John Leonard, TV Critic, 1939-2008

In the flurry of political news last week, we missed the passing of a truly important voice.  John Leonard, all-around cultural critic and TV critic for the CBS Sunday Morning Show (among many other vehicles), passed away Wednesday at the age of 69.

Leonard came into this role through years of work in journalism, starting at the National Review – a strange beginning for an avowed leftist.  Over the years, Leonard expanded to become a central figure in cultural criticism, and a giant in the field.

To the extent that television delivers quality, pushes the boundaries, teaches, makes us think and make us question what is happening in our world, it is due in no small part to John Leonard.

Unlike that elitist, Newton Minow, who referred to television as a “vast wasteland”, the Harvard educated (and no elitist - not by a long shot) Leonard saw quality and opportunity all over the medium.  A great quote of his – and I am paraphrasing here – was that “TV offers quality, perhaps more than we deserve.” 

It is easy, and plain old fun, to point out the dredge on the tube.  It is far more important to find the eye to notice the culture-reflecting and culture-shaping impact of television, as John Leonard did.  I believe firmly that Leonard, and his point of view regarding television, its role in our society, and his support for quality programming, played a very large role in opening up mainstream opportunities for women, minorities, and queers in the medium. 

The fact that young Americans receive a more balanced view, through TV, of what it means to be queer in America today than they did in the previous four decades is in no small part due to the critical support given to such efforts by people like John Leonard.

I think that television - and the American culture - will miss John Leonard deeply.

Comments

[Nell Minow]

I admire your tribute to the great John Leonard -- I also saluted him on my blog. But while I see nothing wrong with being an elitist, I do object to the way you characterized my "Sopranos"-loving dad, Newton Minow. If you read the entire text of his original "vast wasteland" speech, you will see that you underestimated his view of television then, and I can tell you that now that PBS, cable, satellite, and other resources he helped make available provide a wider range of choices, he is an even more passionate fan.

[Joe Moag]

Fair enough. Your dad did some really important things for the medium, as you point out. I do believe that the "vast wasteland" speech was negative, in terms of a critique of the medium, and did echo an elitist view that TV was too low-brow. John Leonard seemed, at least to me, to be much more concerned with commenting on, drawing attention to, and rewarding the vast, vast quality that is all over the tube. That, I think from my years of reading/watching Leonard, included his ability to see good in "low-brow" as well.

Just my view.

Thanks for your comments!