【正文】 美國(guó)經(jīng)典英文演講 100 篇 :Television and the Public Interest Newton N. Minow Television and the Public Interest delivered 9 May 1961, National Association of Broadcasters, Washington, DC [AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text version below transcribed directly from audio] Governor Collins, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Governor Collins you39。re much too kind, as all of you have been to me the last few days. It39。s been a great pleasure and an honor for me to meet so many of you. And I want to thank you for this opportunity to meet with you today. As you know, this is my first public address since I took over my new job. When the New Frontiersmen rode into town, I locked myself in my office to do my homework and get my feet wet. But apparently I haven39。t managed yet to stay out of hot water. I seem to have detected a very nervous apprehension about what I might say or do when I emerged from that locked office for this, my maiden station break. So first let me begin by dispelling a rumor. I was not picked for this job because I regard myself as the fastest draw on the New Frontier. Second, let me start a rumor. Like you, I have carefully read President Kennedy39。s messages about the regulatory agencies, conflict of interest, and the dangers of ex parte contacts. And, of course, we at the Federal Communications Commission will do our part. Indeed, I may even suggest that we change the name of the FCC to The Seven Untouchables. It may also e as a surprise to some of you, but I want you to know that you have my admiration and my respect. Yours is a most honorable profession. Anyone who is in the broadcasting business has a tough row to hoe. You earn your bread by using public property. When you work in broadcasting you volunteer for public service, public pressure, and public regulation. You must pete with other attractions and other investments, and the only way you can do it is to prove to us every three years that you should have been in business in the first place. I can think of easier ways to make a living. But I cannot think of more satisfying ways. I admire your courage but that doesn39。t mean that I would make life any easier for you. Your license lets you use the public39。s airwaves as trustees for 180 million Americans. The public is your beneficiary. If you want to stay on as trustees, you must deliver a decent return to the public not only to your stockholders. So, as a representative of the public, your health and your product are among my chief concerns. Now as to your health, let39。s talk only of television today. 1960 gross broadcast revenues of the television industry were over 1,268,000,000 dollars. Profit before taxes was 243,900,000 dollars, an average return on revenue of per cent. Compare these with 1959, when gross broadcast revenues were 1,163,900,000 dollars, and profit before taxes was 222,300,000, an average return on revenue of per cent. So the percentage increase of total revenues from 39。59 to 39。60 was 9 per cent, and the percentage increase of profit was per cent. This, despite a recession throughout the country. For your investors, the price has indeed been right. So I have confidence in your health, but not in your product. It is with this and much more in mind that I e before you today. One editorialist in the trade press wrote that the FCC of the New Frontier is going to be one of the toughest FCC39。s in the history of broadcast regulation. If he meant that we intend to enforce the law in the public interest, let me make it perfectly clear that he is right: We do. If he meant that we intend to muzzle or censor broadcasting, he is dead wrong. It wouldn39。t surprise me if some of you had expected me to e here today and say to you in effect, Clean up your own house or the government will do it for you. Well, in a limited sense, you would be right because I39。ve just said it. But I want to say to you as earnestly as I can that it is not in that spirit that I e before you today, nor is it in that spirit that I intend to serve the FCC. I am in Washington to help broadcasting, not to harm it。 to strengthen it, not weaken it。 to reward it, not to punish it。 to encourage it, not threaten it。 and to stimulate it, not censor it. Above all, I am here to uphold and protect the public interest. Now what do we mean by the public interest? Some say the public interest is merely what interests the public. I disagree. And so does your distinguished president, Governor Collins. In a recent speech and of course as I also told you yesterday In a recent speech he said, Broadcasting to serve the public interest, must have a soul and a conscience, a burning desire to excel, as well as to sell。 the urge to build the character, citizenship, and intellectual stature of people, as well as to expand the gross national product. ...By no means do I imply that broadcasters disregard the public interest. ...But a much better job can be done, and should be done. I could not agree more with Governor Collins. And I would add that in today39。s world, with chaos in Laos and the Congo aflame, with Communist tyranny on our Caribbean doorstep, relentless pressures on our Atlantic alliance, with social and economic problems at home of the gravest nature, yes, and with the technological knowledge that makes it possible, as our President has said, not only to destroy our world but to destroy poverty around the world in a time of peril and opportunity, the old placent, unbalanced fare of actionadventure and situation edies is simply not good enough. Your industry possesses the most powerful voice in America. It has an inescapable duty to make that voice ring with intelligence and with leadership. In a few years, this exciting industry has grown from a novelty to an instrument of overwhelming im