"SEE IT NOW" CANCELED

Significance of Cancellation

The 1958 cancellation of Edward R. Murrow's repected news and documentary television show "See It Now" by CBS showed many the growing importance of profit over public interest in broadcasting.

Financial Costs

"See It Now" first aired on 18 November 1951. Though the first two shows were without a sponsor, by the third episode ALCOA (Aluminum Company of America) had signed up to pay CBS thirty-four thousand dollars a week to air its commercials during the show and an additional twenty-three thousand dollars to subsidize production costs; anything above that figure was paid by the network. As "See It Now" garnered positive reviews and respectable ratings, network chief William S. Paley resigned himself to the fact that the show made the network no money.

Controversial Subjects

But "See It Now" was also controversial. On many occasions Paley had to endure angry phone calls from irate congressmen and business leaders, upset that Murrow had questioned their behavior. Still Paley persevered with the show, partly out of reluctance to end a show of such importance and partly out of his friendship and respect for Murrow.

A Glimpse of the Future

In 1955 "The $64,000 Question" premiered on CBS. Watching the show, Murrow turned to his coproducer Fred Friendly and asked how long he thought "See It Now" could keep its prime-time slot in the face of such popular and low-cost competition. In the 1955 season "See It Now" was reduced from a weekly schedule to six to eight shows a year.

Responsibilities of Success

The nature of CBS had changed. It was no longer a small, unprofitable television network but a thriving media and manufacturing conglomerate. Paley had more at stake than the network's reputation or a friend's respect. He ran a company that had made profits of $16 million in 1955 and was subject to the expectations of shareholders. But Paley was still willing to swallow the forgone profits of scheduling "See It Now" in a prime-time slot. He was not so willing in 1958.

Final Conflict

In an argument arising over an episode advocating statehood for Hawaii and Alaska, Paley demanding that equal time be provided to an opponent of statehood and Murrow resisting, "See It Now" was canceled. The headaches of dealing with Murrow and out-raged viewers demanding equal time were no longer worth the prestige of good critical press. The last show was broadcast on 7 July 1958. Critics were outraged. John Crosby wrote powerfully of its demise in the New York Herald Tribune:

There have some dull "See It Now" shows, and some have been better than others, but it is by every criterion television's most brilliant, most decorated, most imaginative, most courageous and most important program. The fact that CBS cannot afford it but can afford "Beat the Clock" is shocking.