The Age of Ageism

Rick Du Brow’s July 7 piece, “Has the Age of Ageism Arrived on Television?,” points up a growing problem in the selection of television programming. Producer Fred Silverman homed in on this when he said, “Most of the young writers are story editors for about a minute and a half and all of a sudden they’re executive producers.”

I wonder if Du Brow, while writing that article, had lifted his head and looked around the Times newsroom. If he had, he would have noticed the same phenomenon taking place in the news game.

How often have I encountered some recent journalism graduate or intern at The Times who never heard of some of the biggest names in the history of show business. “Paul who?” (for Paul Muni), “Kay who?” (for Kay Starr), etc.?

I’ve run into the same problem in record and book stores.

And I wouldn’t be surprised if, at this moment, while trying to decide whether or not to print this letter, some Times neophyte is wondering, “Who are Paul Muni and Kay Starr anyway?” But one day he (she?), too, will have his turn. “John who?” (for John Lennon).

Here’s to TV’s Nostalgia Channel. May it outlive us all.

JACK CATRAN

Sepulveda