A closed-circuit half-hour television program "They Speak for Freedom" took place on Tuesday, March 29, 1960, in New York City to "commemorate the tenth anniversary of Radio Free Europe." It was intended for radio and television broadcasters around the United States.
Those participating included
- Donald H. McGannon, of Chairman of Broadcasters for Free Europe, president of Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, and host of the program;
- W.B. Murphy, Crusade for Freedom chairman;
- Joseph Koevago, former Mayor of Budapest;
- Leonard Goldenson, chairman of ABC network;
- Robert Sarnoff, chairman, NBC;
- Frank Stanton, president, CBS;
- Martin Block, ABC disk jockey;
- Arlene Francis, radio and television actress; and
- Howard K. Smith, CBS Washington news correspondent.
After being introduced by McGannon, Crusade for Freedom chairman Murphy said,
Last January, I was privileged to visit Radio Free Europe headquarters in Munich and Lisbon. After a day or two there, a kind of cold shiver goes down one's back. You know there's a vicious cold war going on. You come away with a tremendous feeling of respect for the job Radio Free Europe is doing.
A short but detailed film about Radio Free Europe was then shown. Murphy continued, "All of this costs money. It must be private money. Radio Free Europe is not a government operation. It's a private, non-profit organization supported by American citizens and corporations."
Robert Sarnoff was introduced, and he said, "We broadcasters are called upon day-in-and-day-out to serve many good causes, and I think we do a pretty good job of it...Of all the public service efforts that claim our support, Radio Free Europe is the only one that itself is an arm of broadcasting. Now let's show what kind of a job broadcasting can do in this country to raise funds that make this extraordinary service possible."
Frank Stanton then added, "The strength of Radio Free Europe derives from its expression of a free people's concern for entrapped fellow human beings across the seas...Nothing is more important about Radio Free Europe than that it reflects the convictions of as many American people as they hear about it...I hope that all of us will take the opportunity seriously to do all that we can to inform our listeners and viewers about Radio Free Europe."
McGannon then explained the upcoming Crusade campaign, including the Radio Free Europe kits, a "do it yourself campaign kit specially prepared for broadcasters. You'll find spot announcements, live tapes, films, telops, scripts, discs, the whole works in it."
McGannon then introduced famed news commentator Howard K. Smith, who said:
I've been privileged to be able to report on that story over the years and I hope I will be able to continue to report it in the future. Every mention of RFE's activities is a contribution to the world we want and the kind of world I am persuaded most other people want. As newscasters, we want to do all we can to support Radio Free Europe.
McGannon concluded the show with,
Well, that is the story. We've talked about Radio Free Europe and what it does, how it does it, and what we can do to help it. Now it is time for everyone here, every broadcaster in the business, to speak up...We want you to use the radio and television material on your stations, which will be sent to you very shortly. We want you to put on a saturation campaign during the period of our special drive – April 24 through May 8. Speak up, America! Let's show the people behind the Iron Curtain how we feel about freedom of speech, free journalism, free radio, and free television.
At a meeting of the directors of the Crusade for Freedom in May 1960, the Broadcasters for Radio Free Europe campaign was declared a disappointment because of the low financial returns but "it was the consensus that the educational value had been stupendous and the fringe benefits probably far larger than can be counted in terms of money received."
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