever done nudge an easing of credit by the tight-fisted, Victorian- before, and far less than our problems will ultimately minded Board, and would like Con- require." This was well calculated to set the middle- gress to give the administration both the power to tax aged white men who make up this Congress nodding and the option of not raising taxes if circumstances their conservative heads in solemn unison (Hubert alter. "The administration would have good reason to Humphrey's wagging head could be seen on the tele- ask the country for additional taxes," says James vision screen, rhythmically affirming each presidential Tobin, formerly of the President's Council of Economic statement). Advisers, "if it were really prepared to fight both wars What are those many "commitments and responsi- at once and to scale its budget accordingly. But if the bilities" that make it unfortunately impossible for the President and the Congress are not prepared to do this, President to fulfill his wish to wage immediate full- a tax increase will simply magnify the problems of scale and effective war on poverty? Sending a man to poverty at the same time that the budget is limiting the moon? Subsidizing the farmers? Building a super- the means of coping with them." The proposed boost sonic airliner? None of these, not even the war in Viet- in Social Security payments won't save the economy nam, need inhibit the administration from fighting pov- from the perils of a recession if the aged only get back erty might and main, if it has a mind to do it. Mr. John- what they and Other workers and employers paid in. son said himself, at the very outset of his speech, that What it amounts to is that President Johnson's timid “most Americans are already living better than any consensus-seeking risks pushing the country back into people in history." In NET's series of post-message the mire of former error: cutting public spending (ex- interviews, Walter Heller, the former chairman ot the cept for "defense") and trying to "balance" the ad- White House economic advisers, pointed out that as a ministrative budget. That is Eisenhower's swampland. nation we're a quarter or even a third richer, in dollars Mr. Johnson's ritual genuflections to wise past Presi- of constant value not in inflated dollars, than we were dents included Truman and Lincoln but seemed shy of in 1960. Heller concluded that "this country has the Kennedy, the pupil-teacher of the New Economics. resources to pursue both the war in Vietnam and its Having in some degree helped the Republicans to a progress in the economy at home.- What is needed to congressional comeback this year, Mr. Johnson seems lick poverty is willingness by the well-to-do to share to have become afraid to fight them. They, however, with the poor, and sufficient intelligence on everyone's will not fear to fight him, any more than a dog desists part to grasp that nobody can really be rich if any have from biting a man who runs, even if he runs toward to live in slummy cities, breathe dirty air and drink the dog not away from it. NEWSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1966 DES MOINES TRIBUNE, JANUARY 12, 1967 For let's face it. The various publics for noncommercial video are not really concerned with whether other viewers in are seeing a program at the Educational TV same time they are, or if an entry is Almost lost In the multitude of recommendations in being brought to them on film, on tape the President's State of the Union message was his or "live." It's the show that counts. And educational television into a vital the shoiAs call to "develop will have to be unique, differ- resource." But its inclusion among items ent and much more substantial than the public considered of national concern testifies to the in- stuff we get on commercial TV. NET's of plan—made independently of the Ford creasing awareness of the potential non-commer- cial television. experiment—to interconnect for Presi- the dent Johnson's State of the Union ad- Viewers who watched the address — especially dress next month, hardly falls into the "before" and "after" panel discussions of it — on "unique" category. The networks al- educational TV stations such as Des Moines' KDPS ready televise that event in full and got a sample of that potential. NET* "extended"'analysis of the speech This was educational TV's first live network link. will have to be very incisive to warrant Ordinarily, National Educational Television (NET) the duplication. programs reach local stations on tape or film. The What, then, will the weekly program experiment demonstrated impressively the impact to Offer? Save for some vague mention of be gained by "immediacy." The program was fi- public affairs and culture, the founda- nanced by a grant from the Ford Foundation which tion in its report to the FCC was vague. has proposed establishment of a non-profit domestic More important than interconnect or satellite network. The foundation has advocated free even the eventual ownership of the do- use of the network by educational TV, with the profit mestic satellite—the notion of a non- from revenues paid by commercial users helping to profit system wanes as it becomes evi- finance educational TV improvements. dent that noncommercial TV would reap NET's 10 panel members were scattered about the less than the financial aid originally country in Tuesday night's effort, with commentary suggested—is the question of where this for two hours from such panel members as Historian alternative form of broadcasting will get Arthur Schlesinger, jr., former Under-Secretary of the money for its future operation. State George Ball, Economist Walter Heller, and Here, the foundation made a valuable Newspaper Editor ;fames J. Kilpatrick. Panelists' contribution. personal views laid bare more of the speech's ramifications than is normally the case with the commentary of network news personalities. Whether the President intends to offer as far- reaching a program for educational TV development NEWSDAY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1967 as that proposed by the Ford Foundation, which Involved substantial government subsidy, remains to be seen. But the Foundation's first "network" effort served to illustrate one of the ways in which educational television can function in the public Invaders' Make Interest. Happy Landing By Barbara De'aline/

As of this morning, I am prepared to eat some words previously written about the wisdom displayed by National Educational Television (NET) in deciding to interconnect its stations into a live network for coverage of last night's State of the Union Message. The contribution nude by NET with some fancy electronic footwork was invaluable in furthering our understanding of the President's speech. An extended session of analysis by experts scattered throughout the nation, but joined by cameras and moderator Paul Niven's intelligent probing, provided something that commercial TV is either unable or unwilling to provide: informed, alticulate, searching comment. Compared to the candid, frequently heated exchanges generated by the participants in NET's Roundtable, the 15-minute retrievers offered by the networks were just a drop in the bucket. Not that the network newsmen couldn't have been properly enlightening. Some of them might have duplicated the insights offered by such experts as Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Newsday columnist James J. Kilpatrick, and former Undersecretary of State George Ball. But given the limitations of the commercial-TV facts of life, the networks are not making the necessary time available. There's a role here for ETV in public affairs; a role if filled as well as it was last night needs implementation. BROADCASTING, JANUARY 16, 1967

