TV History

It is difficult to determine the most important event in television history, since it is impossible to determine what would have changed, had a particular event never occurred. I decided to use the first time presidential debates were aired on television as one of the most important events in TV history. The Nixon and Kennedy debates were aired in 1960. I find this to be important, since I'm sure it would have affected the way Americans viewed politics. It is one thing to read about potential candidates in the newspaper, but quite another to see the candidates on television. Seeing a politician and being able to hear him talk make a large impact on how you view him. Instead of reading about political issues and the platform of each candidate, it is easier to be affected by the personality of the candidates while viewing them on television. This can be both a good and a bad thing; on one hand, it is easier to drift away from the actual politics and focus more on the guy that you "like" more. On the other hand, for some, it is easier to read someone when you see the way that they speak, and by watching television, you might learn more about the candidate than you would from the paper. Either way, I'm sure that television helped to increase the amount of people who were politically aware, since there are those who do not like to read, but will watch politicians speak if on television. This even was a precursor to other political events being aired on television, such as Kennedy's assassination being broadcast live on television, and Nixon's public resignation airing on television. I am sure that television has helped impact political outcomes in very significant ways. I think more people are politically aware today due to television, since I do know a lot more people who watch the debates than who read the newspapers. Of course, politics being available on television eventually lead to Fox News, so it has both its positive and negative effects.