Facts are statements that can be supported by evidence. To be a fact it must be true to everyone. To be a fact it must also be able to be scientifically proven. Opinions on the other hand are simply someone’s personal thoughts on a specific situation. But sometimes an opinion is so strong felt by one particular person that thru there rebuttal it makes everyone believe it is indeed a fact. Newton N. Minow, a federal communications commission chair man gave a speech before a group of television executives.
In his speech he gives his opinion that television was nothing more than a “vast wasteland” of senseless violence, mindless comedy, and offensive advertising. This is an opinion since not everyone may agree with Minow, and believe television to be such non scene. But then again it is a fact that boredom will occur if we mindlessly sit in front of the television for long periods of time; as Minow suggests we do. Even though we find something interesting it is only human nature that we focus our minds to different entertainment.
Towards the end of his speech Minow addressed the television executives and asked “Why is so much of television bad? ” He followed up by saying television was bad because of the demands of advertisers, the competition for even higher ratings, and even because of the high costs of television programs. This indeed does sound like an opinion of Minows that could easily persuade his listeners to believe to be a fact. We have all sat in front of the television screen and noticed the vas amount of products being advertised, and we have all noticed the many television shows getting riskier and riskier with their scripts.
Even though Minow had strong opinions on how he felt about television, after the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, television became an important part of peoples every day life. Television was their tool for delivering there important information. It is a fact that people will tune into television to watch a broadcast of important information. Like Minow we all have our own opinions, but we all also have the ability to persuade individuals to believe our opinions are indeed facts.
