See It Now: "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy"


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

From Wikipedia:

See It Now focused on a number of controversial issues in the 1950s, but it is best remembered as the show that criticized the Red Scare and contributed to the political downfall of Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Murrow produced a number of episodes of the show that dealt with the Communist witch-hunt hysteria before embarking on a broadcast on March 9, 1954 that has been referred to as television's finest hour.

By using mostly recordings of McCarthy himself in action interrogating witnesses and making speeches, Murrow and Friendly displayed what they felt was the key danger to the democracy: not suspected Communists, but McCarthy's actions themselves. As Murrow said in his tailpiece:

No one familiar with the history of his country can deny that Congressional committees are useful. It is necessary to investigate before legislating. But the line between investigating and persecuting is a very fine one, and the junior senator from Wisconsin has stepped over it repeatedly.

The broadcast provoked tens of thousands of letters, telegrams and phone calls to CBS headquarters, running 15 to 1 in favor of Murrow. Friendly later recalled how truck drivers pulled up alongside Murrow and shouted, "Good show, Ed. Good show, Ed."

The show's probe of the McCarthy-led anti-Communist era is the focus of the 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck.

Highlights
Julian Goodman on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now episode, "Senator McCarthy"
00:57
John Frankenheimer on the Hollywood Blacklist and The Senator McCarthy episode of See It Now
03:38
Who talked about this show

Walter Bernstein

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Walter Bernstein on Edward R. Murrow's See It Now episode denouncing Senator McCarthy
00:31

Mili Lerner Bonsignori

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Mili Lerner Bonsignori on the See It Now episode on Senator McCarthy - aired March 9, 1954 -  and McCarthy's response
03:59
Mili Lerner Bonsignori on the aftermath of Edward R. Murrow's "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy" on See It Now
05:47

John Frankenheimer

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John Frankenheimer on the Hollywood Blacklist and The Senator McCarthy episode of See It Now
03:38

Julian Goodman

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Julian Goodman on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now episode, "Senator McCarthy"
00:57
Julian Goodman on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now episode, "Senator McCarthy"
00:57

Sidney M. Katz

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Sidney M. Katz on editing Edward R. Murrow's See It Now series and the episode on Joseph McCarthy
03:52

Jeff Kisseloff

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Jeff Kisseloff on Edward R. Murrow and Fred Friendly's See It Now "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy"
02:49

Daniel Schorr

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Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy
01:22

Ted Turner

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Ted Turner on the effect of Edward R. Murrow's See It Now: A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy
01:16

Joseph Wershba

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Joseph Wershba on collecting information for the classic See It Now broadcast "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy"
05:22
Joseph Wershba on how Senator Joseph R. McCarthy used television
05:34
Joseph Wershba on his relationship with Senator Joseph McCarthy
03:05
Joseph Wershba on Fred Friendly and Edward R. Murrow putting together See It Now "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy"
08:58
Joseph Wershba on Dr. Frank Stanton and William S. Paley's reaction to See It Now "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy"
04:30

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