Series: The Ten O'Clock News
Date: 1990-05-24
Duration: 00:03:23

People: Atkins, Chester; Brown, Ron; George, Christy; Jordan, Raymond; Lee, Virginia; Murphy, Evelyn; Rodriguez, Alex; Roosevelt, James; Silber, John; Xifaris, Margaret;

Clip Description
Christy George reports on a controversy within the Massachusetts State Democratic Party. She notes that John Silber (Democratic candidate for governor of Massachusetts) compared the party's "15-percent rule" to the rules used by white supremacists to keep African Americans from voting in the South. George adds that party delegates reacted strongly to Silber's comments. George's report features members of the Democratic State Committee at a press conference. Democratic State Committee members Margaret Xifaris, James Roosevelt, Raymond Jordan, Virginia Lee, and Alex Rodriguez defend the committee and speak out against Silber's comments. George reports that the rule in question requires a candidate to have the support of 15% of the delegates in order to be listed on the ballot for the primary election. George notes that Silber has the support of only 8% of the delegates. George's report includes footage of Silber and Evelyn Murphy (Democratic candidate for governor of Massachusetts) appearing on WBZ-TV. Silber insists that he did not call the state party racist. Murphy condemns Silber's comments. George reports that Chester Atkins (Chairman, Massachusetts Democratic Party) and Ron Brown (Chairman, National Democratic Party) issued a statement in which they called Silber's comment "outrageous." George speculates that Silber's comment may alienate delegates but may also result in an increase in voter support.

Series Description
A local program aimed at the Boston audience, The Ten O'Clock News debuted on January 15, 1976. Its two immediate predecessors were The Reporters and Evening Compass. A news and public affairs show focusing on neighborhood, local and state issues, The Reporters was produced and broadcast on WGBH from 1970 to 1973. The Reporters was then replaced by Evening Compass, which expanded into a twice-nightly news broadcast during the tense moments of Boston's busing crisis. On the air from 1973 to 1975, Evening Compass found an audience through its in-depth coverage of school desegregation in Boston, which began in 1974. The Ten O'Clock News stood out as an in-depth news program. It strove for a balance between local and national stories, between politics and the Arts. The last The Ten O'Clock News program was broadcast on May 30, 1991.

See also: http://main.wgbh.org/ton/programs/7302_02