From Wiki:
A few years back, for a couple of years, I didn't own a television set and didn't watch it at all. After a while I came to realize, with dismay and disgust, the incredible power of this vast wasteland.
Television is our social dictator. Through this medium we are told what's in, what's out, what to think, what to eat, what to wear, what to do and who to do it with, how to act, what is acceptable and what is not, even our manner of speech. We may think we're individuals but to a large degree we are not - not as long as the majority of us keep our eyes and minds trained on that boob tube.
Here are some past and present popular TV shows of which I have yet to see one episode:
I have neither cable nor satellite so am limited to whatever the antenna on my roof can pick up. I have been telling myself that I will get either cable or satellite, but I must not want it enough to actually do anything about it. Here are the channels I can pick up:
I wonder when the first Muslim-approved channel will terrorize the airwaves in these parts.
I consider television to not only be the vast wasteland so aptly described in that speech, but a vast waste of life. Even as a child it would often anger me to see my family idly gathered around the television. It didn't seem right for people to be watching other people living their lives, instead of living their own lives.
Funny how things work out. I have that damned thing on almost all the time now, mostly for background noise, as I rarely direct my attention to it for any length of time. The wisdom of my childhood has been lost on me these days.
Update: I just received this comment, via blogger, which won't show up in Haloscan. I really need to fix that problem with my stand-alone posts. Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise. One never knows on whose eyes our posts will befall.
You are most welcome, Nell Minow, and thank you for stopping by. I am always happy to give someone a big kick!
It would be interesting to know what Mr. Minow's thoughts are concerning the Internet.
The Wasteland Speech was given by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Newton N. Minow on May 9, 1961:
"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 you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, profit-and-loss sheet or rating book to distract you — and keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland."
This speech is properly titled "Television and the Public Interest". It was a landmark speech for the medium of television, at a time when there were only three networks in the United States and when the realm of television was much less vast than it is today. Nonetheless, it is counted as one of the one hundred best American speeches of the 20th century by several authorities.
This speech is as true today as it was 46 years ago... ... We interrupt this post for a special message:
"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 you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, profit-and-loss sheet or rating book to distract you — and keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland."
This speech is properly titled "Television and the Public Interest". It was a landmark speech for the medium of television, at a time when there were only three networks in the United States and when the realm of television was much less vast than it is today. Nonetheless, it is counted as one of the one hundred best American speeches of the 20th century by several authorities.
Oh shit! I cannot believe this coincidence! I freak myself out sometimes.
I decided to write this post while watching our local morning news program. They were talking about American Idol and I was thinking how I have never even seen one episode of it.
While writing the post, the phrase "vast wasteland" popped into my head, so I Googled television "vast wasteland" to see who originally said it. I copied and pasted the above excerpt because it seemed an appropriate entrance to this post.
Just this instant when I went to check the date to calculate the number of years for my opening line, I see that it was said in 1961, 46 years go, and then I see that it was said exactly on this very day, May 9th! 365 to 1 odds. Maybe I'll buy a lotto ticket today...
We now return to our regularly scheduled posting...
I started thinking about my TV viewing habits. Apparently, I am not anywhere near the target audience that the network programmers have in mind. This is not surprising to me as I have rarely been entertained by popular culture. I can tolerate some of it, but more often it repulses me - always has.
A few years back, for a couple of years, I didn't own a television set and didn't watch it at all. After a while I came to realize, with dismay and disgust, the incredible power of this vast wasteland.
Television is our social dictator. Through this medium we are told what's in, what's out, what to think, what to eat, what to wear, what to do and who to do it with, how to act, what is acceptable and what is not, even our manner of speech. We may think we're individuals but to a large degree we are not - not as long as the majority of us keep our eyes and minds trained on that boob tube.
