John Leonard Speaks at Ed School

Television does not shape society as much as society shapes television, media critic John Leonard '60 told an audience of about 100 people at the Harvard Graduate School of Education last night.

"It is my strong feeling that television is not a Pandora's box," said Leonard, who is a Crimson editor. "It is partly a window and partly a mirror."

Leonard, the author of the recently released Smoke and Mirrors: Violence, Television, and Other American Cultures, argued against the trend of scapegoating television for the violence in society.

According to Leonard, television is a medium "neither wholly innocent of, nor entirely responsible for, the disorder it brings into our homes."

"We were a violent country before television," Leonard said.

He added that the most compelling problems facing American public schools today--budget crises, overcrowded classrooms and disinterested students--have nothing to do with television.

"Who are we going to blame for [public school problems]? The A-Team?" Leonard asked.

Instead, he said that the nature of television was changing to reflect changing public attitudes.

Some of the most watched shows on television--"Homicide," "NYPD Blue" and "Law and Order"--show an "absolute contempt for civil liberties," according to Leonard.

Leonard said other shows, such as "The Archie Bunker Show," have good intentions that are often misunderstood.

"[Archie Bunker] was supposed to show how ridiculous and absurd bigoted views are," Leonard said of the show's star character who was known for making politically incorrect comments.

"But polls showed that the liberals liked it and the bigots liked it. Everyone took what they wanted out of it," he said.

But Leonard was criticized by some audience members who said that he ignored children's programs in his television reviews and books.

"It's hard to have a debate about television without talking about children's programming and the advertising aimed at children today because much of today's legislation is in response to concerns about the quality of children's television," said Sarah C. Napier, a teacher at Cambridge's Fayerweather Street School.

Others said Leonard's argument about society shaping the content of television was not well-supported.

"It's not that easy, and there aren't clear boundaries," said Sharon C. Broder, an employee of Houghton-Mifflin, a textbook publisher. "Television can afford to capitalize on what people are interested in."

However, a number of people were impressed with Leonard's portrayal of a media that is concerned with the programming it provides.

"He was giving me a positive view about the media," said Ed Bernstein, an emergency physician teacher at the Boston Medical Center.

"Some people in television really want to work through contradictions and conflicts in people and society," Bernstein said. "Now that's great television."

Leonard is currently literary editor of The Nation and a television critic for New York Magazine and CBS Sunday Morning

But Leonard was criticized by some audience members who said that he ignored children's programs in his television reviews and books.

"It's hard to have a debate about television without talking about children's programming and the advertising aimed at children today because much of today's legislation is in response to concerns about the quality of children's television," said Sarah C. Napier, a teacher at Cambridge's Fayerweather Street School.

Others said Leonard's argument about society shaping the content of television was not well-supported.

"It's not that easy, and there aren't clear boundaries," said Sharon C. Broder, an employee of Houghton-Mifflin, a textbook publisher. "Television can afford to capitalize on what people are interested in."

However, a number of people were impressed with Leonard's portrayal of a media that is concerned with the programming it provides.

"He was giving me a positive view about the media," said Ed Bernstein, an emergency physician teacher at the Boston Medical Center.

"Some people in television really want to work through contradictions and conflicts in people and society," Bernstein said. "Now that's great television."

Leonard is currently literary editor of The Nation and a television critic for New York Magazine and CBS Sunday Morning