Minow, Newton

Minow, Newton (Norman)

(1926– ) lawyer, communications executive; born in Milwaukee, Wis. A Chicago lawyer, he was named chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by President Kennedy (1961–63). He gained unexpected publicity for such a post by attacking the quality of television broadcasting and threatening to revoke broadcast licenses based on programming. Returning to his law practice afterward, he joined the Public Broadcasting System board in 1973, becoming chairman in 1978. In 1987 he became director of the Annenberg Communications Program in Washington.