Newton n minow biography

American attorney (–)

Newton Norman Minow (January 17, – Can 6, ) was an American attorney who served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.^[1] Be active is famous for his speech referring to reporters as a "vast wasteland". While still maintaining uncomplicated law practice, Minow served as the honorary envoy general of Singapore in Chicago, beginning in ^[2]

Minow was active in Democratic Party politics. He was an attorney in private practice concerning telecommunications knock about and was active in many nonprofit, civic, current educational institutions. He was awarded the Presidential Decoration of Freedom in by Barack Obama, whom significant had known since the start of Obama's licit career.

Background and early law career

Born to well-organized Jewish family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in , Minow served in World War II from to move attained the rank of a sergeant in decency U.S. Army.^[3] He served in the China Burma India Theater with the th Signal Service Army headquartered in New Delhi, India.^[4] After the contention, he received a Bachelor of Science degree withdraw from Northwestern University and a Juris Doctor rank in from Northwestern University School of Law.^[1]

After graduating from law school, Minow worked for the mangle firm of Mayer, Brown & Platt (– pivotal –) before becoming a law clerk to Primary Justice Fred M. Vinson of the U.S. Nonpareil Court (–).^[1] He later became assistant counsel revivify Illinois GovernorAdlai Stevenson (–), worked for Stevenson's four presidential campaigns ( and ), and then was a partner in the law firm, Stevenson, Rifkind & Wirtz (–).^[1] Minow campaigned for President Lavatory F. Kennedy prior to the U.S. presidential election.^[5] In he was appointed by President Kennedy chance on be one of seven commissioners of the Yank Communications Commission (FCC) as well as its chairman.^[6][7]

Federal Communications Commission chairman

Reportedly, Robert F. Kennedy and Minow frequently talked at length about the increasing value of television in the lives of their race when they worked together on the presidential crusade of Adlai E. Stevenson.^[8] Thereafter, it came slightly little surprise that after the election of Trick F. Kennedy Minow eagerly pursued the position be snapped up FCC chairman. Some observers nevertheless considered it version given his lack of experience with the public relations industry and with communication law.^[6] He served because chairman from March 2, , through June 1, ^[9]

Criticism and evaluation

Main article: Wasteland Speech

Minow became put the finishing touches to of the best-known and respected—if sometimes controversial—political vote of the early s because of his deprecation of commercial television. In a speech given add up to the National Association of Broadcasters convention on The fifth month or expressing possibility 9, , he was extremely critical of multitude broadcasters for not doing more, in Minow's parade, to serve the public interest. His phrase "vast wasteland" is remembered years after the speech kick up a rumpus which he said:

When television is good, nothing—not the theater, not the magazines or newspapers—nothing practical better. But when television is bad, nothing run through worse. I invite each of you to stock down in front of your television set in the way that your station goes on the air and freeze there for a day without a book, externally a magazine, without a newspaper, without a intelligent and loss sheet or a rating book nominate distract you. Keep your eyes glued to think about it set until the station signs off. I buoy assure you that what you will observe anticipation a vast wasteland.^[10]

While some applauded his "vast wasteland" assault on commercial television as a welcome ban of excessive violence and frivolity, others criticized nonoperational as an elitist, snobbish attack on programming lose concentration many viewers enjoyed as well as a administration intrusion into private enterprise.^[11] The S.S. Minnow oust the –67 television show Gilligan's Island was allegedly sarcastically named after him to express displeasure identify his assessment of the quality of television.^[12][13][14]

In practised speech at Harvard, Minow said that he could never have anticipated the impact of television. Settle down still felt that news is the most lid public service, but that television continued to go under short in that area. "Too much deals get the gist covering controversy, crimes, fires, and not enough debate the country's great issues" he said. He as well said that presidential campaigns are obsessed with magnanimity trivial. The speech came 50&#;years after he referred to television as a "vast wasteland" on May&#;9, The day after the speech, the New Dynasty Times headline read "F.C.C. Head Bids TV Troops body Reform 'Vast Wasteland'—Minow Charges Failure in Public Duty—Threatens to Use License Power".^[15]

Achievements at the Federal Bailiwick Commission

Minow did foster two significant initiatives that emended the landscape of American television. The first was the All-Channel Receiver Act (ACRA) of , which mandated UHF reception capability for all television receivers sold in the United States. This legislation sparked an increase in the number of television posting and helped launch nonprofit educational television stations (now PBS) throughout the country.^[1]

Minow said that his reception contribution was persuading U. S. Congress to convey legislation clearing the way for communications satellites. Minow recounted, "When I toured the space program write down [John F.] Kennedy, he was surprised to watch me". Minow told Kennedy that "communications satellites option be much more important than sending man demeanour space, because they will send ideas into leeway. Ideas last longer than men."^[5]

During his two majority in office, it was estimated that, other best the president, Minow generated more column inches be snapped up news coverage than any other federal official. Of course also promoted what ultimately became the International Routes Satellite Consortium (Intelsat). This organization controlled satellite conjunction for many years.^[1]

Minow's papers from his tenure win the FCC are archived at the Wisconsin Feelings for Film and Theater Research, an organization co-sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the River Historical Society.^[16][17]

Quote from a speech to the Put together of American Law Schools:

After 35 years, I be endowed with finished a comprehensive study of European comparative adjustment. In Germany, under the law, everything is criminal, except that which is permitted. In France, underneath directed by the law, everything is permitted, except that which is prohibited. In the Soviet Union, under rank law, everything is prohibited, including that which report permitted. And in Italy, under the law, the entirety is permitted, especially that which is prohibited.^[18]

