In conversation with me 60 years after delivering the speech, Minow explained, "Our goal was to enlarge choice for the viewer. When I was at the FCC there were only two-and-a-half commercial networks. Now we have public TV, cable, satellite, pay tv, with almost unlimited choices. It's a totally different medium."

Television's enormous growth — with digital platforms joining the delivery systems Minow mentioned — prompted him to gradually reevaluate his views. "I used to think providing more choice was in the public interest," he told me, "but I am not sure today."

In lambasting TV programming in the 1960s, Minow cited "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." That's still a reasonable way to summarize much of what's on today. But, modern viewers are also enjoying what many call a second Golden Age of programming.

So, what's the problem?

"Fractionalization of the audience provides more choice," Minow said, "but we pay a big price. Our country now is much more divided because we do not share the same news or believe the same facts."

Barack Obama, who awarded Minow the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, praised him for "helping launch the satellites that made nationwide broadcasts possible, cementing presidential debates as a national institution, helping usher in public television, and reminding the media of its obligation to foster a well-informed citizenry."

But Newton Minow's good intentions — beginning with the speech that launched his career in public service — were not enough. "Back then," he told me, "Walter Cronkite was the most trusted man in our country. Who is trusted today?"

(c) Peter Funt. Distributed by Cagle syndicate.