John Kenneth Galbraith in London and State of Union British and French politicians via the Early Bird satellite. After further com- mentary from the network's Huntley- kept NET busy Brinkley news team and Douglas Kiker, NBC-TV cut hack to regular program- ing at II p.m. ETV's national debut CBS-TV followed the President's mes- sage with analysis by correspondents fed 70 outlets from Walter C'ronkite, Eric Sevareid, Marvin Kalb and Dan Rather, then switched five origination points to Washington for interviews with mem- bers of Congress. CBS also cut back to normal schedules at 11 p.m. National Educational Television made ABC-TV's coverage consisted of the its first live coast-to-coast transmission address alone. making it four national tele- last week, The NET program, which won favor- that covered the same vision networks able comment from TV critics, con- event—President Johnson's same news sisted of an interview with James Reston message. State of the Union of the New York Times and extensive knows its future may NET, which discussions by historians, urban-affairs the new year, hang on developments in figures and political scientists. It also a competent went all out to prove itself carried live a news conference held by source, feeding full-network program Republican members of Congress soon origination 7() stations and switching after the President's message. points among five cities. The program switched among New thrust ETV And President Johnson York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Bos- urging in further into the spotlight by ton and Washington. development. The his address its fuller NET President John White said he develop ed- President said: "We should has received highly favorable comment vital public ucational television into a on the effort from both government and educate resource to enrich our homes, public sources, from congressmen and assistance in our families and to provide from commercial broadcasters. He said our classrooms." It was a broad-stroke the educational network planned an- sim- statement but considered significant other coast-to-coast telecast of a public to mention ply because he had chosen affairs program within 30 days, prob- the subject at all. ably one-hour long, but said its subject of reckon- This could be ETV's year had not been set. Over the next five Congress may ing because the new months NET expects to carry at least its operation choose to form policy on four more nationwide programs, two of ETV's relation and financial resources. them to be of a cultural nature. broadcast- to whatever domestic satellite Mr. White asserted reports that a spe- is tinder ing plan may be developed cial grant had been made to NET by In addition, consideration at. the FCC. the Ford Foundation to pay for AT&T Commission the report of the Carnegie interconnection were untrue. No new expected on Educational Television is monies were made available for this around the end of this month. Since purpose, he asserted. imprimatur of the commission has the All four radio networks carried the recommendations President Johnson, its State of the Union address live. NBC are ex- on ETV's funding and structure and Mutual coverage included brief influence. pected to carry considerable commentary before and after and CBS programing Where ETV public affairs did a short recap of the President's re- net- will overlap that of commercial marks. works and where it will complement commercial coverage is not certain, but ETV seems to be pushing further into competitive areas. NET's coverage of the President's message last Tuesday ran from 9 p.m. ta 12:25 a.m, and included a half-hour of pre-speech exposition and about one hour and 40 minutes of post-speech analysis, considerably more attention than was given the event by the com- mercial networks. NBC-TV preceded the address with a 10-minute analytical introduction by three correspondents and followed the President with economic and political analysts. including Harvard professor STATION WAVA, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, JANUARY 12, 1967

Peter McCandless speaking:

The State of the Union address on Tuesday night was generally bland, much too long, geared so as to offend no one, with very little new to offer or to contradict. This reporter frankly found the controversy and dialogue following the Message to be far more colorful and excit- ing than the disputed one hour and nine or thirteen minutes of the Message itself. The immense success of the program surrounding the State of the Union address is a forceful tribute to National Educational Television and illus- trates vividly the boundless, and really little explored, educational impact of the NET concept.

For three and a half hours, about 75 of the NET stations, including Washington's own WETA, Channel 26, carried an uninterrupted program centered on President Johnson's State of the Union address. The result was dynamic. Both before and after the address, distinguished commentators from the academic, governmental and journalistic worlds talked about the Nation's problems and the President's approach to them. The result for the viewer was like sitting in a jury and listening to a stunningly dramatic and brilliantly improvised trial. The polemics were full of fire and quick wit. It was impossible to turn off the set even past the witching hour. AND WHAT A DELIGHT TO HEAR THESE LEARNED AAD INTERESTING VIEWS WITHOUT INTERRUPTION...

It was a rare event on Tuesday night to see and hear such a learned collection of talent gather- ed for one program. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., Clinton L. Rossiter, George F. Kennan, George W. Ball and Kenneth B. Clark appeared from New York. Walter W. Heller spoke from Minneapolis, Milton Friedman from Los Angeles, Daniel Pat- rick Moynihanfrom Boston, James Reston, James J. Kilpatrick and Jerome P. Cavanagh from Wash- ington. The magic of electronics, and the skills of the NET programming brought together some of the foremost political, economic and foreign policy thinking in the United States to- day. Their views covered all parts of the political spectrum -- and therein lay the es- sence of the pure drama. Drama exists on con- troversy and conflict. What NET did for us on Tuesday night was to provide a vast arena for these high priests. The play was strictly mid- twentieth century and, I might add, was "the thing on which to catch the conscience of the King."

Here is a real case for the future of National Educational Television. It is noteworthy that one of the brigat spots of the State of the Union address was President Johnson's urging the expansion of NET -- getting it into more homes. Imagine the national impact of this kind of quality occupying prime tlevision time -- even during the morning and afternoon hours...

The Ford Foundation made the NET broadcast on Tuesday night possible. It is my fond hope that the quality of that production, the educational catharsis of hearing great thinkers in your own home, sparks and fans further monies from wealthy foundations around the country, until some sense is finally infused into the commer- cial whirl of our hectic lives.

This is Peter McCandless...returning you now to WAVA Radio. National Educational Television 10 Columbus Circle New York, N.Y. 10019 Executive producer Jim liarayn and director Alvin Mi/claw

Milton Friedman in Los Angeles studio Rep. Ford and Sen. Dirksen at Republican press conference

.4.8asamimumarigr two,

In New York anchor studio:.Niven, Ro iter and Schlesinger. Heiler on screen.

***AriE h

JIM KARAYN BUREAU CHIEF

NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION 1619 MASSACHUSETTS AVE, N. W. (202 ) 483-6347 WASHINGTON. D. C. 20036 REB: (202) 333-8970

NET The Public Television Network A Progress Report 1967-68 New Mandate Noncommercial television "went public" in 1967. Between late January, when the term "Public Television" appeared for the first time in the report of the Carnegie Commission, and early November, when the President signed into the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, the nation gave recognition to a fifteen-year pioneer effort that had worked to expand the service from one station to a network covering all but four of the fifty states. From humble beginnings as an auxiliary instructional service, public television had grown to provide an essential part of the total impact of U.S. television. Almost from the start, noncommercial TV has drawn strength from the creative interplay of two forces: the stations, reflecting community interests, and NET,the national program center. More than any single factor, this interplay produced the searching, restless creative spirit that last year engaged the attention of the nation's decision makers. The stations in their diversity challenged NET and were in turn challenged by it. The very nature of the medium demands this exchange relationship: television is local, and it is national, and even global. It is never merely one or the other. As this report is written, nearly three out of four Americans live within reach of a noncommercial TV station affiliated with NET. There are 140 NET affiliates on the air, Contents and at least 20 more will be added by the end of 1968. Approximately one-third of the average station's pro- New Mandate 1 Board of Directors 2 gramming comes from NET, making it the largest single President's Letter 2 source of noncommercial TV 'With Artistry and fare in the nation. Each Without Compromise'3 week NET programs reach numbers of people roughly Programs, Stations, Viewers 4 Public Affairs Programs 6 comparable to those who read TIME magazine. Although Specials 9 Cultural Programs 10 the number of viewers reached is important, program Children's Programs 14 quality and content are more important and NET accepts Science 15 PBL 16 the limitation on numbers that this imposes. Public TV Network Stations 18 Underwriting for Public Television 19 Engineering and 20 For a decade NET has pioneered public television; now Services 21 Financial Statement 22 NET and "Public Television" are ready to carry out a Notes to Financial Statement 23 new mandate: to make a major difference in American Auditors' Report 23 Officers and Staff 24 television, to become a major force in our national life. NET Board of Directors

