Business screen magazine (1946)

^ the camera eye VIEWPOINT AND COMMENTARY BY O H. COELLN jfac Show Films Where the Action Is 1^ sal( 0 This year of opportunity: 1971 ""1 loesn't need any more predictions. '^ iVhat you can do is size up real poentials. spend more time in analysis not "psycho" though you may )ften Ice! the need ) and seize upon vorkable, fruitful ideas. For industry's communicators: I he seat of power remains in Washington, D.C. where the actions of he y2nd Congress will be closely vatched. You have noted that, dej;pite that hectic and unproductive linal month of the 91st, the Coniress \oted to permit spending up o $24.8 billion for school aid in hree years; provided subsidies for U)() new merchant ships (by 1980); .Tcated a semipublic National Rail•oad Passenger Corporation to take )ver operation of the nation's passenger trains and set strict federal Uandards for job safety in industry and mines. i There are communication poten•ials in such federal actions. As, fiir .■xample, in that Congressional bill iiuthorizing $63 milHon to promote railroad safety. Under the Senate passed measure. Transportation Secretary Volpe would write rules and regulations for railroad operations. including transport of hazardous materials. And what is your company (or trade group) doing about communicating to influential agency and bureau personnel in Washington? .Arc you showing jihtwd answers on critical subjects like improving minority relations, anti-pollution measures taken, safety actions, job creation. etc. to the many thousands of deision makers in the Washington area. All right, know this: experienced showmen like Wilson Gill and other iaudiovisual specialists in booking and showing sponsored films in and "around Washington, D.C. can deliver responsible films to all kinds I'l audiences: clubs, lodges, commit i FEBRUARY, 1971 tee rooms of Congress, church and PTA groups. In these audiences, as well as via local TV and in neighborhood theaters, are the people \tn4 must reach. They and members of their families are among the longtime Washington "regulars," the too-often career people as well as elected representatives of the people. Got something honest, forthright and truthfid to say.' Then put it up there on the screens, large, lighted and convincing! Or will you "leave it up to Nader" and his eager, young and zealous attack force with the "big charge" and its too-often halftruths? "Marginal Survival" Afflicts 16.5 Million Citizens Who Can't Read We can't overlook that most significant survey conducted by the Louis Harris Opinion Poll last year which revealed that approximately 16.5 million Americans 16 years of age and over fall into what the Harris organization calls a "marginal survival status" — simply because they don't read well enough to function effectively. Our nation's functional illiterates can understand sight/sound media if we'll get the tools to them: in drive-ins, churches, community halls and such. Hut the figures out of this survey had better be noted: Over 4 million could not read well enough to qualify for public assistance on welfare. A much higher 10 million would have trouble qualifying for Social Security. Over 1 1 million could nt)t qualify for a driver's license. ( Hey there GM, Ford. Chrysler and American Motors! ) A higher 14 million could not qualify for a bank loan, not reading well ent)ugh to answer several key, elementary questions. And a substantial 48 million people have a sufficiently serious reading deficiency to keep them from properls qualifying for Medicaid care. But they still vote, put that "X" into the ballot boxes, strike when their union chiefs tell them to, and influence America's future for good or ill. The obvious contribution a public-spirited corporate sponsor should make is to provide the nation's classrooms with reading-skill media. Or reach all these people we can through channels of sight' sound communication with factual films. Our Expanding Youth Population as Job-Seekers and as Voters The "movies that move people" are getting to another vital segment of U.S. population, where the growth-action is becoming a twofold area of potentially vast I'R v/ijnificance. We refer to "the young working-age segment which is growing at an abnormally rapid rate in the \ears ahead." While our overall population in the U.S. should increase about 12 per cent, as it did in the 60's. the age group between 1 8 and 24 will expand by some 25 per cent, and the 25-to-34 group will grow bv nearly .SO per cent. "That's the bumper World War II baby crop growing up. -And they can be reached by your films! Match that up with combined Congressional and Supreme Court decisions allowing 18-to-21 vear olds to vote in future national elec Coniiniied on next pane 15