One of the industry's true statesmen, Frank Stanton, former
president of CBS, has died at age 98. Stanton, a Ph.D. in
psychology from Ohio State, was hired in 1935 on the basis
of a method he developed to test the potential of new shows:
hire a live audience, which would press green or red light indicators
to signify approval or disapproval of the shows being tested.
In 1946, when CBS was reorganized and Bill Paley became
chairman of the board, Stanton was elevated to president, a
position he held for 26 years. He championed Edward R. Murrow
and encouraged him to go after Joe McCarthy; he also felt CBS
should take responsibility for not keeping a closer eye on the
rigged quiz shows in the '50s. To that end, he canceled every
game show that gave away more than a few hundred dollars and
announced that "everything on CBS will be as it purports to be."
Murrow, told that the network wanted a disclaimer on "Person To
Person" that it was rehearsed, reminded Stanton that microphones
and cameras are not part of people's furniture, that guests (interviewed
in their homes) had to know how to move without tripping over camera
cables, microphones, etc., and that knowing the questions and answers
in advance prevented dead air on both sides (Murrow in a New York studio,
the guest at home). "My conscience is clear. His seems to be bothering
him," Murrow said.
Even as late as the turn of the millennium, Stanton was outspoken about
deceptions he saw on CBS, such as its 1999-2000 New Year's coverage, when
the CBS eye showed up covering the NBC peacock (NBC has an electronic
outdoor revolving-headline service) behind Dan Rather.
Stanton, as much a champion of quality programming and news as Paley, helped
define CBS as the "Tiffany network." R.I.P. and a job well done.
(Moderator: you might want to move to the Classic TV board, since there's
already the bare announcement of Dr. Stanton's death there.)
