Newton N. Minow Quotes

• In Germany, under the law, everything is prohibited, except that which is permitted. In France, under the law, everything is permitted, except that which is prohibited. In the Soviet Union, under the law, everything is prohibited, including that which is permitted. And in Italy, under the law, everything is permitted, especially that which is prohibited.

  Newton N. Minow

  Government, Law, Political

  "International Business: Introduction and Essentials" by Donald Ball and Wendell H. McCulloch, Jr., 5th ed., Homewood, IL: Richard Irwin, (p. 368), 1993.

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• We've gotten to the point where everybody's got a right and nobody's got a responsibility.

  Newton N. Minow

  Responsibility

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• Television is a vast wasteland.

  Newton N. Minow

  Television, Wasteland

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• When television is good, nothing is better. When it's bad, nothing is worse.

  Newton N. Minow

  Television

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• Children will watch anything, and when a broadcaster uses crime and violence and other shoddy devices to monopolize a child's attention, it's worse than taking candy from a baby. It is taking precious time from the process of growing up.

  Newton N. Minow

  Baby, Growing Up, Children

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• We need imagination in programming, not sterility; creativity, not imitation; experimentation, not conformity; excellence, not mediocrity. Television is filled with creative, imaginative people. You must strive to set them free.

  Newton N. Minow

  Creativity, People, Imagination

  Television and the Public Interest, delivered 9 May 1961, National Association of Broadcasters, Washington, DC

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• I invite you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air . . . and keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a great wasteland.

  Newton N. Minow

  Eye, Air, Goes On

  Speech before National Association of Broadcasters, Washington, D.C., 9 May 1961

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• What do we mean by the public interest? Some say the public interest is merely what interests the public. I disagree.

  Newton N. Minow

  Mean, Interest, Public Interest

  Television and the Public Interest, delivered 9 May 1961, National Association of Broadcasters, Washington, DC

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• 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 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.

  Newton N. Minow

  Book, Eye, Loss

  Television and the Public Interest, delivered 9 May 1961, National Association of Broadcasters, Washington, DC

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