By Sharon Fain
Student Writer
William F. Baker, CEO of Educational Broadcasting Corporation, addressed public broadcasting's role in the new media landscape at the James L. Loper Lecture in Public Service Broadcasting on Monday, Nov. 12.
Journalism professor Judy Muller introduced Baker, noting that he is "leading stodgy public television into the new media generation." Baker, who operates a blog on top of running two of New York's top public television stations, expressed optimism and doubt about new media.
"The media revolution is not a utopia," he said. "There are pluses and minuses. The plus is that everyone has a voice. The minus is that everyone has a voice."
Baker said the democratization of media, led by the Internet, has generated hyperactive celebrity gossip and confusion about stories that mean something to society. In the end, the quality of journalism suffers most.
However, a renewed focus on quality, independence and education (of audiences and journalists) within news media can help create a new generation of responsible and meaningful journalism. Baker said public broadcasting will lead the renewal because these values are its foundation.
"Public broadcasting must be guided by a core sense of trust," he said.
At the conclusion of the lecture, Dean Ernest J. Wilson III presented Baker with a plaque in appreciation for delivering the lecture.
Baker’s career spans four decades, during which he has played a leading role in helping to shape American broadcasting in both the commercial and public sectors. He has headed Educational Broadcasting Corporation since 1987 and remains a well-known advocate for the educational potential of television. Previously he was president of Westinghouse Television, Inc. and chairman of Group W Satellite Communications. During his 10 years at Westinghouse, five cable networks were launched, including the Disney Channel and the Discovery Channel. He also introduced Oprah Winfrey as a talk-show host. He is a member of Broadcasting & Cable’s Hall of Fame.
Loper spent almost 20 years in various positions at KCET, the Los Angeles public television station, including vice president and general manager, and president and CEO. He was the founding chairman of the board of the Public Broadcasting Service and served three terms as PBS chairman during its formative years. He has been a visiting scholar and executive in residence at USC Annenberg since retiring as executive director of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 1999.
The Loper Lecture is made possible through the generous support of the H. Russell Smith Foundation. A former president and board chair of Avery Dennis Corporation, Smith is a leading Los Angeles philanthropist whose work has been devoted to education, health care and the arts. He is a former board chair of Pomona College, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and KCET.
