Joseph Planta's Commentary - thecommentary.ca

Sunday, 07 November 2004

Face the Nation at fifty

By Joseph Planta

VANCOUVER - Today is the fiftieth anniversary of CBS's venerable Sunday morning public affairs program, Face the Nation. In light of the debacle at CBS over Dan Rather's uncorroborated documents about the President, it's interesting to shed some light on the storied and legendary history of CBS News and the journalism it has wrought over these past fifty years. The network of Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Eric Sevareid, and Fred Friendly has had its knocks as of late. But a new book, Face the Nation: My Favorite Stories from the First 50 Years of the Award-winning News Broadcast (Simon and Schuster, 2004), comes at a time when nostalgia is rightfully necessary, if only to somehow provide some insight into what made CBS News so extraordinary in the past.

Bob Schieffer, whose memoir This Just In, which was a surprise smash on the New York Times bestseller list, authors this look at Face the Nation and its remarkable fifty-year history. Meet the Press, it's counterpart on NBC, is the current leader in ratings, and is actually older than Face the Nation, but unlike the book that Tim Russert did a few years ago, this book is more accessible.

First, as a book, it's written with legendary insight from the program's current custodian, the unassuming yet dogged and skilled reporter, Schieffer. Schieffer, on and off the page is an able raconteur, and he recollects stories without bravado, but with a charm and eloquence that is missing from some of today's front line journalists. The book's liberal use of its broadcast's transcripts is effective and provides an insight into the history that Face the Nation saw throughout its own history. Included with the book is a wonderful two-hour long DVD, featuring the highlights so mentioned in the text. This book is published by Simon and Schuster, which like CBS is owned by Viacom, so the book's appearance is rather expected. However, it's still a useful book, and the DVD is a great aide providing what exquisite description could not often impart.

Mention of Meet the Press may seem unfair, however all Sunday morning current affairs programs, like Face the Nation and This Week on ABC, for two, have been overshadowed by the older NBC offering, chiefly because of its ratings and prominence. As is made clear in the first chapter of this book, Face the Nation's birth was largely due to CBS wanting its own Sunday show to compete with NBC.

Schieffer, one of the journalism profession's most beloved and respected figures, does great work in recalling some of the interesting stories behind the scenes at the venerable program. Of note, is perhaps the story of the CBS News exclusive, not had by their stalwarts Edward R. Murrow, Eric Sevareid or Howard K. Smith, but with the popular CBS variety host, Ed Sullivan. Sullivan, you see was not a journalist in the Murrow mould though he long pined to be. He began if you'll recall as the popular syndicated columnist from the New York Daily News, and was brought on CBS to host a fledgling variety series on Sunday nights called Toast of the Town, because of his vast show business connections. The awkward and often humourless Sullivan became a hit, and for nearly 25 years his monotone introduced variety acts as varied as Elvis Presley to Lillian Gish; The Rolling Stones to Topo Gigio. This desire to be part of the CBS News dynasty was not better evidenced than in Sullivan's efforts to gain Murrow's respect by obtaining a big scoop. In 1959, with Fidel Castro's revolutionaries taking power in Cuba, getting the first interview with the communist leader was a desire of many at CBS, not to mention the other networks. Face the Nation producer Ted Ayres was working hard to gain an audience with Castro, and little did he know that Sullivan was pining for the same 'get' as well. Sullivan got the exclusive and though the interview aired on Sullivan's variety program, Face the Nation got its scoop. A look at the transcript now or the footage on the DVD, time has shown Castro spouted a load of nonsense and lies, but it was without a doubt a great effort. For Sullivan, he did not gain the respect he desired from Murrow or CBS News. The Castro interview turned out to be an embarrassment for the variety impresario. It turns out that only after a call from New York's archbishop Francis Spellman, informing Sullivan that Castro was not a good Catholic and that he had been excommunicated, Sullivan's $10,000 cheque to Castro, a token of the impression had on the widows and children of the Castro revolution, was in fact cancelled.

Alongside the Castro interview, Face the Nation was the first program to interview a Soviet premier. Nikita Khrushchev was candid and controversial, and not because he had refused CBS's desire to move around the furniture in his office, or their offer for makeup for his bald head. The broadcast taped in the Kremlin was the first time viewers were able to see a Soviet premier, and it also happened to raise the ire of many within the Eisenhower administration.

When Face the Nation first signed on the air fifty years ago this morning, its first broadcast had as its guest, Senator Joseph McCarthy, who the following day would face Senate debate over his censure. Today, in their first broadcast following President Bush's re-election they will feature three Republican Senators who'll discuss the Bush agenda: Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NB), and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA). And of course, after the guests, Schieffer will return with his commentary, a regular feature in these years since he's taken the helm of the program. One suspects that so long as Schieffer is the host of the broadcast it will continue to probe newsmakers and the analysts of the day. In looking back at these past fifty years, it's clear too that the broadcast will continue long after. The forum for political debate on Sunday mornings is a special and time-honoured environment, and Face the Nation's continued existence reinforces that. Politicians from far and wide will doubtlessly always need to Face the Nation.

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Face the Nation: My Favorite Stories from the First 50 Years of the Award-Winning News Broadcast (ISBN: 0743265858) by Bob Schieffer is published by Simon and Schuster, and retails for $38.95 CDN ($26.95 USD).

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