a new era of technology is forcing networks to re-examine the way they do business. >> new owners spent billions buying the networks recently. ge buying nbc. capital cities, abc. and loews-tisch brothers buying cbs. and all of them want their money's worth. >> we'll now have the strongest network. we'll have a stronger defense piece. this is going to be one dynamite company. >> there's a danger that news will be mixed up with the rest of television and considered just another profit. >> late 1920s, to early 1930s, to the 1980s, the sense was if some of the broadcasting time took public service, 1990s, journalism in the country changed a great deal. you couldn't talk about public service. it was what are the ratings going to be? what are the demographics going to be?