They used their tried and proved propaganda tactics of using lengthy interviews and then taking responses totally out of context to achieve the effect that they desire.
Illinois Power agreed to allow CBS to interview any of their employees that they desired as long as Illinois Power was allowed to tape the interview in its entirety. Illinois Power then took the responses to the questions that appeared on the program. They then showed the employees response in its entirety on their own prepared response. The hatchet job that CBS did was clearly transparent and also vividly shocking.
Illinois Power tried to buy air time on CBS, NBC and ABC to air their response. None would sell them the time. All networks were allied in their efforts against nuclear energy. Jane Fonda played her role as well with the “China syndrome” bit.
How do I know this. I saw Illinois Power’s version. Because they couldn't’t get an television audience, they made their response available to other electric utilities and anyone else that wanted it. I retired from one to those electric utilities.
CBS was wrong about the safety and reliability of nuclear energy as well as the environmental benefits. Their efforts to demean nuclear power has proved to be a gross error.
They will never admit it though.
So did I. I'll never forget watching avuncular old Harry Reasner(sp?) lying through his teeth, and doing so with great sincerity. I didn't have a lot of faith in the news media before seeing that, but thought it was more incompetence on the part of the media than anything else. But since then, I take absolutely nothing at face value and I understand that truth, facts or honesty mean nothing to them.
More than just people in the utility industry so that too. I have seen it cited in Public Relations seminars with one of the leading PR experts in the country flatly saying he would advise any of his clients to never, under any circumstances, to talk with 60 Minutes or any of the TV "News Magazines."
They have their story written long before they ever talk to the people they interview and they don't allow contradictory facts to get in the way of their story line. They are not "investigating" anything. They simply have a pre-determined script and will edit their footage to fit the script.