Here are some past and present popular TV shows of which I have yet to see one episode:
- American Idol
- Survivor
- Any reality show
- Any makeover show
- CSI or any of those forensic shows
- Grey's Anatomy
- Scrubs
- Will and Grace
- Sex and the City
I have neither cable nor satellite so am limited to whatever the antenna on my roof can pick up. I have been telling myself that I will get either cable or satellite, but I must not want it enough to actually do anything about it. Here are the channels I can pick up:
Channel 02: KDTN -Daystar (Denton)
Channel 04: KDFW - Fox (Dallas)
Channel 05: KXAS - NBC (Fort Worth)
Channel 08: WFAA - ABC (Dallas)
Channel 11: KTVT - CBS (Fort Worth)
Channel 13: KERA - PBS (Dallas)
Channel 21: KTXA - Independent (Fort Worth)
Channel 22: KNAV - Genesis - Mexican crap
Channel 23: KUVN - Univision (Garland, Texas) - Mexican crap
Channel 26: KODF - Azteca America - Mexican crap
Channel 27: KDFI - My Network TV (Dallas) My 27
Channel 28: Looks like Christian stuff
Channel 29: KMPX - Spanish Independent - Mexican crap
Channel 31: looks like a shopping channel
Channel 33: KDAF - The CW (Dallas)
Channel 34: Mexican crap
Channel 38: Mexican crap
Channel 39: KXTX - Telemundo (Dallas) - Mexican crap - used to be American
Channel 44: KLEG - Ind./Spanish (Dallas) - Mexican crap
Channel 46: KJJN-LP - Religious/FamilyNet (Mesquite, Texas)
Channel 49: KSTR - Telefutura (Irving, Texas) - Mexican crap
Channel 50: Mexican crap
Channel 52: KFWD - Independent (Fort Worth)
Channel 55: KLDT - Ind. (Lake Dallas)
Channel 58: KDTX - TBN (Dallas)
Channel 68: KPXD - i (Arlington, Texas)
The number of Mexican crap stations around here is alarming. Even more alarming is the type of programming they air. It is beyond rubbish. I am fluent in Spanish but understanding the language is unnecessary to get an understanding of the bad taste, immaturity and stupidity that entertains the Mexican. It is mind-boggling stupid - making The Jerry Springer Show look like Masterpiece Theater in comparison.
Channel 04: KDFW - Fox (Dallas)
Channel 05: KXAS - NBC (Fort Worth)
Channel 08: WFAA - ABC (Dallas)
Channel 11: KTVT - CBS (Fort Worth)
Channel 13: KERA - PBS (Dallas)
Channel 21: KTXA - Independent (Fort Worth)
Channel 22: KNAV - Genesis - Mexican crap
Channel 23: KUVN - Univision (Garland, Texas) - Mexican crap
Channel 26: KODF - Azteca America - Mexican crap
Channel 27: KDFI - My Network TV (Dallas) My 27
Channel 28: Looks like Christian stuff
Channel 29: KMPX - Spanish Independent - Mexican crap
Channel 31: looks like a shopping channel
Channel 33: KDAF - The CW (Dallas)
Channel 34: Mexican crap
Channel 38: Mexican crap
Channel 39: KXTX - Telemundo (Dallas) - Mexican crap - used to be American
Channel 44: KLEG - Ind./Spanish (Dallas) - Mexican crap
Channel 46: KJJN-LP - Religious/FamilyNet (Mesquite, Texas)
Channel 49: KSTR - Telefutura (Irving, Texas) - Mexican crap
Channel 50: Mexican crap
Channel 52: KFWD - Independent (Fort Worth)
Channel 55: KLDT - Ind. (Lake Dallas)
Channel 58: KDTX - TBN (Dallas)
Channel 68: KPXD - i (Arlington, Texas)
I wonder when the first Muslim-approved channel will terrorize the airwaves in these parts.
I consider television to not only be the vast wasteland so aptly described in that speech, but a vast waste of life. Even as a child it would often anger me to see my family idly gathered around the television. It didn't seem right for people to be watching other people living their lives, instead of living their own lives.
Funny how things work out. I have that damned thing on almost all the time now, mostly for background noise, as I rarely direct my attention to it for any length of time. The wisdom of my childhood has been lost on me these days.
Update: I just received this comment, via blogger, which won't show up in Haloscan. I really need to fix that problem with my stand-alone posts. Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise. One never knows on whose eyes our posts will befall.
Posted by Nell Minow to MIND OVER BLATHER on May 14, 2007 10:45 AM:
I got a big kick out of your post about the speech my dad gave in 1961. He will, too. Thanks for the kind words on his speech and your thoughtful insights on its validity today.
You are most welcome, Nell Minow, and thank you for stopping by. I am always happy to give someone a big kick!
It would be interesting to know what Mr. Minow's thoughts are concerning the Internet.
I got a big kick out of your post about the speech my dad gave in 1961. He will, too. Thanks for the kind words on his speech and your thoughtful insights on its validity today.
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