Evening star., 1960-03-04

trine. There is no conceivable way that it can be
limited in degree or in nature. Control of what goes
out over the air waves is justified than con-
troll OF what is distributed by the postal system The
Second Class mailing priviege-as vital to many
publications as the air waves to broadcasters-should
not be withheld from any magazine because it will
not submit its editorial contents to review by
mission. Newspapers should not be required to yield
control of editorials and features to commission
because economic facts preclude an unlimited num-
ber Of papers in the community
Regulation is just the wrong, the precipitous, the
penny-wise, pound-foolish way Of seeking improve
ment.
The truth of the matter is that the road to Utopia
is hard and rocky and uncharted No one is satisfied
with television when he considers the unlimited
potentiaities of the medium. Each of us looks at it
from the little window framed by his own values and
knows that it could be better But the
thoughtful man knows also that improvement will
come hard and slow after many false start, after
many years of trial and error, and above all, by fac
ing realities rather than attempting to evade them
cannot share the defeatst view that, if the gov
ernment does not take the improvement of teevision
programming under its control, there will be no
Improvement at ALL There is nothing in our national
experience to support this view The fact of the mat
ter is that any worthwhile improvement must have
deeper and sounder foundation than government
policing. 1t seems to me that such foundation con-
ssts in the stake that all of us in this country have
in vigorous freely competing, unrestricted televi-
sion medium.
At this particular moment in history, all of us -
whatever our individual interests have one over
riding common interest: that in this rapidly moving
age of conflict, the democratic process does not 60
down a numbering anachronism, the victim of
totataran swftness and directness In this decisive
battle, the mmediacy, the speed and the impact of
teevision can be decisive factors in informing the
American people during crises and creating a
prompt feedback of the sense and purpose of the
people to the government It is both lesson of his
tory and ordinary common sense that this function
cannot be carried out except in an atmosphere of
freedom.
THE PROPER PLACE OF RESPONSIBILITY
All of us here also have special stake in free
teevision because we are all devoted to free and
expanding economy. The stimulative effect of tele-
vision on that economy has been tremendous None
of us afford to let it stagnate and fall short of
its highest capacities; if we do, its strength as
medium will so deteriorate that it won't be worth
saving
All of us recognize that, because Of the unique
characteristics of the medium and the speed Of it's
growth, the problems facing teevision are complex
and, in some respects unprecedented The major
part of the burden in solving these problems must
rest with the broadcaster. We have fully acknow-
edged this responsibility and intend to discharge it.
But we cannot, and should not, withdraw from the
world of which we are part and make command
decisions. A trust in democratic society is given,
not in context of isolated authority, but on the
assumption that one will have constant reference to
the values and objectives of his fellow citizens.
We may be slow in perceiving these. We may be
in need of BETTER surer way of determining them.
But we are aware of them, and we mean to respect
them. For televison will begin to reach toward its
Utopia only when it has full confidence that it is
realizing in one way or another the values and obec
tives of all the people This means not just always
catering to the majority but also taking into account
and respecting intellectual and esthetic minorities.
The quest for Utopia always falls short of achieve
ment. But it is the quest itself that is important
not the illusion that we will ever achieve perfection
hope that in our quest we will not be lured into
shortcuts that turn out to be dead ends or seek
remedies more devastating than the ills they are
supposed to cure. am for undertaking the quest the
hard way, the responsible way, the enduring way.
If may take away one meaning from this highly
fattering occasion, it is the conviction that not
alone.
The above remarks reprinted here with the permission Of the
Columbia Broadcastng System delivered February
8 Frank Stanton President of CBS during ceremonies at
which he presented the Printers Ink Gold Medal Award
for 1889