Video On The McCarthy Hearings: A Defining Moment In US And TV History

By Ron Powell

It may very well have been the McCarthy hearings that caused the TV industry to realize the nature and degree of the potential for impact on American political life and ultimately American political history. From that point on, TV became aware of its power and capacity to influence, if not control, public opinion, and the collective decision making and thought process. That power has grown steadily ever since.