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STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Department of Genetics

June 9, 1969
Dear Mr. Johnson-

I just read your presentation to the "Violence Commission"; anna
and would have profited from having gottenft to it sooner. However,
I think we have very similar views already. About the Communications
Institute, however, I would urge that you consider a small variant
of the idea, namely to model it on the NIH or NIMH. ‘This would peri-
pheralize the bulk of its activities, and help to add further sup-
port and focus to university work in its field; yet still leave
a core activity for specific applications. This model would be
consistent with government support, which, I feel can hardly be
dispensed with.

Enclosed is a short essay by Dr. Siegel on TV effects on children,
that I think you will enjoy. Have you given more thought (or can you
refer me to other discussion) about the motivational factors that
drive TV prograiming to be so bad? You imply it is not altopether
a response to mass demand. Then I have to consider 3 alternatives:

1) "Madison Avenue" is misinformed about public taste.

2) It/s frustrated intellectuals are unconsciously taking
their revenge on the system, and are bent on proving
how bad they can be in what they foist on the public.

3) They have decided that "bad" programs, however they are
evaluated as TV art, are believed to be the most effective
advertising vehicles. (They may be right-~- see one of
my articles attached. )

If you have any material on this, I would appreciate seeing it.

I have just learned that Richard Posner (Gen. Counsel to the Rostow
Commission) is on campus, and I may be able to brief myself from him.
However, I would also be grateful to you for information on the rurrent
status of:

1) CATV -- and the common-carrier aspect of its functioning

2) New communications common carriers, competing with Bell (especially
for data transmission); tariffs for shared use of private
lines; and can these be marketed further

3) The domestic comsat, and its relationship to public tv (and
the Eundy proposals).

Yours sincerely,

oshua Lederberg

LT. J. P. KENNEDY, JR. LABORATORIES FOR MOLECULAR MEDICINE, DEDICATED TO RESEARCH IN MENTAL RETARDATION
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY HEREDITY NEUROBIOLOGY DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE