ABSTRACT

Less than a year into the presidency of Richard Nixon, Vice President Spiro Agnew launched a series of attacks on television journalists, accusing them of being biased and having too much power to determine what news millions of Americans watched on their televisions. Because the government licensed and regulated their stations, the networks considered Agnew’s statements, and other White House criticisms, to be threats. As the smallest, most vulnerable network, ABC found itself at a confluence of relationships with the administration: It employed both Nixon’s favorite and least favorite anchors, as well as a highly placed executive who lent sympathy and assistance to the White House. In addition, one of ABC’s senior correspondents went to work for the president. Finally, the network aired a popular television program with the assistance of the FBI. This article focuses on ABC during the Nixon administration’s war on television news.

摘要

在理查德·尼克松（Richard Nixon）担任总统不到一年的时间里，副总统斯皮罗·阿格纽（Spiro Agnew）对电视记者发动了一系列袭击，指责他们有偏见，并拥有太多权力来确定数百万美国人在他们的电视上观看了什么新闻。由于政府对他们的电视台进行了许可和监管，因此该网络将Agnew的声明和其他白宫批评视为威胁。作为最小，最脆弱的网络，美国广播公司发现自己与政府之间的关系处于交汇处：它雇用了尼克松最喜欢和最不喜欢的主播，以及一位对白宫表示同情和协助的高层管理人员。此外，美国广播公司的一位高级通讯员还去为总统工作。最后，该网络在联邦调查局的协助下播出了一个受欢迎的电视节目。