Everett N. Case (CHAIRMAN) NET is proud to issue this progress report. In it we take President, Alfred P Sloan Foundation New York, N.Y. a look at ourselves and our place within public television, Edward W. Barrett focusing in particular on our primary objective, Dean, Graduate School of Journalism , New York, N. Y. programming of high quality. Kingman Brewster, Jr. President, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. Throughout this booklet you will find references to the

Norman Cousins (VICE CHAIRMAN) independent noncommercial stations in the NET network Editor, Saturday Review, New York, N. Y. and their individual audiences. It is through them and Richard E. Cross and we never forget this. Attorney, Cross, Wrock, Miller, Vieson, & Kelley for them that NET exists, Detroit, Mich. reflects both our enthusiasm Lee A. DuBridge While we hope that the report President, California Institute of Technology and our pride, this does not mean that we are self-satisfied. Pasadena, Calif. The words of encouragement and praise that we quote John Fischer Contributing Editor, Harper's Magazine, Inc. here remind us that we are also criticized by some and— New York, N.Y. worse still—ignored by others. We shall always welcome Mortimer Fleishhacker, Jr. Chairman of the Board, Precision Instrument criticism, and we are working hard to overcome Company, San Francisco, Calif. indifference. Ralph Lowell (CHAIRMAN EMERITUS) Retired Chairman, Boston Safe Deposit and hope is that any progress report we issue will soon Trust Company, Boston, Mass. Our by ourselves and by the whole dynamic Sidney P. Marland, Jr. be outrun Superintendent, Pittsburgh Public Schools enterprise of public television. If we move ahead as we Pa. Pittsburgh, expect to do, much that is printed here may be obsolete Burke Marshall Vice President and General Counsel, IBM Corp. by the time you read it. Nothing would please us more. Armonk, N. Y. Newton N. Minow Attorney, Leibman, Williams, Bennett, Vaird and Minow, Chicago, Ill. Milton C. Mumford Chairman of the Board, Lever Brothers Co. New York, N.Y. President, NET Kenneth E. Oberholtzer Retired Superintendent of Denver Public Schools Denver, Colo. Peter G. Peterson Chairman of the Board, Bell & Howell Co., Chicago, Ill.

Philip D. Reed (VICE CHAIRMAN) Retired Chairman of the Board General Electric Co., New York, N. Y. James B. Reston Associate Editor, The New York Times Washington, D.C. Glenn T. Seaborg Chairman, United States Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D.C. George D. Stoddard Acting Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Long Island University, New York, N. Y. Herman B Wells Chancellor, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind. John F. White President, National Educational Television New York, N.Y.

2 'With Artistry and Without Compromise' 36 major awards have been won by "In the realm of public affairs, and es- NET programs or series, including 3 pecially the telementary, NET this sea- Peabody Awards and the 1966 Prix son outstripped the combined output of Italia. the three commercial networks by bulk and, more significantly, by content." Variety, May 3, 1967 "...National Educational Television this past year provided more entertainment, more quality, more pleasure than the total efforts of the three commercial net- works combined ... This preponderance of excellence on the NET screen this past year. .. stands as my argument for the network's lead in artistic entertain- ment." The News and Observer Charlotte, N.C. April 30, 1967 "A special Peabody Award is richly de- "NET is turning out documentaries and served by the National Educational Tele- live programs that are prime in courage vision Network and its producing sta- as well as newsworthiness." tions for swimming valiantly against the Brattleboro Reformer & current which seems to be sweeping TV Phoenix toward mediocrity. Through such excel- February 1, 1968 lent programs as 'NET Playhouse,' 'NET Journal' and 'U.S.A.: The Arts' "In case you haven't looked at your edu- and others, it has demonstrated that a cational channel lately.... you have been cultural network can compete profes- missing many happy happenings. And sionally for the attention of the larger not the least of those is a truly extraor- audience and do it with artistry and dinary series called 'NET Playhouse.' without compromise." This ambitious project... offers a weekly From the Citation, April 1967 schedule of major plays and films, in- cluding those by new writers. It has "One of the chief achievements of the come up this season with the two best Ford Foundation has been NET, which produced classics yet seen anywhere on has played a key role both in estab- TV." TV Guide, May 6, 1967 lishing more than 100 non-commercial television stations across the country "One of public TV's best programs is a and in supplying the local stations with tough, fair-minded NET series called programs of value and quality . . . It 'Your Dollar's Worth.'" would be wasteful in the extreme not to TIME, November 3, 1967 make the fullest use of NET in any pub- "The program called 'NET Journal' lic expansion and support of non-com- has quietly gone about its reportorial mercial TV." Saturday Review business without either disparaging the April 8, 1967 commercial networks efforts or pro- "... we already have an educational tele- claiming itself the ultimate renaissance vision system that frequently offers a in electronic journalism.. brilliant preview of what a well-financed, The New York Times well-staffed public system could mean to October 31, 1967 the U.S....Behind the [NET label] lies ".•. the excellent, comprehensive 'Arts: some of the most interesting and excit- U.S.A.' series spotlighted controversial ing television being screened in America art, poetry and drama that has yet to be today—for those who will only make seen on commercial TV." the small effort to look for it." Seattle Post-Intelligencer TV Guide, May 27, 1967 June 7, 1967 3 Programs, Stations, Viewers

Program Policy Public Affairs Programs "This instrument can teach; it can illu- • Induce people to think critically about minate. Yes, it can even inspire. But it important national and international is- can only do so to the extent that humans sues confronting our society. are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely lights and wires • Help develop an informed, alert, ac- in a box," Edward R. Murrow tive citizenry,jealous of its and conscious of its responsibilities. • Probe each issue or condition with NET candor and fairness, placing it in its his- torical perspective and in the context of our daily lives.

