Vast Wasteland Speech By Newton Minow

"Vast Wasteland" out of everything Newton Minow choose to call his speech that. Why would he do that? Could he actually be warning us of the danger a television can have on the world? But instead of going against it, Minow fights for it. His argument is wrong because with the power a television can hold comes great consequences.

The first TV was created in 1927 by Philo Taylor Francisco, a regular man from Utah. It only had one channel until 1936. Today the television has thousands of channels broadcasted 27/7. When first created, seeing one was rare, and you were lucky to own one, today it is hard to leave the house and not see one. This can affect a person negatively or positively. Using a publically involved example like an election, the tv can be a great thing to pay attention to, because it provides information about the two opposing candidates, it provides current polls and how each candidate is doing, and it also shows how the people are handling it and their opinions.

As the television was brought in to homes across America, it was evident how incredibly engaging and extremely influential this . For example, television was live and the people were able to see the events that were being broadcasted. Compared to the older forms of technology like newspapers and radio, the television was much more powerful in the way that it allowed peoples to physically see events occurring rather than to read about them or listen to them. Moreover, the characteristics of the television played a huge role in politics throughout the United States.

In American society, television can save lives instead of destroying them. Tim Leberecht, a well-reputed blogger and columnist,

Television has brought our nation closer together than before and that more people of the American Society can also be a part of the political movement. Also in Source A, “Not even the sky’s the limit” according

Everything comes with negatives. “But it is much later in the game now, and ignorance of the score is inexcusable. To be unaware that a technology comes equipped with a program for social change, to maintain that technology is neutral, to make the assumption that technology is always a friend to culture is, at this late hour, stupidity plain and simple"(Chapter 11 Page 5). It is extremely important to acknowledge and understand that technology can drastically change a society. For the purpose of this essay the technology is television and the change is our culture valuing entertainment over substance, which is turning us into a nation who sits back and lets people run the country the way they

The first benefit is centered on the need for visual communication. Before electronic television there was mainly radio or telegraph communication, which required a plethora of description. Also it also causes deception between the broadcaster and listener. In 1938 a radio broad cast had tricked millions of listeners that aliens had invaded the world but it was actually a Halloween joke. While electric television was visually see an event unfold in real time.

     What role does television play in society? For decades we have seen many parts of our world rapidly going through changes in technology. Today’s society has been transformed by means of communication and the available information through mass media. Most Americans rely on television for news, sports, and entertainment. Television is just one of the many examples of how technology has changed our lives. Since the invention of the television in the early 1900’s, it has played a very important role in our lives. Having a television set in the home has become very essential in today’s society. We depend on it to entertain us with its sitcoms and to inform us about current world issues. The

Newton Minow knew what he was talking about when he gave a speech to the National Association of Broadcasters in 1961. He referred to the influence of the television as “This is an awesome power. It has limitless capabilities for good - and for evil.”

Then in 1906, Philo Taylor Farnsworth who was twenty-one years old at that time invented electrical Television on September 7th, 1927. During that time, electrical television was still black and white; later on colour television was first introduced in the United States in 1953. Television moved from just news and silent films to soap operas, cartoons, music videos and other types of informational and entertainment things which influences us positively and negatively.

We have a sense of what is happening around us, with a fair insight about how things work elsewhere on the globe. We can view the world through the television, even if we are rooted in one spot the whole time. It is a getaway to places unknown, foreign, and magical with knowledge of what goes on around us without being physically present in that place. The media in all its forms can introduce us to creative outlets that can help us better ourselves in different ways, be it in our personal or work lives. It can change our perspectives and push us to do more than what we limit ourselves to. It can also help us engage with other people around the world, and be more open and understanding towards other cultures.

For example, news is being given to the viewers quicker and more efficiently. News from across town or around the globe can be shown to the viewer in short time and watched with a moments notice. And news is not the only thing being shown and viewed with the T.V. Although T.V can negatively affect kids schooling. It also can be used to teach all sorts of people new things about many different subjects. But one of the biggest benefits of T.V at this time was its ability to bring a family together. At the end of long work days or school days a family could sit down and watch the television and enjoy their favorite television series or be informed by the daily evening news. Thus creating a closer bond with family members and a cheaper cost compared to other activities at the

TV, more commonly known as ‘television’ is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. In ancient Greek tèle means ‘far', and in Latin visio means sight. From my perspective and many people of the world television has changed the way we live. Television has brought many amazing things, however nothing is perfect.

In "Vast Wasteland," Newton Minow gave a forewarning speech about television and the public interest. Minow is correct in his statement for these reasons: the influence of viewers, public interest, and the future impact of television.

People very often debate whether technology is good or bad. Many people believe that technology can only cause harm to their lives and society, while many others strongly defend the technologies which have made their lives much more leisurely and enriching than it could have been several hundred years ago. In my opinion, both of these views are correct to an extent, but I also believe that what should be examined is not whether technology in its self is good or bad, but rather how we as humans use it.For decades now, television has been accused of contributing to the dissolution of the American family and the destruction of the minds of those who watch it. However, although the TV has been involved in this, the problem roots not with