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Mr. Mel Karmazin, President and COO
Mr. Sumner Redstone, Chairman and CEO
Viacom
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036


Dear Messrs. Karmazin and Mr. Redstone,

I am writing you regarding the CBS Television plan to produce and promote The Real Beverly Hillbillies television show. I speak for the 140,000 working families who are represented by the Sacramento Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. I find your intended plans to exploit the many class prejudices against the working families of rural America are a deep injury against my family and millions of others whose roots go back to the rural heritage of our nation.

There are many reasons why we differ from each other. I respect our differences. However, for your corporation to make fun of these "hillbillies" and exploit your ridicule of them for financial gain is unacceptable.

If the management of Viacom is going to exercise this kind of leadership as a corporate citizen of this country, then Viacom has failed as a viable economic partner in our nation and should be caste aside. We have seen too many corrupt corporate leaders who are willing to do anything to make a quick profit in New York and elsewhere. THis nation cannot afford that kind of leadership. If that is the approach that you plan to take in leading your subsidiary, CBS Television, I do not believe that working families should support your company with their pension investments or their consumer dollars. I sincerely request that you take a different approach to your programming goals in this case and lead CBS Television in a different direction.

Sincerely,

Bill Camp, Executive Secretary
Sacramento Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO