QUOTE OF THE DAY

One of the basic troubles with radio and television news is
that both instruments have grown up as an incompatible
combination of show business, advertising and news. Each of
the three is a rather bizarre and demanding profession. And
when you get all three under one roof,the dust never settles.
The top management of the networks with a few notable
exceptions, has been trained in advertising, research, sales
or show business. But by the nature of the coporate structure,
they also make the final and crucial decisions having to do
with news and public affairs. Frequently they have neither
the time nor the competence to do this. It is not easy for
the same small group of men to decide whether to buy a new
stationfor millions of dollars, build a new building,alter
the rate card, buy a new Western, sell a soap opera, decide
what defensive line to take in connection with the latest
Congressional inquiry, how much money to spend on promoting
a new program, what additions or deletions should be made in
the existing covey or clutch of vice-presidents, and at the
same time--frequently on the same long day--to give mature,
thoughtful consideration to the manifold problems that
confront those who are charged with the responsibility for
news and public affairs.
- Edward R. Murrow, 1958