I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book.
—Groucho Marx (1890–1977) American Actor, Comedian, Singer
Already we viewers, when not viewing, have begun to whisper to one another that the more we elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.
—J. B. Priestley (1894–1984) English Novelist, Playwright, Critic
The failures of the press have contributed immensely to the emergence of a talk-show nation, in which public discourse is reduced to ranting and raving and posturing.
—Carl Bernstein (1944–73) American Journalist, Writer
If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d be peace.
—John Lennon (1940–80) British Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Activist
Television has lifted the manufacture of banality out of the sphere of handicraft and placed it in that of a major industry.
—Nathalie Sarraute (1900–99) French Novelist, Essayist
The television, that insidious beast, that Medusa which freezes a billion people to stone every night, staring fixedly, that Siren which called and sang and promised so much and gave, after all, so little.
—Ray Bradbury (b.1920) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Television? The word is half Latin and half Greek. No good can come of it.
—C. P. Scott (1846–1932) British Journalist, Editor, Politician
Imagine what it would be like if TV actually were good. It would be the end of everything we know.
—Marvin Minsky (1927–2016) American Computer Scientist
Imitation is the sincerest form of television.
—Fred Allen (1894–1956) American Humorist, Radio Personality
If we were to do the Second Coming of Christ in color for a full hour, there would be a considerable number of stations which would decline to carry it on the grounds that a Western or a quiz show would be more profitable.
—Edward R. Murrow (1908–65) American Journalist, Radio Personality
Television is the triumph of machine over people.
—Fred Allen (1894–1956) American Humorist, Radio Personality
He who is created by television can be destroyed by television.
—Theodore H. White (1915–86) American Journalist, Historian, Novelist
Art is moral passion married to entertainment. Moral passion without entertainment is propaganda, and entertainment without moral passion is television.
—Rita Mae Brown (b.1944) American Writer, Feminist
Television enables you to be entertained in your home by people you wouldn’t have in your home.
—David Frost (1939–2013) English Broadcaster, Writer
I’m always amazed that people will actually choose to sit in front of the television and just be savaged by stuff that belittles their intelligence.
—Alice Walker (b.1944) American Novelist, Activist