The Public Television Network • Depict the probable or possible con- sequences of various courses of action.

Affiliated Stations "ETV requires the preservation and ex- Among the 140 stations affiliated with pansion of a strong national program- NET in March 1968, there are great ming service in the areas of information variations in methods of financing and and culture . . . On the basis of shared operation. interests and goals of the affiliates and Of this number 41 are called "com- by experience and performance, the best munity" stations, operated by nonprofit possible agency to provide this service corporations and depending upon volun- is National Educational Television." tary contributions as their principal Unanimous resolution of the NET affili- means of support. Most of the educa- ates meeting at Kansas City,October 23, tional television stations in the largest 1966. cities fall into this category.

1962 1964 1966 1968 Universities or colleges operate 48 of GROWTH OF NET AFFILIATES the NET affiliates.

". . . I watch ETV not because I'm an In the TV audience, NET viewers tend, intellectual snob, but because it has in the main, to be the better educated, better programs." the more affluent, the actively con- ‘`. . It's stimulating and more fun. . ." cerned, the readers of books and peri- 4 odicals. They are also the smaller audi- . .flipping the switch from mediocrity to NET." ences, by TV standards. Yet, by any ".• . thank you for television." measurement usually applied to groups interested in national and international Viewers' letters affairs, in drama or music or science, their numbers are impressive. More im- portant, this audience is growing, and spreading to include younger viewers and blue collar workers in substantial numbers.

4 Cultural Programs Programs For Children • Help cultivate American taste and * Help enlarge the mind of the child. appreciation through the presentation of significant performance in the arts. • Kindle his natural curiosity. • Impart a deep sense of the cultural • Stimulate his ready imagination. heritage of mankind to young and old • Help instill in him an awareness and alike. appreciation of moral and esthetic values. • Examine contemporary culture and the forces that shape it. • Give exposure to new or neglected ideas, techniques, and talents for the "FORM IS IMPORTANT—CONTENT IS FOREMOST" ultimate enrichment of American life.

A total of 35 are under control of state In 1968, 82 per cent of the affiliates can The stations elect an Affiliates Council boards of education or state commis- carry NET programs in color. Station to maintain regular contact with NET sions or authorities. capability to originate programs in color on matters of common interest. It con- is also rising rapidly. The remaining 16 are licensed to local sists of ten station managers serving staggered terms. A list of the present public school systems. In 1966, when station programming pol- members appears on page 24. icies were last surveyed in detail, the Of the 140 stations, 77 occupy VHF average station was broadcasting almost channels (Channel 2-13), while 63 oc- 18 hours per week of NET program- cupy UHF channels (14-88). Two- ming. This includes new programs, chil- thirds of the potential audience is served dren's programs and programs drawn by the VHF stations. from the flexible, or library, service. Any In recent years, the average station's program may be repeated within the budget has increased 57 per cent. same week.

The last comprehensive study of NET appears to have at least doubled since audiences was conducted two years ago 1966 (in one midwestern city it rose by Dr. Wilbur Schramm, director of the from 25% to 61%); and quite clearly, Institute for Communications Research public interest has been focused on non- at . It concluded that commercial TV as never before. NET's the audience of public TV had more commitment to programming of quality than doubled in the preceding five years, greatly modifies its concern for audience and that about 14 million individual "ratings." It must, in fact, continue to viewers were being reached weekly, ex- produce some programs for "minority" clusive of classroom viewing. Since then, audiences. Even so, specific programs several factors point to substantial fur- have achieved ratings that can be pro- ther increases: forty additional stations jected nationally to indicate that be- have gone on the air; UHF conversion tween 3 and 4 million viewers may be reached at peak times.

5 Public Affairs Programs

LEFT TO RIGHT: The Other Side of Paradise; r Where is Prejudice?; Bridge on the Jordan; Justice and the Poor

40,

4111)

••• •

ab*‘•• -r • ..oc • -.1,10t4.111.11,

•:01 a.

ft.4 • `1.6• 3TP ^ 4'S

-^^1. ••••7•11r7ii •

,rrr LI al

_

6 Reviews

"Where is Prejudice?" presented by NET mobiLiznON fokvulH Journal was a superb reminder that some LEGAL SERVICES I of the most illuminating reportage lies in oft. UNIT areas that journalists of all media so often "Nlio4EGAL ASSISTANCE take for granted." The New York Times CANNOT z.D A LAWYER "NET Journal's hard-hitting "Justice and EOAL GRATIS the Poor"—another attention-holding hour PAW.)A LYN ()GA DO on yet another aspect of our awesome urban problems." Seattle Post-lntelligencer

"The NET program about the difference in justice for the poor and the rich was full of provocative points. The hour added up to something that is worth pondering and probing further for changes in the 41 situation." Deseret News

LEFT TO RIGHT: Men Who Teach (Dr. Ger- "The most accomplished and sensitive ald Holton); LSD: Lettvin vs Leary (Dr. hour of television this season has been the Timothy Leary); A Time for Burning; superb film entitled'A Time for Burning." North Vietnam The New York Times "Notwithstanding the protests of 33 members of the House of Representatives, the National Educational Television's presentation of the film on North Vietnam and an accompanying discussion was a useful and thoroughly defensible exercise in television journalism. .. Free discussion is infinitely preferable to the specter of censorship by self-appointed guardians of the public mind." The New York Times "NET deserves commendation for its refusal to bow to congressional pressure ..." Des Moines Tribune

LEFT TO RIGHT: A Conversation with Svet- "NET enjoyed a stimulating and significant lana Alliluyeva; My Name is Children; program last night in Paul Niven's Conversations 1967-68—General Dwight interview with Svetlana Alliluyeva." D. Eisenhower; Russia: The Unfinished The New York Times Revolution (Ilya Ehrenburg, Colette "The interview provided a fascinating Shulman) portrait of a woman trying to grasp a new life." Rocky Mountain News "Towards the end of'My Name is Children' there's a brilliant sequence which captures in minutes the staggering range and impact of television upon the minds of children ..." Suffolk Sun "The fascination of this hour-long study of Russia, 50 years after the revolution, is its on-location setting for a commentary on Russia today by Russians themselves." The Evening Bulletin

7 Public Affairs Programs Reviews

LEFT TO RIGHT: Modern Women—The Un- easy Life; The Revolt "The frustrating, degrading and self- perpetuating world of welfare is forth- rightly presented in this NET Journal segment,'The Welfare Revolt,'.. . an hour that calmly and unemotionally paints a picture of what it's like to be trapped in the welfare world. .It's a program that should be a 'must'for every thinking American—but it may take some courage to stick with it.. ." Seattle Post-Intelligencer

4 1th 1:111,44

11:1,27r WWII3..

