![50 Years After TV Wasteland Speech, Has Programming Improved? [POLL]](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/archives/07uMEj1S6mVWjaDHR8jiHpL/hero-image.fill.size_1248x702.v1647019884.jpg)
The speech, titled "Television and the Public Interest," is frequently cited as one of the best American speeches in the 20th century. In 2007, the speech was named number 22 in "The Best of Vital Speeches of the Day: 25 Speeches That Changed Our World." [PDF]
You can read and listen to the speech here. It's truly a worthwhile experience. Listening to the speech for the first time in at least five years, I was struck by how much of what Minow said in 1961 is still applicable today.
The frequently quoted "vast wasteland" line is from this section:
"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."
Looking at the list of television shows from the 1960 - 1961 television season, we wanted to compare the programming lineup from the days of three networks (no cable) and a 7:00 p.m. primetime to today.
Using the 1960 to 1961 TV ratings, the top programs in the U.S. 50 years ago included:
Gunsmoke
Wagon Train
Have Gun Will Travel
The Andy Griffith Show
The Real McCoys
Rawhide
Candid Camera
The Untouchables
The Price is Right
The Jack Benny Show
In 2011, the top 10 primetime programs in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic for the week ending May 1, 2011 include:
American Idol (Wednesday)
American Idol (Thursday)
VOICE
Dancing with the Stars
The Office
Grey's Anatomy
Dancing with the Stars (Results)
Glee
The Big Bang Theory
Survivor: Redemption Island
Fifty years later, we want to ask, has network television improved? What era had the more vast wasteland, 1961 or 2011? Vote in our poll and let us know your thoughts in the comments.