Abstract
Congress Needs Help, an NBC News documentary that aired at 10 p.m. November 24, 1965, detailed problems and suggestions for improvement in America's legislative machinery. It is notable for its sweeping scope and because NBC News commissioned a $100,000 organizational efficiency study to underpin the documentary's research. The broadcast spawned a pamphlet circulated to every member of Congress, a Random House book, and legislative reform. The story of Congress Needs Help also offers a glimpse into the effects of seniority on committee obstructions to civil rights legislation and very early criticism of congressional oversight of President Johnson's Vietnam War policy. Using archival methods in primary documents, this article examines the history of the film and assesses its impact and unique place in documentary journalism history.
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