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Oral history interview with Frank Stanton, 1996

Creator: Stanton, Frank, 1908-2006
Project: Individual interviews oral history collection.
(see all project interviews)
Phys. Desc. :transcript: 771 pages sound file : digital preservation master, WAV files (96 kHz, 24 bit)
Location: Columbia Center for Oral History
Full CLIO record >>

Biographical Note

Media Executive

Scope and Contents

Born 1908 Muskegon, Michigan; grew up Dayton, Ohio; high-responsibility high school job at Metropolitan Company, local department store; BA, Ohio Wesleyan university, 1930; marriage to Ruth Stephenson; PhD in Psychology, Ohio State University, 1934; Radio market research--invention of instrument to measure radio listening behavior; Research Department at CBS, 1935; promotion to President in 1946 by CEO William Paley; research work with psychologist Paul Lazarsfeld; early television inventions, programming, advertising; News vs. Entertainment; Edward R. Murrow; CBS Reports; Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences; RAND Corporation; "The Selling of the Pentagon" and issues of Freedom of Press; balance of power with William Paley; lobbying work to change the Federal Communications Act to allow televised presidential debates; 1960 presidential election; confidential government work and conflict of roles of government insider and broadcaster; relationship with Lyndon Baines Johnson and other Presidents; building of Black Rock; cable television and Viacom; AEA Investors group; Columbia Records; broadcast news; American Red Cross chairmanship; Harvard University trusteeship; effects of technology on modern media; memories of wife

Subjects

Access Conditions

Copyright by Frank Stanton. The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York hold a non-exclusive license to enable library activities

Using this collection

Columbia Center for Oral History

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