CNN's undivited special looks at the history of media and its role in society. We ask fred turner, author of the democratic surround, to explain how media can make us feel more reflective,. More patient, more tolerant, in short, more democratic. Let's forget about we and they. Let's think about us.
In 1940, a group of 60 American intellectuals formed the Committee for National Morale. “They’ve largely been forgotten,” says Fred Turner, a professor of communications at Stanford University, but their work had a profound impact on public opinion. They produced groundbreaking films and art exhibitions. They urged viewers to stop, reflect and think for themselves, and in so doing, they developed a set of design principles that reimagined how media could make us feel more calm, reflective, empathetic; in short, more democratic.