What Harvest for the Reaper? "'What Harvest for the Reaper'. . a. superb sequel[to Edward R. Murrow's 'Harvest of Shame]. .left . no doubt that correction of the migratory worker's social and economic disenfranchisement still has a long way to go. Mr. Murrow would be the first to be pleased that a new generation of sensitive TV craftsmen has renewed his battle in unsparing word and haunting photography." New York Times "That television can prompt notable social action has been shown in the aftermath to

• ...;.•"-',J1,74; 'NET Journal's' hour expose of the • • hideous living and working conditions of tnigrant farm workers in and around a „ay „pr.!' •,V camp at Cutchogue, Long Island ..." Variety

rr• LEFT TO RIGHT: Hueiga!; Your Dollar's Worth: On Face Value "With amused detachment,'Your Dollar's Worth' registered the point that consumer economics often are influenced by psychological yearnings upon which no can he put.'On Face Value' engagingly put consumer research into refreshing perspective." The New York Times "When it comes to serving viewers in a tangible way,few TV programs can compare with NET's monthly 'Your Dollar's Worth,'" Newsday

8 Specials Reviews

LEFT: The nine commentators in State of the Union, 1968 (1967:) "As it turned out, NET's first attempt at nationwide broadcasting was a brilliant success and, it is hoped, a harbinger of regular network news service to ETV stations before long." The National Observer

"NET,in its presentation of the President's William F. Buckley, Jr. Milton Friedman Walter W. Heller State of the Union Message, performed precisely as the 'vital public resource' which he urged it to become." Washington Post (1968:) "It can be done. It is possible to conduct a civilized, enlightening discussion of political issues on television. You can assemble nine experts, representing conflicting viewpoints, and have a genuine dialog in which people respond to what other people say and don't indulge in an James J. Kilpatrick Bill D. Moyers Daniel P Moynihan unproductive free-for-all. And you can find panelists who are willing to speak their minds freely, without worrying about who might be offended. All of this was proved the night of Jan. 17, when NET offered a live—and consistently lively—two-hour critique of the State of the Union Message, immediately after telecasting(along with the commercial networks) the Presidential address itself." TV Guide Edwin 0. Reischauer Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. Carl Stokes

LEFT: From the first round-the-globe telecast, Our World. Van Cliburn and Leonard Bernstein in the NET segment. "A brilliant display of the real promise of television beamed Sunday when 14 nations on five continents were linked in a two- hour program aptly titled 'Our World.' It was, indeed, a fantastic display of just how small this globe is." Los Angeles Herald-Examiner "...in a way the 'Our World' telecast Sunday afternoon was as distinguished an achievement as man's conquest of space .. . NET in this country increased its stature a great deal by taking part in the broadcast." The Denver Post

9 Cultural Programs

LEFT TO RIGHT: Ten Blocks on the Camino Real (Lotte Lenya); Uncle Vanya (Sir Laurence Olivier and Rosemary Harris); Leinsdorf Recreates (Erich Leinsdorf); Inecita Barrosa; Defection! The Case of Colonel Petrov

LEI Dy DL

LEFT TO RIGHT: Plaza 9; A Conversation with Ingrid Bergman; Duke Ellington; Home

10 Reviews

"Television drama has reached a peak of perfection in the Laurence Olivier production of 'Uncle Vanya'on NET Playhouse." The Boston Globe 4`. .. NET Playhouse has been presenting a weekly series of programs that often rank as super-specials. A conspicuous example was Friday's splendid, brilliantly-cast production of Chekov's'Uncle Vanya.' It's difficult to imagine better choices for the principal roles in this saga of blighted lives in turn-of-the-century Russia." The Philadelphia Inquirer "Those who watched the NET presentation of. :Uncle Vanya'. . . were treated to an extraordinary television experience." Pittsburgh Post Gazette

LEFT TO RIGHT: The Battle of Culloden; "British film producer Peter Watkins used Dylan Thomas, John Malcolm Brinnin; non-actors, narrators both on and off Dialogue: Martin Buber and camera and newsreel techniques to achieve remarkable realism in "The Battle of Culloden," a NET Playhouse presentation. "Cameras and microphones seemed to he everywhere, recording in striking detail the sights and sounds of the fighting. It was the most impressive dramatization of battle that I can remember; it made the average Hollywood war film look like a kindergarten production." The Denver Post

"A comprehensive and in-depth look at Ingrid Bergman—something of an event for TV—was provided by NET." The Boston Globe "In one of two entries of some major dramatic proportions, a NET Playhouse original, 'Home,' a magnificent mounting gave exciting momentum to a drama, pedestrian in everything but its frightening ideas and their imaginative translaiion to television ..." Newsday "'Home,' which benefited enormously from a brilliant production...is a gripping if not terribly convincing play set in a chillingly abstracted future...Miss Terry is a serious writer... a moralist with an obvious bent toward the drama of ideas." The New York Times Cultural Programs

LEFT TO RIGHT: Pauline Trigere; The Life and Times of John Huston, Esq.; Victoria Regina (Patricia Routledge); Robert Graves MOM

LEFT TO RIGHT: Lincoln Center / Stage 5 (Carmen de Lavallade); Peter Ustinov; 1984 (Jane Merrow); An Evening's Jour- ney to Conway, Massachusetts (Edgar Stehli); Duro Ladipo; Tale of Genji

r LEFT TO RIGHT: The Golden Ring; A Pas- sage to India(Dame Sybil Thorndike); The Importance of Being Earnest (Susannah York); James Joyce, Augustus John

12 Reviews

"In The Life and Times of John Huston, Esq., educational television smoothly blended its informing and entertaining functions. The fascinating biography of a many-faceted man produced a film worthy of the great movie director." The Milwaukee Journal

"NET Playhouse over the weekend premiered what might be considered TV's first classic soap opera. It was a four-part drama, excellently produced by England's Granada TV, of the life of Queen Victoria, based on Laurence Housman's biography. Patricia Routledge was a lovely and spirited Victoria." The Philadelphia Inquirer

"'An Evening's Journey to Conway, Mass.'is a rich appreciation of our past and would make an excellent short play for schools." San Francisco Chronicle .. . what the vanishing small town meant for so many years in America was the theme of 'An Evening's Journey to Conway, Mass.'. . in the season's color premiere of NET Playhouse." The New York Times "'Five Ballets of the Five Senses,' an invigorating and inventive dance program boasting a talent roster that was top drawer..." Boston Globe "The most extravagant and certainly the most impressive presentation was... a joint effort of NET and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts." N.Y. Daily News

