Newton Minow è stato nominato dal presidente John Kennedy alla guida della Federal Communications Commission. Il suo primo discorso pubblico ha lasciato il segno. E fa bene ogni tanto ritrovarlo. Anche ricordando che è stato pronunciato nel 1961… Cinquant’anni fa.
- “When television is good, nothing — not the theater, not the magazines or newspapers — nothing is better.
- But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite each of you
to sit down in front of your own television set when your station goes
on the air and stay there, for a day, without a book, without a
magazine, without a newspaper, without a profit and loss sheet or a
rating book to distract you. Keep your eyes glued to that set until the
station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland.
You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about
totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence,
sadism, murder, western bad men, western good men, private eyes,
gangsters, more violence, and cartoons. And endlessly commercials —
many screaming, cajoling, and offending. And most of all, boredom.
True, you’ll see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very,
very few. And if you think I exaggerate, I only ask you to try it.”
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