To Irrigate a Wasteland : The Struggle to Shape a Public Television System in the United States

To Irrigate a Wasteland: The Struggle to Shape a Public Television System in the United States captures a pivotal moment in American media history, when the promise of television was still contested between commercial imperatives and public ideals. Delivered as the distinguished Gaither Lectures, John W. Macy, Jr.—the first president of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting—offers an insider’s account of the policy battles, institutional negotiations, and cultural aspirations that defined the early years of U.S. public broadcasting. Framed by Edward R. Murrow’s memorable warning that television could be either an engine of inspiration or merely “lights and wires in a box,” Macy narrates how leaders and advocates sought to turn the medium toward education, civic engagement, and cultural enrichment, even as commercial networks dominated the airwaves. Macy’s lectures, published here with a foreword by Newton N. Minow, situate American public broadcasting in a global context—highlighting how Europe and Japan advanced more quickly with noncommercial systems, and how the United States struggled to overcome its late start. Reflecting on milestones such as the creation of PBS, the spread of local stations, and the debut of transformative programs like Sesame Street and The Electric Company, Macy underscores both progress made and challenges unresolved. The narrative emphasizes the delicate balance between independence and accountability, and the persistent debates over funding, governance, and the role of public media in a democratic society. For scholars and readers interested in media history, public policy, and the cultural politics of the Cold War era, *To Irrigate a Wasteland* offers both a first-hand chronicle of institutional development and an enduring meditation on television’s potential to illuminate and inspire. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brig