JFK NEWS CONFERENCE BEAMED TO EUROPE VIA TELSTAR
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On July 23, 1962, history was made when President John F. Kennedy's news conference was transmitted live to Europe via Telstar.
During the conference, JFK was asked...
"Mr. President, now that the US image is being transmitted instantaneously overseas by Telstar, do you think the (TV) networks should do something about the vast wasteland*?"
President Kennedy, obviously not wanting to be critical of the networks, laughed and responded to the question...
"I'm going to leave Mr. Minow to argue the wasteland issue, I think."
*Vast wasteland was a term coined by Newton Minow^ who gave a speech to the National Association of Broadcasters on May 9, 1961. He said...
"When television is good... nothing is better (but) when television is bad, nothing is worse. Keep your eyes glued to that (tv) set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland."
^Newton Minow was born in Milwaukee, WI in 1926. He is a graduate of Northwestern University and the Northwestern University School of Law. NM was chairman of the Federal Communications Commission in 1961. Today NM is 93 years old.
Newton Minow
FCC Chairman
