Here's a doomsday scenario worth considering. It comes from David Poltrack, head of research for CBS, who happens to believe that, over the air network television will thrive for the foreseeable future. However, he warns, woe betide those who would dismantle it, because what is at stake is nothing less than the American way of life. DAVID POLTRACK: And if, in fact, that current system deteriorates to the point that advertisers and marketers abandon it, I don't see anything that's going to replace it in the entire marketing infrastructure of the country, and the economy is going to be diminished, and that's a lot bigger problem than just a network television problem. [CLIP FROM OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? PLAYS] MAN: We ain't one-at-a-timin' here - we're mass-communicatin'! MAN: Oh, yes. That's a powerful new force. Read the transcript, stream the segment, or podcast the whole show from http://wnyc.vo.llnwd.net/o1/otm/otm040805.mp3 The Chaos Scenario |