Newton N. Minow

Executive / Former FCC Chairman

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his three-hour interview, Newton N. Minow (1926-2023) discusses how he began his legal career as a law clerk to Chief Justice Fred Vinson. He describes how he went on to become a partner with Adlai Stevenson and helped in his presidential campaigns. He then talks about how, in 1961, President Kennedy tapped him to become the new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. During his interview, Minow discusses at length the impact of his first speech as FCC chairman where he referred to television as a "vast wasteland." He describes the impact of his criticisms and his relationship to the Kennedy presidency. He also speaks about his championing of public television and satellite communications. He discusses how, after two years, he left the FCC and returned to private practice. Chuck Olin conducted the interview on July 21, 1999 in Chicago, IL.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"To my way of thinking, that speech was badly misinterpreted. It didn't condemn all of television. It said there are great things in television which are unique in uniting and serving the country, but you, the broadcasters, have got to remember that you are trustees for all of us. That you have got to pay more attention to your obligations to children. You've got to pay more attention to not only the bottom line, but to public service."

People Talking About ...

Newton N. Minow

Highlights

Former FCC Chairman Newton Minow on what he was trying to convey in his 1961 "Vast Wasteland" speech

02:21

Newton Minow on his role as FCC chair, his views on American programming and the FCC's television policies; on his work with children's television and news; on working with the networks; on the legislation he worked to enact: the All Channel Act requiring a UHF tuner as well as a VHF tuner on all television set, the Aid To Educational Television. and the Communications Satellite Act; on his contributions to public television

Former FCC Chairman Newton Minow on arranging for Voice of America broadcasts on commercial stations during the Cuban Missile Crisis

05:48

Newton Minow on his opinion of the television industry and its failure to remain in the public interest

02:49

Former FCC Chairman Newton Minow on the history of the FCC

04:42

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

Introduction

On his early years and education; on his World War II military service; on pursuing a law degree at Northwestern University; on working as a Supreme Court law clerk for Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson; on working on Adlai Stevenson's 1952 presidential campaign; on becoming acquainted with the Kennedy family

Chapter 2

On returning to private law practice in 1953

On working on John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign; on being appointed Chairman of the FCC in 1961; on Kennedy's vision for telecommunications; on leaving the FCC prematurely

On the history of the FCC; on the state of the FCC upon his arrival

Chapter 3

On the makeup of the FCC at the time of his chairmanship; on moving to Washington, D.C.

On President John F. Kennedy's 1961 speech to the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), where he focused on the openness of the United States' space program to the media; on his own May 9, 1961 speech to NAB which became known as the "Vast Wasteland" speech; on the reactions to the speech

On the Cold War; on arranging for Voice of America broadcasts on commercial stations during the Cuban Missile Crisis

Chapter 4

On working with commercial stations during the Cuban Missile Crisis (continued); on American programming and the FCC's television policies; on his work with children's television and news; on working with the networks; on the legislation he worked to enact: the All Channel Act requiring a UHF tuner as well as a VHF tuner on all television set, the Aid To Educational Television. and the Communications Satellite Act

On his and the FCC's role in public television; on leaving his position as FCC chairman; on his work on the board of Chicago's Channel 11 public television station

Chapter 5

On his role in the administration of PBS (after he left the FCC); on the importance of Presidential debates

On joining the board of CBS; on William S. Paley and Frank Stanton

On his work in education; on his thoughts on the future of the television industry; on his opinion of the responsibilities of broadcasters; on television audiences; on some of the people he worked with in his career

Chapter 6

On some individuals he's known including Adlai Stevenson, Studs Terkel, his law partner Howard Trienens; on an incident at WTTW regarding producing Birds of the Iron Feather; Walter Cronkite, Walter Annenberg; on his publications; on his wife

Shows

Bird of the Iron Feather

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Newton Minow on an argument he had at public station WTTW in Chicago during the 1970 development of the first Black-produced television drama Birds of the Iron Feather, where Jesse Jackson and other Civil Rights leaders demanded an all-Black crew

02:22

Topics

Cold War

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Former FCC Chairman Newton Minow on arranging for Voice of America broadcasts on commercial stations during the Cuban Missile Crisis

05:48

Criticism of TV

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Former FCC Chairman Newton Minow on what he was trying to convey in his 1961 "Vast Wasteland" speech

02:21

Former FCC Chairman Newton Minow on Joseph Kennedy and Edward R. Murrow's reaction to his 1961 "Vast Wasteland" speech

01:59

Newton Minow on whether he still sees television as 1961's "vast wasteland" in 1999

00:55

Industry Crossroads

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John F. Kennedy

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Newton Minow on being appointed Chairman of the FCC by John F. Kennedy

13:18

Former FCC Chairman Newton Minow on President John F. Kennedy's opinion of ranking the best presidents

02:31

Former FCC Chairman Newton Minow on President John F. Kennedy's 1961 speech to the National Association of Broadcasters, where he focused on the openness of the United States' space program to the media

06:37

Technological Innovation

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Former FCC Chairman Newton Minow on John F. Kennedy's vision for satellite communications

02:32

Television Industry

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Former FCC Chairman Newton Minow on the history of the FCC

04:42

Former FCC chair Newton Minow on serving on CBS' board (starting in 1983)

04:27

Newton Minow on his opinion of the television industry and its failure to remain in the public interest

02:49

Underrepresented Voices

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Newton Minow on an argument he had at public station WTTW in Chicago during the 1970 development of the first Black-produced television drama B irds of the Iron Feather, where Jesse Jackson and other Civil Rights leaders demanded an all-Black crew

02:22

Genres

Children's Programming

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FCC chair Newton Minow on his views and hopes for children's programming

01:46

People

Adlai Stevenson

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Newton Minow on working on Adlai Stevenson's 1952 presidential bid

Newton Minow on Presidential-candidate John F. Kennedy's early meeting with Adlai Stevenson