The Discourse of "Scientific Anti-Communism" in the "Golden Age" of Documentary

Abstract

Both media scholars and broadcast veterans often characterize early 1960s as of television documentary.' For it was during this era that documentary enjoyed a prominent place in prime-time network schedules and in public discussion about quality television. Furthermore, this golden age is remembered as an era of innovation. Albert Wasserman, one of leading documentary producers at NBC during early 1960s, recalls that television networks developed journalistic documentary as a conscious departure from nonbroadcast heritage of genre: whole history of documentary film, which of course precedes television, was to a great extent a history of social indignation, allowing people who made films to express points of view about which filmmaker felt strongly. With evolution of television documentary that is no longer appropriate. It is not appropriate for a television network to take a partisan position and to seem to be trying to force on an audience a predetermined editorial point of view.'2 Wasserman and others such as Fred Friendly and Irving Gitlin clearly distinguished their work from an earlier documentary tradition that included inspirational efforts of John Grierson, controversial docudramas of The March of Time, and propaganda films of Second World War. Unlike their predecessors, these news professionals were fond of noting that power of television documentary resided in its ability to offer a mirror-like reflection of social reality.3 However, careful analysis also suggests that work of these documentarists was marked by contradiction. On one hand, they contended that their programs were product of professional, objective inquiry; on other hand, programs elaborated a worldview that can best be understood in relation to Cold War. This contradiction was not exclusive to these documentaries. It was also found in many other aspects of American society at time. Social scientists, policymakers, and American diplomats all endorsed canons of objectivity and professionalism, but they were also stalwart proponents of the American way of life as a model for societies around globe. Therefore, even though early 1960s was an era that celebrated scientific expertise and professionalism, it was also a time that witnessed appearance of a vigorous