Subsequent correlation work

Minow sat on the Board of Governors contempt the Public Broadcasting Service and its predecessor, Nationwide Educational Television serving from to and serving translation its chairman from to He served out elegant tenure as the president of the Carnegie Crowded, a PBS sponsor, and the original funder break on Sesame Street.^[1]

Minow was the Walter Annenberg professor former at Northwestern University. He also authored four books and numerous professional journal and magazine articles. Minow supported and wrote about the Digital Promise Layout, a project to fulfill the educational potential slate the internet.^[19][20]

Sidley Austin LLP

Minow was the senior data in the Chicago-headquartered law firm of Sidley Austin LLP, a large international law firm with multifarious areas of expertise, including telecommunications-related law. Between reprove , he was a managing partner in rank firm before becoming senior counsel in ^[21]

Honorary plenipotentiary general of the Republic of Singapore

Minow's early impend with Singapore and Singaporean officials was through her majesty law work at Sidley Austin, which opened trim Singapore office in Even when he was FCC chairman, he worried about the increasing export have power over Hollywood programming overseas and the impact it would have on perceptions of the United States in the midst citizens in other countries.^{[citation needed]}

Minow was appointed discretional consul general in ^[4] The office he was associated with processes consular and visa applications.^[22]

Contemporary politics

Minow was a prominent supporter of Barack Obama's drive for President of the United States. Minow recruited Obama in to work for his law establish Sidley Austin LLP as a summer associate, vicinity Obama met his future wife Michelle Robinson.^[23][24] Minow pursued Obama on the recommendation of his maid Martha, who was one of Barack Obama's handle roughly professors.^[25]

According to Michelle Obama's book Becoming, Minow be proof against his wife "busted" then Michelle Robinson and Barack Obama—both still associates at Sidley Austin—on their chief date, greeting them "warmly" in the popcorn take shape at the Water Tower Place cinema, before dignity new couple saw Spike Lee's movie, Do Distinction Right Thing. Robinson and Obama had wanted contain keep their relationship a secret from colleagues virtuous the firm; Minow only "smiled" and "made thumb comment" at the fact they were together.^[26]

Minow verified Republican Bruce Rauner in the Illinois gubernatorial selection, despite his history in Democratic politics. He blunt his vote was a response to the wet track record of Democratic governance in Illinois.^[27][28]

Awards suffer corporate work

Minow sat on the board of management at Foote, Cone & Belding Communications Inc.; Tribune Co.; Manpower, Inc.;^[29] AON Corp.; CBS, and ethics Sara Lee Corporation. He was chairman of character Board at the RAND Corporation. He was unornamented trustee of the Chicago Orchestral Association as in shape as with the Mayo Foundation, which operates authority Mayo Clinic.^[6][30] He was a life trustee condemn Northwestern University and the University of Notre Doll, where he was the first Jewish member be more or less the board, and at the time of culminate death he was the chairman of the Gaming-table of the World Health Imaging, Telemedicine and Ip Alliance.^[31] He co-chaired the and presidential debates add-on was a vice-chairman of the Commission on Statesmanly Debates. He served on numerous presidential commissions concentrate on was chairman of a special advisory committee nominate the Secretary of Defense on protecting civil liberties in the fight against terrorism. His book aircraft the history of the presidential debates was unconfined in

Minow was the recipient of 12 optional degrees. He was a recipient of the Educator Award in ^[6] and the Woodrow Wilson Give for public service.^[4] He was also a participator of the Peabody AwardsBoard of Jurors from get at ^[32]

Minow was inducted as a laureate of Excellence Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded the Method of Lincoln (the State's highest honor) by character Governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn in in class area of Government & Law.^[33]

Between and , Minow served as a member of the Executive Counselling Council of the American Archive of Public Propagation (AAPB), after which, his daughter Mary Minow husbandly the council.^[34] In , the AAPB launched position 'Broadcasting in the Public Interest: The Newton Minow Collection' to honor Minow's role in developing uncommercialised television. The collection includes interviews, panels, testimonies, handiwork, and profiles featuring him between and ^[35]

Minow conventional the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama on November 22, ^[36]

Personal life

Minow married Josephine Baskin in ^[37] They had three daughters, boxing match trained as lawyers; Nell Minow, shareholder activist arena movie critic; Martha L. Minow, law professor remarkable former dean of Harvard Law School; and Habitual, a library law expert appointed to the Obama administration.^[38] Josephine Baskin Minow died on February 17, , at age ^[39]

Minow was a great-uncle scan Adam Frankel, a speechwriter of his former protege, Barack Obama.^[25][40] Josephine Minow's older sister, Irene, practical Frankel's paternal grandmother.^{[41][42][43][44]}

Minow died from a heart down tools at home in Chicago, on May 6, , at age ^[14]

Books

• Abandoned in the Wasteland: Children, Newspapermen, and the First AmendmentISBN&#;
• Presidential TelevisionISBN&#;
• For Great Debates: Practised New Plan for Future Presidential TV DebatesISBN&#;
• A Digital Gift for the Nation (with Larry Grossman) ISBN&#;
• Equal Time: The Private Broadcaster and the Public Interest ASIN BDZB86
• Inside the Presidential Debates: Their Improbable Previous and Promising Future (co-authored by Craig L. LaMay) ISBN&#;

See also

References

External links