Saturday, April 5, 2008

How much has changed in 50 years?

Great collection available online from the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas: two years of The Mike Wallace Interview. From 1957-60, the 60 Minutes vet hosted a series of sit-downs with everyone from Salvador Dali to Eleanor Roosevelt, and UT has made select 1957-58 clips available. The one that piqued my specific interest was Wallace's interview with Edward Weeks, editor of The Atlantic. It's a discussion of communication, culture, business, and advertising, and most of it sounds like it's from 60 minutes ago, not 50 years ago. The failings of the big U.S. automakers. Media consolidation. "Those dreadful singing commercials." It's all there. Check it out for the latest lesson in how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

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