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Every so often I will run across some talk show from the past that points out just how naive we all were as a country, many years ago.

On October 5, 1958 the Open Mind program hosted a discussion on the future of television in politics and how advertising could possibly be used to make or break a candidate or issue. Fifty years ago, remember?

Bear in mind, TV wasn't as all-encompassing as it is today. Stations routinely went off the air at midnight. Color was new. Video tape was new. Most homes had TV's that were, at the most 17" and usually encased in a massive console. There were virtually no live on-the-spot reports and there were lots and lots of talking heads.

So, when Open Mind brought on Professor Eric Goldman (author of the book "Rendezvous With Destiny"), John Elliot Jr. from the BBD&O Ad Agency and Lloyd Whiteburke, an advertising consultant. The conversation about the possibilities that Television could influence a political campaign were very real.

Lloyd Whiteburke: “There’s no FTC, no Federal Trade Commission in political advertising. If a product is falsely advertised, as you all know, the Federal Trade Commission will seek an injunction against the advertiser and have that advertising changed and penalize the advertiser. The only person penalized for buying a candidate who is not what he represents himself for is the voter. And he’s got four years to wait to throw him out, throw out this candidate. So it imposes a tremendous sense of responsibility on the advertising fraternity to make darn sure that something isn’t done, that isn’t correct for which the FTC does not have call. And that’s why some of the practitioners do, in the course of their work, say things and do things that are perhaps not exactly right. And we have to watch that and we have to police our own . . . “

Television was still in its infancy. The 1952 Presidential campaign, being the first to utilize Television in a prominent way, was recent history. The Kennedy-Nixon debates were still two years off and cable was only an idea.

I don't think anyone could have imagined what it would all become.

With all the talk these past few weeks about the Fairness Doctrine and the latest debate on Broadband use for rural areas, I was reminded back when the FCC actually meant something - an agency whose job it was to protect the interest of the American People and the airwaves from the lunatic fringe, the special interests and the misguided. Listening this morning to Morning Edition and an interview with former FCC economist Michael Katz, he managed to bring home in big bright letters the concept of what we have lost over these years of deregulation, incompetence and ignorant hubris, I thought back when Newton Minow spoke to a gathering of National Association of Broadcasters in May 9, 1961.

I'm wondering if it's too late . . . . .

Your industry possesses the most powerful voice in America. It has an inescapable duty to make that voice ring with intelligence and with leadership. In a few years, this exciting industry has grown from a novelty to an instrument of overwhelming impact on the American people. It should be making ready for the kind of leadership that newspapers and magazines assumed years ago, to make our people aware of their world.

Ours has been called the jet age, the atomic age, the space age. It is also, I submit, the television age. And just as history will decide whether the leaders of today's world employed the atom to destroy the world or rebuild it for mankind's benefit, so will history decide whether today's broadcasters employed their powerful voice to enrich the people or to debase them.

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You guys know I'm a big Buffy fan, love The Closer, The Wire and Battlestar Gallactica just to name a few. I was trying to find something new to watch and accidentally discovered a new one. Friday Night Lights is the kind of show that doesn't get a lot of attention, but it simply rocks. If you are looking for a new show to check out---this is the one. It's not just about a HS football team in Texas and whether they'll win the state championship.

It touches on a lot of emotional levels dealing with friends, family, love, loss and relationships. Sure, some aspects are a bit predictable, but after I power cycled season 1, I was really shocked at how good it was and couldn't wait to check out season 2.

I was also surprised at how easy it was to catch episodes via Netflix on my laptop without paying any additional fees.

What shows do you watch that seem to be a little of the grid?

Here she comes!

Atrios: 

The Maddow Decade 
Rachel's new show at 9 PM Eastern.

I've posted a few of Alan Shore's rants on C&L before, (Boston Legal’s Alan Shore on Gitmo, Boston Legal to the rescue) but this one about the Supreme Court just rocked.

ABC and David Kelley should be commended for keeping this show running. Kelley writes some of the best politically informative--holds no punches back---opinions on TV today. He really exposes every conflict of interest that the members of the Roberts Court have. I hope to get the transcript eventually. (Please feel free to write it up)

You are getting so far off point.

Shore: My point is, who are you people? You've transformed this court from being a governmental branch devoted to civil rights and liberties into a protector of discrimination, a guardian of government, a slave to monied interests and big business and today, Hallelujah, you seek to kill a mentally disabled man...

The legacy of George Bush via "Spooks" (h/t Gary)

Vice President Gore appeared on NBC's "30 Rock" Thursday night to help promote the network's Green Week. And he killed it.

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