Show A Media Business-Media Dialogue A strengthened business di dialogue logue with government the then n news ws media and the academic community was foreseen at a are are- recent recent re- re cent National Press Club breakfast by byNAM byNAM byNAM NAM President Heath Larry The central thrust of NAM today is predicated upon the realization that even as our country once moved from an agrarian society to an industrial society it has now shifted to ward what some cap call the information information information mation society Larry saidU said alt It is one in which the media have a powerful impact upon public opinion and hence upon the political process it is one in which the political system is rapidly becoming the dominant force in the economic system This means that whatever talents business leadership has ii s must become focused fully as strongly upon relations with the political world the media and the intellectual community at large as upon the more traditional tra tra- traditional and mundane concerns of producing and selling Larry said a simple negative reaction to government was neither effective nor construe construe- tive II is the concern of NAM's leadership he continued that the problems which invite governmental governmental governmental gov gov- intervention be anticipated anticipated an an- far enough ahead so that intervention should it come may roay be toward conserving conserving ing the values of open markets and private ownership and operation operation operation op op- of the means of production Larry continued There is going to be an increasing need for diverse elements of our so soci i- i ety ely to appreciate the potential for erosion of personal freedom as the he increasing cost of gov goo government government adds to inflationary pressures and dulls incentives Business and the media would not normally think of themselves as natural allies But Buton Buton Buton on such a battleground there is common cause to be made This is not to suggest that either should forego its right to be critical critical crit crit- ical of the other Each Fach could no doubt benefit from the exercise of or a bit more responsibility than the other now gives it credit for Nevertheless I strongly urge that we think carefully about where we can make common cornmon com corn mon cause came lest a decade hence we find America facing a free free- darn dam om crisis even more threatening threatening threaten threaten- ing ing than thin th the he energy cr crisis i which now Confronts us a. |