Media in Society; Part 2

thumbnail of Media in Society; Part 2
Please note: This content is only available at GBH and the Library of Congress, either due to copyright restrictions or because this content has not yet been reviewed for copyright or privacy issues. For information about on location research, click here.
This record is featured in “Exploring Public Media in the Peabody Awards Collection.” This record is featured in “Peabody Awards Collection.”
Program
Media in Society
Segment
Part 2
Producing Organization
Media and Society Seminars
WTTW (Television station : Chicago, Ill.)
Contributing Organization
The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia (Athens, Georgia)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip-526-t43hx17048
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip-526-t43hx17048).
Description
Program Description
"MEDIA IN SOCIETY explores, for the first time on television, the ethics of practices used by investigative journalists. The two-hour program puts questionable news-gathering techniques under a legal magnifying glass. In a lively format, Harvard University Law School Professors Arthur Miller and Charles Nesson, and Columbia University Law School's Benno Schmidt, pose hypothetical cases to the distinguished panelists which consist of 23 reporters, editors, television producers, attorneys, prosecutors, police, judges, and politicians. Working journalists such as Mike Wallace, Geraldo Rivera, Bill Curtis, and Gary Deeb describe how the make the difficult decisions which involve choices between the priority of law versus the expose. The panelists debate the ethics of methods such as wire tapping, the use of false identities, and the exploitation of sources used to obtain the 'inside story.'"--1981 Peabody Awards entry form. Professor Fred W. Friendly of Columbia University School of Journalism hosts. Sources? motivations, confidentiality, the ethics of taking information from evil sources, verifying stories, how to check out a lead, anonymous sources, ratings, how to present a story, silhouette interviews, whether a story can be too big to pursue, as well as cloak and dagger journalism are all debated. In the first segment, a hypothetical story of a mayor engaging in real estate development dealings is given by Professor Arthur Miller of Harvard University Law School. Reporter Chuck Neubauer of the Chicago Tribune, Reporter and Columnist Art Petacque of the Chicago Sun-Times, Correspondent Geraldo Rivera of 20/20, Reporter Rich Samuels of WMAQ-TV, Bill Clements of the Chicago Sun-Times, Editor James Squires of the Chicago Tribune, Reporter Clarence Jones of WPLG-TV Miami, Correspondent Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes, News Director John Callaway of WTTW Channel 11, Executive Producer Pamela Hill of ABC News Close-Up, Anchorman Bill Kurtis of WBBM-TV, Producer Chuck Collins of NBC News, Reporter Roberta Baskin of WLS-TV, Columnist Roger Simon of the Chicago Sun-Times, Publisher John McDermott of the Chicago Reporter, and others debate with Arthur Miller. In the second segment, a hypothetical story of doctors falsely diagnosing sanitation workers so that they can get full pay on disability thus wrongly costing taxpayers money is told by Professor Charles Nesson of Harvard University Law School. Publisher James Hoge of the Chicago Sun-Times, Correspondent Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes, Correspondent Geraldo Rivera of 20/20, Anchorman Bill Kurtis of WBBM-TV, Attorney Don Reuben for the Chicago Tribune, Political Editor James Madigan of WBBM-AM Radio, Reporter Gene Mustain of the Chicago Sun-Times, Producer Doug Longhini of WMAQ-TV, Attorney General Tyrone C. Fahner for the State of Illinois, Correspondent Peter Lance of 20/20, Reporter Pam Zekman of WBBM-TV, Editor Thomas Winship of The Boston Globe, Executive Director Jay Miller of the American Civil Liberties Union, Judge William J. Bauer of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Superintendent Richard Brzeczek of the Chicago Police Department, Lawyer and former United States Attorney Sam Skinner, Executive Director Terry Brunner of the Better Government Association, and TV and Radio Critic Gary Deeb of the Chicago Sun-Times debate with Charles Nesson.
Broadcast Date
1981
Created Date
1981
Asset type
Program
Media type
Moving Image
Duration
01:00:45.842
Credits
Producing Organization: Media and Society Seminars
Producing Organization: WTTW (Television station : Chicago, Ill.)
AAPB Contributor Holdings
The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia
Identifier: cpb-aacip-b64bcfa92f9 (Filename)
Format: U-matic
If you have a copy of this asset and would like us to add it to our catalog, please contact us.
Citations
Chicago: “Media in Society; Part 2,” 1981, The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed May 29, 2025, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-t43hx17048.
MLA: “Media in Society; Part 2.” 1981. The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. May 29, 2025. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-t43hx17048>.
APA: Media in Society; Part 2. Boston, MA: The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-t43hx17048