The Shrinking of Foreign News: From Broadcast to Narrowcast
Garrick Utley
Foreign Affairs, March/April 1997
EXTRACT
What is being lost, or at least weakened, has long been forecast: the role of a few television network news organizations as a unifying central nervous system of information for the nation, and the communal benefits associated with that. Some may mourn the loss, especially those who grew up with network news. (More than half the audience for the evening network news programs is 50 or older.) Viewers and social critics may debate whether the gains accompanying the growing diversity and flexibility of news and information delivery outweigh the losses. But quite aside from the fact that nothing can be done to stop the technological advances, the benefits in choice and content are clear.
Phi Beta Iota: A “Smart Nation” must make provision to integrate education, intelligence (decision-support) and research & development. A “Smart Nation” must make provision to connect its citizens and public and private enterprises with all information in all languages all the time.
See Also:
1989+ Intelligence Reform (Steele)
