''Press Conference'' was a public-affairs television program aired in the United States in the mid-1950s. ''Press Conference'' was similar in format and content to the long-running '' Meet the Press'' and was moderated by one of that program's creators, pioneering female journalist

Martha Rountree Martha Jane Rountree (October 23, 1911 – August 23, 1999) was an American pioneering broadcast journalist and entrepreneur. She was the creator and first moderator of a public-affairs program, first on radio as ''The American Mercury'' f ...

. On the program, a current newsmaker, generally but not always a politician, was questioned by a panel of newspersons in a typical press conference format. As usually done in a traditional press conference, the subject was allowed to make an opening statement (although not all chose to do so) prior to fielding questions. ''Press Conference'' was launched on NBC in July 1956, but that fall moved to

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

. Initially shown in

prime time Prime time or the peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for a television show. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...

, the program drew only a minimal, public-affairs oriented audience running against two high-profile Sunday night variety series, '' The Ed Sullivan Show'' on CBS and '' The Steve Allen Show'' on NBC; however, its appearance helped ABC to meet the public-interest requirements imposed on United States broadcasters by the Federal Communications Commission. ''Press Conference'' was moved to Sunday afternoon for three months in early 1957, prior to returning to prime time in April of that year under a new title, ''Martha Rountree's Press Conference''. The program ended in July 1957.

References

*Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, '' The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows''

External links

*{{IMDb title, 211165, Press Conference American Broadcasting Company original programming NBC original programming 1956 American television series debuts 1957 American television series endings Black-and-white American television shows