ustxtxb_obs_1972_02_04_50_00018-00000_000.pdf

A Public Service Message from the American Income Life Insurance Company-Executive offices, Waco, Texas-Bernard Rapoport, Pres. `An arc of communication’: The Case for ‘Capital Eye “Capital Eye” has been widely acclaimed as one of the most stimulating, informative public affairs programs ever aired in Texas. is, in fact, the only state-level press panel program ever produced in Texas on a regular sustained basis. We feel that the public should know how “Capital Eye” is financed, and help make the decision as to whether it should continue. For it is in every sense a public service program, designed to present on a non-profit, non-partisan basis a weekly forum place on issues of wide public concern in government, politics, education, civil rights, environment. Here are the facts about “Capital Eye”: “Capital Eye” is not supported by any special interest group, business, institution, or ‘angel’. It has no sponsors in the commercial sense. It is administered as a public education project by a non-profit corporation, Public Information Corporation, whose trustees listed here are well-known Texas citizens. “Capital Eye” is distributed over much of Texas on public television stations and by cable companies which use their signals, and on radio as a public-service feature free to the stations. It is operated as a hard-hitting, spontaneous and unrehearsed news interview show by veteran Austin journalists. “Capital Eye” has been on the air for two and a half years, since Sept. ‘6, 1969. As this copy went to press “Capital Eye” show No. 118 was being taped. The corporation which owns “Capital Eye” is chartered under the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act, and is tax-exempt operating non-profit, non-partisan educational projects. In Sept. of 1971, the corporation was declared a public foundation by the IRS. “Capital Eye” is supported almost entirely by tax-deductible contributions from the public. It receives a little income through station fees. Efforts are underway to interest the grant-giving foundations in helping to support “Capital Eye.” Efforts to acquaint the public with the operation of “Capital Eye” are also being made by task forces of interested citizens in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston. It is believed that the best way to operate “Capital Eye,” which deals with the pros and cons of vital, controversial issues, is through a broad-based program of public-oriented support. “Capital Eye’s” fiscal affairs are handled by the executive and finance committees of the board of trustees, and all budgetary figures are available to the public. The budget for the current fiscal year is projected at well under $50,000. “Capital Eye” hews to its statement of purposes given IRS in May, 1970, which said in part: “A main aim of ‘Capital Eye’ is to create an arc of communication between the public figure . . . and the private citizen; to create in the citizen a sense of familiarity with and participation in the processes of government and public agencies and institutions; and to create in the public figure a sense of community with and responsiveness to the people he is serving.” We think it important to emphasize what Dean Page Keeton, the president of our corporation, has said in writing the foundations: “We believe you will agree with us that it would be hard to conceive a program better organized or conducted for public education on public issues than one such as “Capital Eye” with its broad base of citizen support, its forum-like fielding of important dialogue, and its standing policy of inviting guests from a broad range of perspectives. “Likewise, we trust you will agree with us that to submit questions of wide public concern to open debate and inquiry by means of a news show operating under IRS guidelines for impartiality is not in any way related to partisan political action.” The Dean said in closing: c`. . . We know that you, just as is our board, are dedicated to the ideal of a widely-informed public, for the maintenance of a democratically-functioning society.” “Capital Eye” provides the forum place where free speech can occur. Where public issues can be aired. And through television and radio, “Capital Eye” brings the events and personalities in Austin in focus in the living rooms of Brownsville, Amarillo, Nacogdoches, and Odessa throughout the cities and hamlets and ranchlands of this sprawling state. Through “Capital Eye” you can ‘look in’ on Austin and the state house with a flick of the dial. And it is something beyond newsreel. It is talk, substance, people in conversation and issues laid out. “Capital Eye” allows the citizen and voter to make better decisions about the government in which he is a stockholder. But in this country, the platform for free speech as every office seeker must discover is not built without plunking down coin of the realm. “Capital Eye,” with the expense of TV production, administration, and talent knows about this cost all too well. We have gotten signs; along the way, though, that there were folks out there who felt we were doing something worthwhile, worth watching, and worth supporting. It has also occurred to us that maybe most people didn’t know how we were funded, and that perhaps we had better tell them before it got any later. We’re not asking a whole lot. And we don’t want ‘something for nothing.’ Just a little help that will allow us to keep giving you what we think we can promise will be a pretty lively show, every week. How about it, stockholders? “Capital Eye” Guests Dating from Program #1, September 6, 1969, weekly, through January 23, 1972 1.LT. GOV. BEN BARNES The Food Tax and the Legislature 2.REP. JAKE JOHNSON The Antiquities Code and the Land Commissioner. 3.MADALYN O’HAIR The Devout Atheist and Prayer in Space 4.BILL STEGER The GOP in Texas 5.GUS MUTSCHER Speaker’s View on the Tax Bill 6.SEN. JOHN TOWER Republican Muscle and Viet Nam 7.JUDGE CHARLES 0. BETTS New Divorce Law. 8.REP. BOB ARMSTRONG Land Commissioner as Conservationist? 9.SEN. BARBARA JORDAN Housing and Minority Education 10.MONROE CLAYTON “Blue Laws” Questioned by State Lawyer 11.LT. GOV. BEN BARNES Going for Governor’s Race? 12.U.S. REP. GEORGE BUSH Yarborough Challenge Near 13.GEORGE CHRISTIAN LBJ’s Press Secretary Looks at Agnewism 14.JOE TOM EASLEY A Nader’s Raider Talks Consumerism 15.GOV. PRESTON SMITH A Look at the Record 16.FRANK ERWIN UT Regent Tells His Side of Waller Creek* 17.SEN. RALPH YARBOROUGH Slow Voter Registration Has Him Worried 18.JIM McGREW Research League Sees “Decade of Taxes” 19.BURTON HACKNEY Welfare Commissioner Warns of New Criiis 20.FRANK MISKELL Consumer Credit Commissioner Quitting 21.DR. JOHN STOCKTON UT Analyst on Inflation-Recession 22.GORDON FULCHER Texas Pollutes Itself 23.U.S. REP. BOB ECKHARDT Pollution and Class-Action Legislation 24.REV. JOHN ALLEN CHALK Texas “White Justice” Decried 25.SEN. RALPH HALL Fight to Get on Ballot Against Governor 26.CALLAN GRAHAM Our Troubled Welfare System in Texas 27.MRS. HAROLD YOUNG Committee Urges Abolition of Texas Rangers 28.HANK BROWN AFL-CIO Chief Tells of Labor Expansion 29.REP. BOB ARMSTRONG Sadler Residency Questioned 30.PAUL EGGERS Smith Challenger Back 31.J. D. CHASTAIN The DPS “Breathalyzer” Goes on TV 32.BYRON FULLERTON GOP Candidate for “Pot” Law 33.LLOYD BENTSEN Yarborough’s Moratorium Role Hit 34.DR. JOHN STOCKTON A Look at the Economy: More Inflation 1