America Now
New York: Atheneum, 1968. First edition. First edition [stated]. Presumed first printing. Hardcover. xxiv, 357, [3] p. 25 cm. Occasional footnotes. Notes on Contributors. Index. Foreword by John W. Kluge. The Editor was educated at Harvard and Columbia universities. He had been director of Free Europe Press and chieve editor of Walker and Company (book publishers). He was the editor of Diplomat magazine and served on the corporate staff of Metromedia, Inc. From Wikipedia: "John Werner Kluge (September 21, 1914 September 7, 2010[) was a German-born American entrepreneur who was at one time the richest person in America. He was best known as a television industry mogul in the United States. Kluge was born in Chemnitz, Germany and emigrated to the United States in 1922. He earned his B.A. degree in economics from Columbia University in 1937. Prior to attending Columbia University, Kluge went to Wayne State University for two years. Kluge's major move into media was by purchasing stock in the Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation in the mid-1950s. The Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation was the successor of the DuMont Television Network, which was spun off from DuMont Laboratories after the television network ceased operations in 1956. Metropolitan Broadcasting consisted of two stations, WABD in New York City and WTTG in Washington, D.C., both former DuMont outlets now operating as independent stations. Kluge joined the company as its board chairman and largest stockholder in 1958, acquiring the bulk of his shares from founder Allen B. DuMont for about USD $6, 000, 000. After gaining control in 1959, Kluge began the company's expansion further into broadcasting, with holdings in television and radio. In the early 1960s, Kluge bought an outdoor advertising firm, and in 1961 the company's name was changed to Metromedia to reflect the diversity of its interests. In 1986, Kluge sold the Metromedia television stations to the 20th Century Fox film studio, which is now controlled by the News Corporation, for a reported USD $4 billion. Those stations would later form the core of what would become the Fox television network. The following year, Forbes Magazine placed Kluge at the top of its list as the richest man in America. In retaliation for a lawsuit brought by Paul Winchell, who sought the rights to his children's television program, "Winchell-Mahoney Time", Metromedia management, under orders from Kluge, destroyed the video tapes. Winchell was later awarded nearly $18 million as compensation for Metromedia's capricious behavior. Following the Fox disposal, Kluge's activities had been carried out through a private venture named Metromedia Company in which he was a partner with Stuart Subotnick. Metromedia's more recent activities have included Eastern European, Commonwealth of Independent States and China telecom/cable/radio ventures through Metromedia International Group and the ill-fated US telecom backbone operation Metromedia Fiber Network. In July 2008, the Metromedia Restaurant Group, part of the Metromedia Company, closed over 300 company-owned Bennigan's and Steak and Ale restaurants. Metromedia was also the original team operators of the New York/New Jersey Metrostars Major League Soccer franchise." Condition: Very good in good dust jacket. DJ has some wear, soiling, edge tears and chips. Some edge soiling.
Keywords: George Gallup, Henry Steele Commager, Russell Kirk, George McGovern, Kenneth Boulding, Howard ZInn, Richard Rovere, L=Floyd McKissick, William Jovanich, Elspeth Rostow
[Book #67726]
Price: $45.00