Americans, Soviets Exchange Views by TV
About 400 Americans and Soviets who exchanged views on an intercontinental TV talk show Sunday agreed that they want peace, but clashed on a number of issues, including whether the Soviet Union offers freedom of expression.
“Can you speak out without fear of reprisal?” talk show host Phil Donahue, who was moderator at the U.S. end of the satellite hookup in the KING-TV studios here, asked nearly 200 Soviet citizens assembled in Leningrad.
“We express our views from the heart, and we listen to our government very carefully and we support it because it’s right,” a Soviet teacher said.
“How can we show you we’re not all from secret service here or that we’d all go to the psychiatric ward?” asked another Soviet teacher, who said he and his fellow participants were free to express their views.
Members of both sides asked what their governments have done for peace.
“I think we’re in accord (on what must be done). The problem is, how do we do it at the same time?” a Seattle woman said.
Simultaneous translation was provided during the show, which is to be broadcast at various times in both countries.
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