NewtonN.Minow:"TelevisionandthePublicInterest"YouknowthattheFCChasbeenstudyingnetworkoperationsforsometime.Iintendtopressthistoaspeedyconclusionwithusefulresults.Icantellyourightnow,however,thatIamdeeplyconcernedwithconcentrationofpowerinthehandsofthenetworks.Asaresult,toomanylocalstationshaveforegoneanyeffortsatlocalprogramming,withlittleuseoflivetalentandlocalservice.Toomanylocalstationsoperatewithonehandonthenetworkswitchandtheotheronaprojectorloadedwitholdmovies.Wewanttheindividualstationstobefreetomeettheirlegalresponsibilitiestoservetheircommunities.IjoinGovernorCollinsinhisviewssowellexpressedtotheadvertiserswhousethepublicair.Iurgethenetworkstojoinhimandundertakeaveryspecialmissiononbehalfofthisindustry:youcantellyouradvertisers,"Thisisthehighqualitywearegoingtoserve--takeitorotherpeoplewill.Ifyouthinkyoucanfindabetterplacetomoveautomobiles,cigarettesandsoap-goaheadandtry."Tellyoursponsorstobelessconcernedwithcostsperthousandandmoreconcernedwithunderstandingpermillions.Andremindyourstockholdersthataninvestmentinbroadcastingisbuyingashareinpublicresponsibility.Thenetworkscanstartthisindustryontheroadtofreedomfromthedictatorshipofnumbers.Butthereismoretotheproblemthannetworkinfluencesonstationsoradvertiserinfluencesonnetworks.Iknowtheproblemsnetworksfaceintryingtoclearsomeoftheirbestprograms--theinformationalprogramsthatexemplifypublicservice.They用心爱心专心areyourfinesthours--whethersustainingorcommercial,whetherregularlyscheduledorspecial--thesearethesignsthatbroadcastingknowsthewaytoleadership.Theymakethepublic'strustinyouawisechoice.Theyshouldbeseen.Asyouknow,wearereadyingforusenewformsbywhichbroadcaststationswillreporttheirprogrammingtotheCommission.Youprobablyalsoknowthatspecialattentionwillbepaidinthesereportstopublicserviceprogramming.Ibelievethatstationstakingnetworkserviceshouldalsoberequiredtoreporttheextentofthelocalclearanceofnetworkpublicserviceprogramming,andwhentheyfailtoclearthem,theyshouldexplainwhy.Ifitistoputonsomeoutstandinglocalprogram,thisisonereason.But,ifitissimplytocarrysomeoldmovies,thatisanentirelydifferentmatter.TheCommissionshouldconsidersuchclearancereportscarefullywhenmakingupitsmindaboutthelicensee'sover-allprogramming.Weintendtomove--andasyouknow,indeedtheFCCwasrapidlymovinginothernewareasbeforethenewAdministrationarrivedinWashington.AndIwanttopaymypublicrespectstomyveryablepredecessor,FredFord,andmycolleaguesontheCommissionwhohavewelcomedmetotheFCCwithwarmthandcooperation.WehaveapprovedanexperimentwithpayTV,andinNewYorkwearetestingthepotentialofUHFbroadcasting.Eitherorbothofthesemayrevolutionizetelevision.Onlyafoolishprophetwouldventuretoguessthedirectiontheywilltake,andtheireffect.Butweintendthattheyshallbeexploredfully-fortheyarepartofbroadcasting'sNewFrontier.ThequestionssurroundingpayTVarelargelyeconomic.ThequestionssurroundingUHFarelargelytechnological.Wearegoingtogivethe用心爱心专心infantpayTVachancetoprovewhetheritcanofferausefulservice;wearegoingtoprotectitfromthosewhowouldstrangleitinitscrib.AsforUHF,I'msureyouknowaboutourtestinthecanyonsofNewYorkCity.WewilltakeeverypossiblepositivesteptobreakthroughtheallocationsbarrierintoUHF.Wewillputthissleepinggianttouseandintheyearsaheadwemayhavetwiceasmanychannelsoperatingincitieswherenowthereareonlytwoorthree.Wemayhaveahalfdozennetworksinsteadofthree.IhavetoldyouthatIbelieveinthefreeenterprisesystem.Ibelievethatmostoftelevision'sproblemsstemfromlackofcompetition.ThisistheimportanceofUHFtome:withmorechannelsontheair,wewillbeabletoprovideeverycommunitywithenoughstationstoofferservicetoallpartsofthepublic.Programswithamassmarketappealrequiredbymassproductadvertiserscertainlywillstillbeavailable.Butotherstationswillrecognizetheneedtoappealtomorelimitedmarketsandtospecialtastes.Inthisway,wecanallhaveamuchwiderrangeofprograms.Televisionshouldthriveonthiscompetition-andthecountryshouldbenefitfromalternativesourcesofservicetothepublic.And--GovernorCollins--IhopetheNABwillbenefitfrommanynewmembers.Anotherandperhapsthemostimportantfrontier:televisionwillrapidlyjointheparadeintospace.Internationaltelevisionwillbewithussoon.NooneknowshowlongitwillbeuntilabroadcastfromastudioinNewYorkwillbeviewedinIndiaaswellasinIndiana,willbeseenintheCongoasitisseeninChicago.Butassurelyasweare用心爱心专心meetingheretoday,thatdaywillcome-andonceagainourworldwillshrink.用心爱心专心
