A broadcasting legend visited Iowa this week and talked a little about how the medium has changed. Ninety-year old Art Linkletter was a pioneer in television with shows such as “Kids say the Darnd’est Things.”
Linkletter says the advent of multiple cable tv channels and the quest for the advertising dollar have pushed the traditional networks to excesses of profanity, nudity and violence. Linkletter says unfortunately there are plenty of audiences and that’s why he says there are shows on the air he doesn’t think belong there. He says viewers are now bombarded by commercials that’re as bad as some of the programs.
He says a half hour show used to be 26 minutes — today they’re 21 minutes with five minutes of commercials. Linkletter says he doesn’t like much of what he sees on the tube today. But, he also says there are more choices out there for viewers, and he says it’s up to you to weed out the garbage. He says pick your programs like you do your friends and do some shopping around.Linkletter made his comments during a stop in Des Moines to talk about the challenges facing older drivers.