Summary

A special program about the newspaper business in America. Reporter Hughes Rudd interviews a marketing consultant who compares the papers that he advises to toothpaste, i.e., a commodity to package and sell. The program continues with a look at Boston, where two newspapers, the Boston Globe and the Herald American compete for readership; and Phoenix, Arizona, where the one paper available, the Republic Gazette, has had one of its investigative reporters murdered, and citizens feel the news is being suppressed. Newspaper chains are examined, including the largest chain, Gannett, and the Times-Mirror chain. The program concludes with a look at the Daily Press of Escanaba, Mich., whose editor was fired by the owner for not publishing a story. Includes commercials.