February 15, 1975
After noting that White made a guest appearance on the “Today” show as an NBC-TV network sportscaster, Garland shifted her focus to television. “NBC needs to improve its image, especially on the network level,” Garland argued. I don’t know why two of the network’s best newscasters, Bill Matney and Lem Tucker, left to take on similar assignments with the ABC-TV networks. But when you come right down to it, none of the networks make use of their Blacks as regulars on network news shows, morning or evening...I still can’t understand why Blacks aren’t used as panelists on such network news shows as ‘Face the Nation,’ ‘Issues and Answers’ and ‘Meet the Press.’ While I am always happy to see the very knowledgeable Carl Rowan sitting in on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ from time to time, I think that a regular, perhaps Matney or Tucker or former Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes (now with WNBC in New York) could be used on all such shows.”
On Hazel Garland, see “Hazel Garland: Female Trailblazer,” New Pittsburgh Courier, January 27, 2011