In 1977-78, Milton Friedman gave a series of lectures on which he would base the future "Free to Choose" television series. He was to cover the subjects that would form the backbone of the television series while including as wide a range of audiences as possible. These lectures were later published in whole by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich as "Milton Friedman Speaks":

"The plan was that I would give a series of lectures covering the major issues relevant to understanding free markets and their relation to a free society. Bob [Chitester, chief executive officer of WQLN in Erie, Pennsylvania,] would film the lecture and associated question-and-answer sessions. The films would be used to guide the production of the final television series." --"Two Lucky People," p. 472.