NewtonN.Minow:"TelevisionandthePublicInterest"Whatwillthepeopleofothercountriesthinkofuswhentheyseeourwesternbadmenandgoodmenpunchingeachotherinthejawinbetweentheshooting?WhatwilltheLatinAmericanorAfricanchildlearnofAmericafromourgreatcommunicationsindustry?Wecannotpermittelevisioninitspresentformtobeourvoiceoverseas.Thereisyourchallengetoleadership.Youmustreexaminesomefundamentalsofyourindustry.Youmustopenyourmindsandopenyourheartstothelimitlesshorizonsoftomorrow.Icansuggestsomewordsthatshouldservetoguideyou:TelevisionandallwhoparticipateinitarejointlyaccountabletotheAmericanpublicforrespectforthespecialneedsofchildren,forcommunityresponsibility,fortheadvancementofeducationandculture,fortheacceptabilityoftheprogrammaterialschosen,fordecencyanddecoruminproduction,andforproprietyinadvertising.Thisresponsibilitycannotbedischargedbyanygivengroupofprograms,butcanbedischargedonlythroughthehigheststandardsofrespectfortheAmericanhome,appliedtoeverymomentofeveryprogrampresentedbytelevision.Programmaterialsshouldenlargethehorizonsoftheviewer,providehimwithwholesomeentertainment,affordhelpfulstimulation,andremindhimoftheresponsibilitieswhichthecitizenhastowardshissociety.用心爱心专心Thesewordsarenotmine.Theyareyours.TheyaretakenliterallyfromyourownTelevisionCode.Theyreflecttheleadershipandaspirationsofyourowngreatindustry.IurgeyoutorespectthemasIdo.AndIurgeyoutorespecttheintelligentandfarsightedleadershipofGovernorLeRoyCollins,andtomakethismeetingacreativeact.Iurgeyouatthismeetingand,afteryouleave,backhome,atyourstationsandyournetworks,tostriveceaselesslytoimproveyourproductandtobetterserveyourviewers,theAmericanpeople.IhopethatweattheFCCwillnotallowourselvestobecomesoboggeddowninthemountainofpapers,hearings,memoranda,orders,andthedailyroutinethatwecloseoureyestothewiderviewofthepublicinterest.AndIhopethatyoubroadcasterswillnotpermityourselvestobecomesoabsorbedinthechaseforratings,sales,andprofitsthatyoulosethiswiderview.Nowmorethaneverbeforeinbroadcasting'shistorythetimesdemandthebestofallofus.Weneedimaginationinprogramming,notsterility;creativity,notimitation;experimentation,notconformity;excellence,notmediocrity.Televisionisfilledwithcreative,imaginativepeople.Youmuststrivetosetthemfree.Televisioninitsyounglifehashadmanyhoursofgreatness--its"VictoryatSea,"itsArmy-McCarthyhearings,its"PeterPan,"its"KraftTheaters,"its"SeeItNow,"its"Project20,"theWorldSeries,itspoliticalconventionsandcampaigns,theGreatDebates--andithashaditsendlesshoursofmediocrityanditsmomentsofpublicdisgrace.Thereareestimatesthattodaytheaverageviewerspendsabout200minutes用心爱心专心dailywithtelevision,whiletheaveragereaderspends38minuteswithmagazinesand40minuteswithnewspapers.Televisionhasgrownfasterthanateenager,andnowitistimetogrowup.Whatyougentlemenbroadcastthroughthepeople'sairaffectsthepeople'staste,theirknowledge,theiropinions,theirunderstandingofthemselvesandoftheirworld.Andtheirfuture.Thepowerofinstantaneoussightandsoundiswithoutprecedentinmankind'shistory.Thisisanawesomepower.Ithaslimitlesscapabilitiesforgood--andforevil.Anditcarrieswithitawesomeresponsibilities,responsibilitieswhichyouandIcannotescape.InhisstirringinauguraladdressourPresidentsaid,"Andso,myfellowAmericans:asknotwhatyourcountrycandoforyou;askwhatyoucandoforyourcountry."LadiesandGentlemen:Asknotwhatbroadcastingcandoforyou.Askwhatyoucandoforbroadcasting.Iurgeyoutoputthepeople'sairwavestotheserviceofthepeopleandthecauseoffreedom.Youmusthelpprepareagenerationforgreatdecisions.Youmusthelpagreatnationfulfillitsfuture.Dothis,andIpledgeyouourhelp.用心爱心专心用心爱心专心
