April 15, 2008

Although billed as a conversation between NPR's TV critic David Bianculli and Robbins, Robbins delivered a speech he had written recapping the history of the media. Talking about Edward R. Murrow's famous broadcasts from London, Robbins said that one of Murrow's lesser known sign-offs was "Die you Nazi c---suckers."

But in a true echo of pioneering broadcaster Murrow's "wire and lights in a box" speech, Robbins turned serious and appealed to the broadcasters' higher natures by asking them to work for the nation's good instead of focusing on sex scandals, screaming matching among political pundits and "startlet(s) without panties getting out of the car." Acknowledging that the Internet has revolutionized the media, Robbins said that "we are are at an abyss…as an industry and as a country."

"You the broadcasters...have tremendous power and tremendous potential to affect change," he said. "Now is the time to admit and recognize that we aren't just businessmen but guardians of the human spirit and the health of this nation."

Urging the broadcasters to stop pandering to lurid and common tastes, Robbins said that "only with your courage...can we imagine a world of broadcasting where a general consensus of those with real power can say 'enough is enough.'"

Although some people walked out of the room, Robbins got a standing ovation at the end. Ostensible moderator Bianculli said this about the speech: "Much of Robbins' speech urged an increased diversity of voices, allowing minority viewpoints and artistic expressions to have their day, and their say. By booking Robbins as their keynote speaker, the NAB ended up doing precisely that."