Newton Minow, the former chair of the Federal Communications Commission who championed the start of satellite networks, passed away on May 6 at the age of 97. While Minow was an early and powerful proponent of communication satellites, which led to modern broadcasting, phone, and data networks, he was most known for his biting critique of television.
In a 1961 address to the NAB, he famously called TV a “vast wasteland,” full of violence, game shows, and too many commercials, much to the ire of executives. Those comments led to Gilligan’s Island showrunner Sherwood Schwartz naming the sitcom’s ill-fated tour boat after Minow.
Fifty years later, Minow noted in 2011 that television had indeed improved through public television, news shows, and cable. Minow was a key figure in the career of President Barack Obama, who honored him with a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