"'A Passage to India' is a striking theatrical experience, and in its perceptive treatment of Anglo-Indian relations is still hauntingly pertinent today. Magnificently performed by a cast headed by Sybil Thorndike ...beautifully written by a playwright able to capture the mystical nature of the original as well as its depiction of senseless prejudice... a must for drama buffs." Newsday

"'The Golden Ring'—a NET special to mark what has been called the greatest achievement in phonograph history.... no music lover should miss it ..." Columbus Citizen-Journal

13 Children's Programs Reviews

LEFT TO RIGHT: Inland Waterway; Stone Mountain (What's New) "NET's'What's New'is the undisputed leader among all series designed for children from 6 to 12." One Week of ETV (1966)

LEFT TO RIGHT: Misterogers' Neighborhood (Fred Rogers); Sailing (What's New) "You can lead a child to good programming but you can't always snake him watch, let alone enjoy it. At least, this used to be true until a year ago when 1Misterogers' Neighborhood' burst upon isolated ETV screens, leaving in its wake devoted kiddies, grateful parents and amazed child development experts who not only could find no fault with this electronic baby-sitter, but also could commend its creator and star, Fred Rogers,for his contributions to the well-being of his remote charges." Newsday

Hans Christian Andersen (Freddy Albeck) The Children's Television Workshop of NET was established in the Spring of 1968 by a partnership of the Car- negie Corporation, the Ford Foun- dation and the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. The Workshop has a mandate to explore ways in which television can both teach and entertain young children, with particular emphasis on the needs of disadvantaged pre-school youngsters. A 26-week series of daily one-hour "wall-less nursery-school" programs are being readied for re- lease by the Workshop to NET affili- ates in late 1969.

1•I Science Reviews

The Edge of Endurance (Spectrum)

Waves Across the Pacific (Spectrum) 'NET offered excerpts from five of the widely differing 'Spectrum' programs, including 'Waves Across the Pacific,' 'Flying at the Bottom of the Sea,''To Sleep, Perchance to Dream,' The Story of Navigation,' and 'Search for the Cancer Virus'. . . Some of the NET science subjects may not be pretty, but they get very close to the meaning, the menaces, and the monumental possibilities in natural forces bearing on intellectual and physical life." Variety

LEFT TO RIGHT: Flying at the Bottom of the Sea; Dr. Harold C. Urey (Spectrum)

Games People Play (NOT ILLUSTRATED) "NET has scored another scoop in its excellent 'Spectrum'series by preparing an hour-long look at provocative Dr. Eric Berne, the 'in' person in psychiatric circles for his'Games People Play'... Highly recommended." Seattle Post-Intelligencer

15 Public Broadcast Laboratory

The evening of November 5, 1967, mercial television, PBL is also meant to marked the opening of a series of broad- show how public television, adequately casts by the Public Broadcast Labora- financed, can produce superior cultural tory, separately funded by the Ford and public affairs programs for a nation- Foundation and operating as a division wide audience. of NET. The next day, one critic wrote PBL provides the chance to disseminate that "TV isn't likely to be the same a wide range of probing discussions of again." fundamental public issues, noteworthy The PBL, as its name implies, is an ex- music and theatre, sophisticated report- periment—an experiment in filling an ing of new scientific developments, Con- important gap in American broadcast- gressional hearings on significant issues, pbl ing, an attempt to give thoughtful view- conversations among great scholars and ers a wider range of choice than they specialists, candid examinations of com- now enjoy. mercial subjects, and other offerings of Designed to demonstrate the power of a type not often available on commer- national interconnection for noncom- cial stations.

LEFT TO RIGHT: ;The Dwarfs; Day of Absence; Bernard Fall

16 Reviews

PBL Chief Correspondent Edward P. "The Public Broadcast Laboratory served Morgan up a searing three hours on U.S. racial problems last night in a landmark non- commercial television program. . it was a rare absorbing evening and a brilliant start for a new force in television." Washington Post

"[PBL brings] to the medium a new form, a sense of vigor and journalistic brashness, and the courage to meet an issue squarely.. ." Variety

"What made the program memorable was not the cinematic techniques, not the unusual length, but the brutal candor with which the issues were explored, both in the extraordinary documentary sequences and the piercing, though not always subtle, 'white minstrel show', Day of Absence." Los Angeles Times

"Harold Pinter's 'The Dwarfs' made its television debut on PBL last night and the Public Broadcast Laboratory can take a deep bow for finding the perfect way to handle such a difficult-to-understand drama. They discussed it beforehand. It seemed a marvelous idea, as so many people are put off by watching a play they find hard to understand.. . PBL scored again." Memphis Press-Scimitar

"It reaches. It breaks the artificial barriers the medium has set up for itself. It opens up vital areas of relationships between art and news. It brings bold new techniques into play to shake the viewer." Christian Science Monitor LEFT TO RIGHT: Yehudi Menuhin, Ravi Shankar (U.N. Day Concert); Dr. Martin "By the third program, PBL was in full Luther King, Jr.; Walter Lippmann bloom. Indeed, this program, which started with the four defectors from the carrier Intrepid and closed with Sir John Gielgud at the Kennedy Memorial, was terrific—if for no other reason than that it had, in between, the greatest single interview we have ever seen. This was Walter Lippman, interviewed by young people." TV Guide

"The last dedicated days and weeks of the martyred Martin Luther King, Jr. were played back in piercing and poignant filmed detail last night on PBL." New York Post

17 Public Television Network Stations

r,,,AKEIAOKA04,0!,.

iaw••••••••

_

A

milk& fal.g PEP'd 16.,44• d WO _Ire I 3 , ik.are -•-sem. NA11 in-2' 4 'REVW

New affiliates go on the air and join the network every to the police department, from the League of Women few weeks and therefore no map like this can be accu- Voters to the Campfire Girls, from the Chamber of Com- rate for long. Many of these stations produce significant merce to the PTA. Often stations provide emergency cultural, public affairs, and children's programs; some assistance of various kinds: one recently shared its trans- also produce under contract for NET. Most stations mitting tower with a commercial station whose own tower render important public service through their own local was torn down in a storm; two provided a "newspaper- programming. Instruction for the classroom, reports by of-the-air" to their communities when newspapers were public officials, in-depth discussion of local or regional struck; others have cancelled regular programming to issues, sports, tips for the homemaker or gardener, man- stay on top of civil disturbances. Some provide after- agement courses for industry, referral services for job- hours, "scramble-signal" courses for the medical profes- seekers and employers—all of these are provided by local sion. In all, the public TV outlets constitute an invaluable stations. They also give civic groups time to tell their resource in meeting the varied communications needs stories to the community—from the symphony society of the modern community.

