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- <text id=91TT0429>
- <title>
- Feb. 25, 1991: From The Publisher
- </title>
- <history>
- TIME--The Weekly Newsmagazine--1991
- Feb. 25, 1991 Beginning Of The End
- </history>
- <article>
- <source>Time Magazine</source>
- <hdr>
- FROM THE PUBLISHER, Page 15
- </hdr><body>
- <p> If this issue of TIME seems vaguely familiar, it may be
- because you watched us putting it together on television last
- week. From early Monday afternoon through late Friday evening,
- an 18-member crew from C-SPAN, the cable television industry's
- public affairs network, followed our staff as we assembled our
- analysis of the week's news. C-SPAN, which is available in 53
- million U.S. homes, aired a total of 25 hours of live coverage
- of our editorial meetings as well as taped interviews with
- editors; art, picture and production staff; and some of my
- publishing colleagues. Our video friends were even hosts of
- call-in programs that allowed viewers to discuss issues with
- TIME journalists.
- </p>
- <p> "We wanted to take an in-depth and real-time look at the
- largest news weekly magazine in the U.S.," says Brian Lamb, the
- founder and chief executive officer of C-SPAN. "I really do
- believe that if someone watches only television to get his
- information, he's making a big mistake. You need to supplement
- your diet. Print gives you a more comprehensive perspective."
- </p>
- <p> Lamb, a fellow Hoosier from Lafayette, Ind., conducted many
- of the interviews himself. His crew commandeered a small
- conference room on our 24th floor. "I was surprised at how
- quickly everybody adapted to the situation," says Barrett
- Seaman, deputy chief of correspondents. "Everything went much
- more smoothly than I expected."
- </p>
- <p> Although TIME staff members appear on television with
- increasing frequency, this was the first time that our planning
- meetings had been broadcast live. Some of us noticed an unusual
- number of fresh coiffures and telegenic neckties, but,
- generally, what the viewers saw was remarkably close to the
- routine atmosphere of a normal work-week. Early in the week our
- journalists were probably all a little uptight, unwilling to
- risk spilling a favorite story idea or sounding less than
- omniscient. A few of our key decisions had to take place
- off-camera, but by the end of the week many staff members were
- becoming quite casual. Without waiting for the reviews, I think
- our debut in immersion video was considerably less exciting
- than a good basketball game but noticeably better than a bad
- day's debate in the Congress. And I am proud of our staff: no
- one said "Hi, Mom!" all week.
- </p>
- <p>-- Louis A. Weil III
- </p>
-
- </body></article>
- </text>
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