Murrow and Friendly's Small World: Television Conversation at the Crossroads

Abstract

Small World (1958–60), an Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly television production, brought together political and entertainment figures from around the world, boasting technological innovation and a high level of public affairs discourse. The author discusses critical reception, producers' ideals, cultural and historical context, and relationships to evolving notions of public service broadcasting.

Keywords:

• Fred W. Friendly
• Edward R. Murrow
• public affairs television
• public service broadcasting
• Small World

Notes

1. Although definitions are varied and related issues complex, the use of the term public service herein refers to programming intended to inform viewers, provide cultural uplift, and enhance quality of life. The U.S. definition is vague and subject to manipulation by commercial interests and weak regulation. Public affairs programming herein refers to a subset of public service addressing policy-oriented news and societal issues. For more on definitions, see McCauley 207–37.

2. Louis Cowan, CBS Television Network president, helped Murrow and Friendly get Small World on the lineup, thereby saving about half of the See It Now staff after its cancellation (Friendly, Due 93–94).

3. The idea of Small World began as a vehicle for Eric Sevareid, but sponsors would only sign on with Murrow as host (Friendly, Due 93–94). According to Engelman, however, Murrow wanted the host spot and tried to maneuver it (140–41).

4. All Small World episodes were viewed at the Paley Center for Media in New York. The collection holds nineteen of the thirty-two episodes. Episode information is available at <http://www.paleycenter.org/collection>.

5. Murrow had communicated with the senator even before Small World began. On 3 June 1958, after See It Now was cancelled, he wrote to Kennedy, “Meanwhile, I have designs upon you for a totally different type of program which involves the use of television for really long-range communication for the first time.” On 20 June 1958, he wrote, “It is an effort to expand the range of television by tying together three interesting people in three remote parts of the world via old-fashioned radio links, running cameras at all three points simultaneously during an informal conversation…. I think it has real possibilities” (Murrow).

6. See Goodman 44–60.

7. See Slotten.

8. The show, which continues in a modified form, is the longest-running news program in broadcast history. Murrow credited William Paley with the original idea for Small World, calling him its “principal parent” (Sperber 534).

9. Time and Tide news clipping, 18 Apr. 1959, from Edward R. Murrow Papers.

10. Peabody Awards <http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/details.php?id=940>. Accessed 11 June 2010.

11. Two months before Small World aired, there were accusations of a rigged CBS television quiz show, The $64,000 Challenge. Investigations took place over 1958–59 and tainted the credibility of television content overall. Even pre-interview preparation for Person to Person, i.e., advance questions, was called into question (Halberstam 151).

12. For discussions of the elitism claim, see Baughman, Same Time; Blumler; Lunt; Ouellette; Hartley 2008.

13. PSB in the United States was influenced by the U.K. Reithian model but could not operate in the same way, given the different political and economic broadcasting systems.

14. For just two sources on a growing body of work on populist forms of public service, see Corner, Studying Media; Ouellette and Hay.

15. Blumler quotes Katz's paper presented at a conference, “The Individual and New Communication Technologies,” Heidelberg, Germany, 1985.

16. The series is known for several provocative installments including the Murrow-hosted “Harvest of Shame” that focused on U.S. migrant farm workers (aired 25 Nov. 1960). After its seven-year run as a regular series, occasional installments followed.

17. For instance, Variety (25 Mar. 1959: 7) called the era one of “conversational entertainment.” Crosby wrote that “television has discovered conversation” (Hartford Courant, 6 Feb. 1959: 15) and cited the success of David Susskind, Ben Hecht, Arthur Godfrey, and Jack Paar, whose talk shows indicated a moment where “conversation flourished” (Hartford Courant, 12 Jan. 1959).

18. Murrow left CBS in 1961 for an appointed post to direct the U.S. Information Agency.