18 Underwriting For Public Television NET actively seeks funds to broaden the base of its finan- cial support, most of which has come from the Ford Partial List of Program Underwriters Foundation. Underwritten programs increase the amount Argonne National Laboratory, AEC and quality of the service the affiliates receive. NET seeks Celanese Corporation this support from corporations,foundations, and agencies Cordelia Scaife May of government. Farfield Foundation Recent grants from the Sears-Roebuck Foundation made General Telephone and Electronics it possible to continue "Misterogers' Neighborhood," a Grant Foundation popular series for preschool children; support from the Hills Bros. Coffee, Inc. National Science Foundation has strengthened the weekly Humble Oil and Refining Co. science series, "Spectrum," and the Celanese Corporation International Business Machines Corporation is supporting five one-hour programs entitled,"Men Who Johnson Foundation Teach." General Telephone and Electronics made it pos- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts sible for NET to acquire a British production of "Uncle Litton Industries Vanya," starring Sir Laurence Olivier. Merck, Sharpe and Dohme Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. The effectiveness of some underwritten NET programs National Cancer Institute is enhanced by printed and published materials prepared National Endowment for the Arts by the Department of Educational Services, and by audio- National Institute of Mental Health visual distribution through the NET Film Service. National Science Foundation An underwriter's participation is acknowledged in the Old Dominion Foundation program credits, in accordance with FCC rules. Rockefeller Bros. Fund Rockefeller Foundation Sears Roebuck Foundation Shell Oil Co. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Taconic Foundation TV Guide United States Steel Corp. Foundation Xerox Corporation

Uncle Vanya Men Who Teach Spectrum Sir Laurence Olivier Dr. Norman Jacobson Dr. Jack Oliver

19 Engineering and Distribution The NET building in Ann Arbor, Michigan houses the technical core of the network operation. Working twenty-four hours a day, five and often six days a week, engineers and technicians duplicate master materials of NET programs and ship multiple copies to stations on a highly complex schedule. Mail and Air Express trucks pick up and deliver over 500 tons of films and tapes annually. In 1967 alone, banks of videotape machines turned out 21,000 individual program copies. In the same year, the film department processed, inspected, and repaired 23,000 film prints in current distribution and provided 2,100 new prints in black and white and 300 in color. The plant houses the entire NET library of 26,000 tapes and films, and from these over 50,000 individual shipments to affiliated sta- tions were made in 1967. For programs that are highly topical, but not interconnected, each station (or regional network) receives a copy at once. Other programs reach half the stations in one ship- ment, and ,still others, where the time factor is minimal, are distrib- uted to groups of 10 or 20 stations per week. Since January of 1967, the Ann Arbor technical center has also as- sisted in the technical aspects of live, coast-to-coast interconnected programs, providing the delayed "feed" for the West coast and speed- ing copies of programs to the few stations not yet interconnected. In addition to the regular weekly service, the center is responsible for the "flexible," or library, service which accounts for as much air time on the affiliated stations as do new programs. In 1967 all of NET's videotapes were converted to a new, lower running rate of 71/2 inches-per-second, which is now standard on the network for all but color programs. The changeover, which required a new design of all packaging materials, as well as the conversion of recording and playback equipment, has resulted in substantial sav- ings in videotape and shipping costs. Much of the Ann Arbor equipment is semi-automated and was de- signed by NET engineers. The engineering department maintains rigid quality controls to insure compliance with NET and FCC standards. In 1967, the engineering staff permanently installed the latest Ampex VR 2000 color video recorders and converted four other machines to color operation.

With its total of 17 video recorders the Ann Arbor center is the larg- est videotape duplication plant in the world, and NET is one of the largest buyers of tape for television. As this report is written, NET engineers are looking ahead in two directions: increased color programming, and increased intercon- nection. On their drawing boards is the eventual changeover of NET to a full-time, full-color, live network. Services and Facilities Flexible Service In 1968 NET affiliates can draw on over or series of special interest that some- 2,000 programs—in all, 26,000 films how do not fit into the regular service and tapes—to complement the basic are acquired directly for flexible use. weekly service. More than a "library," Beyond all this, of repeating the flexible service adds important di- significant programs is essential to the mensions to NET programming. For objectives of public TV When last sur- example, nearly all affiliates subscribe to veyed — in 1966 — the stations were a daily half-hour children's program, broadcasting more hours from the flexi- "What's New," and a substantial num- ble than the regular service, and in 1967 ber take additional children's series, to- their use of its programs had risen to taling 33/4 hours per week. Public TV's 31,000 half-hour program units, a 19 first major "star," The French Chef, per cent increase over 1966. Julia Child, comes to NET affiliates through the "flexible." Some programs

NET Film Service While the flexible service provides for In the most recent six-month period, on-the-air use and re-use of NET pro- there were 2,266 prints sold and 18,095 grams beyond the basic weekly network rented. This will result in an eventual service, the NET Film Service is con- audio-visual audience of more than 20 cerned with their use on film, in class- million persons. rooms and at meetings of many kinds of educational, civic and special-interest groups. This service is operated under contract by the Audio-Visual Center of Indiana University. Any NET program for which audio-visual rights can be ob- tained is eligible for this important sub- sidiary use. The NET Film Service cata- log now includes 1,350 individual titles.

