“A New Age of Diplomacy”

Abstract

After the launch of communication satellites in the early 1960s, Town Meeting of the World became the first television program designed specifically for this technology, featuring world leaders in live debates. The format drew on American journalistic ideals of an open exchange of viewpoints. By the late 1960s, those viewpoints from overseas became increasingly critical of the U.S., much to Americans’ consternation. Idealistic visions for new communication technologies do not always mesh easily with national, commercial, or journalistic realities.

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Notes on contributors

Kevin Grieves

KEVIN GRIEVES is an assistant professor in the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University. He thanks Jeremy Saks, Evan B. Hocker (Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas), as well as the staff of The Paley Center for Media in New York City far valuable research assistance, and the editor and anonymous reviewers of Journalism I History for their helpful feedback.