Today, May 9, is the 43rd anniversary of Newton Minow’s first speech as chairman of the FCC. That’s the one where he memorably said:

But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, profit and-loss sheet or rating book to distract you–and keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland.

What do you suppose he’d make of reality TV?