International The International Division adds a spe- umentation of the first complete record- cial character to the NET program serv- ing of Wagner's "Ring," and a Swedish ice: superior programs from all over film on the birth of a baby. In a typical the world. Through acquisition from year NET's foreign acquisitions account abroad, NET introduces American for between 20 per cent and 25 per cent viewers to distinguished foreign docu- of the total schedule. added mentaries, with English narration In turn,the International Division makes outstanding when necessary. It presents NET programs available to foreign Russia, drama from Britain, Germany, broadcasting organizations, including adds foreign Japan, and other nations. It those of the developing nations. segments to such long-running cultural series as "The Creative Person." The division has also provided original per- formance of Italian opera, a unique doc-

21 Financial Statement National Educational Television and Radio Center Statement of Changes in Programs and Projects Funds, NET Division for the year ended December 31, 1967

Grants from Other Funds and The Ford Foundation Operating Revenue Total

Funds balances, beginning of year $4,676,176 $ 629,519 $5,305,695 Receipts and other additions: Operating revenues: Program rentals 447,482 447,482 Other 281,496 281,496 728,978 728,978

Grants 6,313,000 933,323 7,246,323 Interest earned on grant 17,106 17,106 General fund (Note 1) 1,825,000 1,825,000 Other, net 3,300 3,300 Total receipts and other additions 6,330,106 3,490,601 9,820,707 11,006,282 4,120,120 15,126,402

Deductions (Note 2): Programs and projects expenses: Television program production: Public affairs 1,894,939 404,666 2,299,605 Cultural affairs 520,722 746,967 1,267,689 Interconnection 255,000 667,385 922,385 Children's programs 418,140 418,140 Other programs and program research 5,030 224,492 229,522 Videotape, distribution prints, VTR conversion, and other 262,234 14,324 276,558 2,937,925 2,475,974 5,413,899

Operating expenses: Duplication and distribution 561,348 561,348 Direct program supervision 908,137 908,137 General and administrative 1,177,099 81,829 1,258,928 Other 19,035 37,357 56,392 2,665,619 119,186 2,784,805 Total deductions 5,603,544 2,595,160 8,198,704

Funds balances, end of year $5,402,738 $1,524,960 $6,927,698 Uncommitted 3,873,471 1,062,453 4,935,924 Committed, but unexpended 1,529,267 462,507 1,991,774 $5,402,738 $1,524,960 $6,927,698

22 Notes to Financial Statement Auditors' Report

1. A loan made in a prior year to an affiliated educational television station in the amount of $1,825,000 was col- lected during the year and the general fund, which had been appropriated for this loan, was transferred to To the Board of Directors of other funds and operating revenues. National Educational Television and Radio Center: 2. In accordance with practices followed by some non- profit organizations, expenditures for property, plant We have examined the Statement of Changes in and equipment are charged to programs and projects Programs and Projects Funds of the NET Division of expenses or to operating expenses as incurred. Sim- National Educational Television and Radio Center for ilarly, costs of developing and producing educational the year ended December 31, 1967. Our examination television programs are included among the programs was made in accordance with generally accepted audit- and projects expenses as incurred, except for ad- ing standards, and accordingly included such tests of vances to affiliated stations. the accounting records and such other auditing proce- dures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. Broadcast Laboratory (PBL) Division was 3. The Public In our opinion, the aforementioned financial state- as of March 1, 1967 and commenced oper- organized ment presents fairly the changes in programs and proj- July 1, 1967 (activities prior to this latter date ations ects funds of the NET Division of National Educational to be of a pre-operating and develop- were considered Television and Radio Center for the year ended Decem- The changes in programs and projects mental nature). ber 31, 1967, in conformity with generally accepted for this division, which are not included in the funds accounting principles applied on a basis consistent with statement were as follows for the period accompanying that of the preceding year. ended December 31, 1967: Grants from The Ford Foundation, principally for the eighteen months ,R 8.4e.o.cv ending August 31, 1968 (including interest earned on grant, $16,302) $8,186,302 Deductions: Programs and projects expenses 1,690,972 Pre-operating and developmental expenses 201,873 New York, February 23, 1968. Operating expenses 1,384,568 3,277,413 Funds balances, December 31, 1967. .$4,908,889

23 NET Officers PBL Editorial Board NET Affiliates Council

John F. White Edward W.Barrett (CHAIRMAN) Donald V. Taverner (CHAIRMAN) President Dean, Graduate School of Journalism President Columbia University WQED/WQEX,Pittsburgh, Pa. Robert B. Hudson Senior Vice President William Bowen Presley D. Holmes (SECRETARY) Provost Designate Director of Broadcasting Edwin R. Bayley WOUB-TV, Athens, Ohio Vice President for Administration Lawrence Cremin Otto F. Schlaak (TREASURER) William H.Kobin Frederick A. P Barnard Professor Station Manager Vice President for Programming Columbia University wmvs/wmvr, Milwaukee, Wis. Gerard L. Appy James R. Dumpson Vice President for Network Affairs Kenneth A. Christiansen Dean and Professor of Sociology Television Fordham University Director of Winter D. Horton WUFT, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla. Vice President for Development Richard A. Falk Albert G. Millbank Professor Lee E. Franks Diedrich J. Tietjen Princeton University Executive Director Treasurer Georgia ETV Network, Atlanta, Ga. John Fischer (VICE CHAIRMAN) Contributing Editor, Harper's Magazine Lloyd Kaiser General Manager Executive Staff Richard Hofstadter WITF-TV, Hershey, Pa. DeWitt Clinton Professor Eugene Aleinikoff Columbia University Jack McBride General Counsel Director of Television and General Manager Polykarp Kusch KUON-TV, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb. Henry C. Alter Professor of Physics Director of Educational Services Columbia University William J. McCarter Curtis W.Davis Peter Mennin General Manager Director of Cultural Programs President WETA,Washington, D.C. Juilliard School of Music Donald M. Dixon James Robertson Director of Public Affairs Programs William P. Rogers Director, Radio/Television Education Senior Partner University of Wisconsin Extension Lee Frischknecht Royall, Koegel, Rogers & Wells Madison, Wis. Director of Field Services Max Ways Robert F. Schenkkan Frederick A. Jacobi Board of Editors General Manager Director of Information Services Fortune Magazine KLRN-TV, Austin-San Antonio, Tex. Fritz Jauch John F. White Director of Reports President National Educational Television W.Henry Johnston Business Manager William J. Lynch PBL Senior staff Director of Production Services Av Westin Paul K. Taff Executive Director and Executive Producer Director of Children's Programs of "PBL" series Basil Thornton William Anderson Director of International Division Executive Producer Howard Town John O'Toole Director of Engineering and Distribution Executive Producer, Washington John Wicklein Staff Executive Producers Executive Producer Nazaret Cberkezian Joseph Russin Craig Gilbert Segments Concepts and Research Editor Brice Howard (on leave) Jim Karayn David Oppenheim Paul Kaufman Executive Producer, Cultural Affairs Harry McCarthy Stuart Sucherman Alvin Perlmutter Director of Business Affairs NET David Prowitt General Offices Lane Slate Thomas Kennedy 10 Columbus Circle Robert Squier Director of Finance New York, N.Y. 10019 (212) 586-0055 William Weston Gerald Slater Director of Operations George Zavales Children's Television Director of Engineering Workshop Richard Kellerman Joan Ganz Cooney Associate Director and Director of Designed by S. Neil Fujita Executive Director Information Services Ruder, Finn & Fujita, Inc.

24