Media Deterioration Foretold

In the advent of television, networks executives were willing to accept news programing as a lost-leader.  The noble enterprise was partially steeped in a responsibility to provide for the common good and general welfare of the nation. But in a larger sense, they saw an opportunity to create greater financial gain, through the news, by drawing as large an audience as possible and then by advertising their entertainment programing during the news programs.  This, they hoped, would lead to creating greater viewership for their cash cows.  Then, with the advertising success of “60 Minutes”, that noble endeavor and thought process was abandoned. 

Edward R. Murrow was a journalist in the truest and strictest sense of the word.  He threw stones at giants recognizing it was NOT his responsibility to protect them, as we often see today, but to expose them.  He clearly understood the primary function of journalism to be the preservation of our Republic – a concept that is lost on the majority of today’s so-called journalists.

The finest dissertation on journalism was Murrow’s speech delivered on October 15, 1958 to the Radio-Television News Directors Association and Foundation.  He foretold of the evolution of contemporary news television programming.  He warned of the dangers that lay ahead if we failed to recognize the real value in television.  His warnings went unheeded and his predictions came to fruition;   “If we go on as we are, then history will take its revenge and retribution will not limp in catching up.”

His biggest concern was that money, rather than duty, and responsibility would direct the focus and dramatically dictate the future of broadcast journalism.  “Upon occasion, economics and editorial judgment are in conflict.  And there is no law which says that dollars will be defeated by duty.”

“Just once in awhile let us exalt the importance of ideas and information.  Let us dream to the extent of saying on a given…night, (we select a prime time spot) a time normally occupied by Ed Sullivan (or “Survivor”) is given over to a clinical survey on the state of American education.  And a week or two later, a time normally used by Steve Allen (or “Dancing With The Stars”) is devoted to a thorough going study to American policy in the Middle East.  Would the corporate image of their respective sponsors be damaged?  Would the shareholder rise up in their wrath and complain?  Would anything happen?  Other than a few million people would have received a little illumination on subjects that may well determine the future of this country and therefore the future of the corporations.”

Today, this recommendation is viewed as a total absurdity.  Furthermore, any journalist who wishes to remain employed would never even propose such an idea.   

Never mind “a thorough going study” which might jeopardize reports such as the dog that saved Dubuque, or our pressing “need to know” that Charlie Sheen has a plethora of women that shared his home and his bed or the awful threat of jeopardizing Princess Diana’s monopolization of news coverage when Mother Teresa died…“And if there are any historians about fifty or a hundred years from now, and there should be preserved the kinescopes for one week of all three networks, they will there find recorded in black and white, or perhaps in color, evidence of decadence, escapism and insulation from the realities of the world in which we live…”

The problem that remains is that youthful perspectives by both modern day journalists and consumers are solely based upon contemporary exposure.  This becomes a major concern in a society where history is no longer taught and is therefore absent from most thought processes – an America where it is easy to conclude, by their actions, that most journalists have never heard of Edward R. Murrow.

What Murrow could NOT foresee was cable television.  He saw the threat of manipulation and deterioration of television journalism coming from just three national networks.  Murrow’s cautions are now far more pervasive.  There are far more news outlets – some filling 24/7-timeframes – most employing Murrow’s predicted sickness of titillation derived from the sensationalism of yellow journalism and a political agenda for profits.  Unfortunately, there is only one means to right this ship.  Viewership must drastically dwindle causing a severe downturn in advertising revenue.  If we refuse or are reluctant to shut them off – to heed Murrow’s wisdom – to pursued only agenda free, credible sources; i.e., “60 Minutes”, PBS News Hour, PBS Documentaries, National Public Radio and Television; then we may indeed and very soon; “…see…the whole struggle…lost.”