Series: The Ten O'Clock News
Date: 1984-01-12
Duration: 00:10:36

People: Connolly, Michael; Fitzgerald, Thomas; Jackson, Jesse; Williams, Paul;

Clip Description
Michael Connolly (Massachusetts Secretary of State) draws names from a spinning drum to determine the order of the names of the Democratic presidential candidates on the Massachusetts primary ballot. State officials Thomas Fitzgerald, Paul Williams and others help him draw names. Jesse Jackson gets the top position on the ballot. Connolly estimates that the top ballot position is worth less than one percentage point to any candidate; he adds that Jackson is "on a roll" and seems to be gaining popularity with voters. Connolly endorses Walter Mondale (Democratic candidate for US president). Connolly says that the press conference was organized in order to raise voter awareness and to promote voter registration. Connolly tells the press that he expects to run for the US Senate.Kate McGrath (WGBH reporter) stands outside of Connolly's office to report on the story.

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/2546_02