Many of the leaders I know in the media industry are intelligent, capable, and honest. But they are leaders of companies that appear to have only one purpose: the single-minded pursuit of short-term profit and “shareholder value.” I believe, however, that the media industry, by its very nature and role in our society and global culture, must act differently than other industries especially because they have the free use of our public airwaves and our digital spectrum, and have almost unlimited access to our children’s hearts and minds. These are priceless assets, and the right to use them should necessarily carry serious and long-lasting responsibilities to promote the public good.
