The TV season of 1960-61 has been infamously described as being a "vast wasteland". I looked over the schedule for that season and it seems no better or worse to me compared to other seasons from that era, 60-61 had it's share of successful shows along with some shows not so successful. The popular shows continued on while the not so popular shows were discontinued.

1960-61 saw the debut of The Flintstones and My Three Sons, two good shows right there. 60-61 is also the season that had the one season wonder sitcom Peter Loves Mary.

For those who remember, what do you think of the 1960-61 TV season? The prime time schedule can be seen by clicking the link below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960%E2%80%9361_United_States_network_television_schedule

Andy Griffith Show premiered in 1960.

Andy Griffith Show premiered in 1960.

That's true, I forgot to mention Andy Griffith.

I'm not a fan of westerns, but western themed shows seemed to be all the rage in the late 50's/early 60's and there was an overabundance of westerns on the schedule.

I don't think the vast wasteland speech was referring to the 1960-61 season specifically.And that speech at that time was so off base and wrong.These days of course when it comes to modern TV, a speech like that would not even scratch the surface of the wasteland TV has become.

I don't think the vast wasteland speech was referring to the 1960-61 season specifically.And that speech at that time was so off base and wrong.These days of course when it comes to modern TV, a speech like that would be not even scratch the surface of the wasteland TV has become.

I agree with your comments.

This is the actual speech in question:


"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."


The speech didn't single out any program specifically or any types of shows that were on back then, but referred to all TV shows as a whole, and inferred that TV in general was at its lowest point. When you look back at that era from today's viewpoint, you can see how obviously wrong it was, but it could be used to describe 2019 TV in general. A lot of today's stuff is pure crap.

The speaker was Newton Minow, who in 1961 was the head of the FCC, the government agency in charge of television. Needless to say, his speech did not make him very popular among people in the industry. Among them were famed TV producer Sherwood Schwartz. When he created "Gilligan's Island" in 1964, he deliberately named the castaways' ship the "S S Minnow" after Newton Minow.

About that 1960-61 season: Debuting that season to immediate success were classics like "My Three Sons", "The Andy Griffith Show" and "The Flintstones". Also popular that year: "The Donna Reed Show", "Dennis The Menace", "Leave It To Beaver", "Ozzie and Harriet", "The Danny Thomas Show", "Lassie", "The Twilight Zone", "Bonanza", "Gunsmoke", "77 Sunset Strip", "The Ed Sullivan Show", etc. No doubt about it, Minow was sure wrong! If that's considered waste, I wish it can be recycled every year!

Sounds like Minow was just a grumpy man who was displeased with almost everything. :lol:

The biggest vast wasteland was between Minow's ears.

When television started in the US, the goal was to present highbrow entertainment, like Ballet and Oprea. And that worked for awhile, but, eventually we got My Mother The Car.

When television started in the US, the goal was to present highbrow entertainment, like Ballet and Oprea. And that worked for awhile, but, eventually we got My Mother The Car.

Fantasy themed sitcoms were a trendy thing in the 1960's, with My Mother The Car probably being the most outlandish one of all of them.

That speech could be made at anytime since TV was invented and a lot of viewers would agree with it.

I think the real lesson of Minnow's speech is that the government should focus on the technical side of broadcasting, and as much as possible stay out of what is broadcast. YES!

I would love to hear what Newton Minnow has to say about 21st Century TV.

And by the way what was Newton Minnow talking about when it came to commercials back then.It was before I was born but I still know that back in the early 1960s there were maybe 2-3 minutes of commercials per half hour.And they did not shout.
Shouting and obnoxious advertising started mostly during the 1990s and has gotten much worse since.

Interesting that both M3S and The Flintstones were top 20 in their debut year (in black and white). Also the debut of The Bugs Bunny Show in black and white too. An animated show that had linking sequences produced in color, and classic color cartoons, but everything was shown in black and white. The new animation sequences were subsequently edited and developed in color for later Saturday morning versions, and the rest of the unused color negatives were presumably trashed. It's a shame.

Surprised CBS had Red Skelton in color--I didn't think they had any color back then, unless that's an error. (I actually did a little further checking and it was probably in black and white).

Interesting that both M3S and The Flintstones were top 20 in their debut year (in black and white). Also the debut of The Bugs Bunny Show in black and white too. An animated show that had linking sequences produced in color, and classic color cartoons, but everything was shown in black and white. The new animation sequences were subsequently edited and developed in color for later Saturday morning versions, and the rest of the unused color negatives were presumably trashed. It's a shame.

Surprised CBS had Red Skelton in color--I didn't think they had any color back then, unless that's an error. (I actually did a little further checking and it was probably in black and white).
One of the earliest programs I can remember is Bonanza. Premiered in Sept., 1959 and was always broadcast in color.