Home
Search transcripts:    Advanced Search
Notable New     Yorkers
Select     Notable New Yorker

Bennett CerfBennett Cerf
Photo Gallery
Transcript

Session:         Page of 1029

Q:

Did RCA prod you to do something with Singer?

Cerf:

We were already worried about Singer. We were already making changes.

Q:

But do you think that they might, trying to look back, have been the instigator? In other words, if you hadn't been bought by RCA, you probably would have made changes, but would you have gone on so drastically?

Cerf:

Oh, yes. The move to New York had already been planned. The fact that we were going to have to get really important new people in there was clear as a bell. We were fully aware. It took us a little while to find out; but, once we found out what was wrong--that we were going to have to absolutely change the whole management--we moved fast.

Some of the steps we took first were not too wise. The first person that we put in charge there was not right for the job. As I say, here we were--and this is something that you always have to remember--going into the other fellow's business. I think I told you, don't go into the other fellow's business! This time, however, it seemed the wise thing to do. I wanted, when I quit, to have a completely rounded publishing business.

We wondered for many months why Ginn and Co. bought Blaisdell from us. I found out last year that the man who was retiring from Ginn had the same idea I had. Ginn had a big





© 2006 Columbia University Libraries | Oral History Research Office | Rights and Permissions | Help