Kunta Kintae News Today

tonight, television takes a look at itself. >> whats on the idiot box? >> its only an idiot box if an idiot is watching. >> at this period of time will be looked upon as the platinum age. >> our obligation is to entertain. if weve left something to think about, so much the better. >> television should not be just entertainment. >> charges were leveled at the commercial television networks. >> congress has no right to interfere in the media. >> excuse me! >> we have the responsibility t...

idiot is watching it. >> at this point in time, what is known as the platinum age. >> our obligation is to entertain and if we have something to think about, so much the better. >> television should not be just entertainment. >> charges were leveled at commercial television networks. >> congress has no right to interfere with the media. >> you have a responsibility to give the audience what it tendon to say. for years, the 60s, which end in a few hours have a reputation which is not en...

interfere with the media. >> excuse me! >> we have the responsibility to give the audience what it tuned in to see. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> the years of the 60s which end in a few hours have a bad reputation that is not entirely justified. some things got worse, obviously. but tv and other news coverage is better, not worse. we simply developed more demanding standards. >> when i think of tv, i think of the 70s. >> what is this world coming to? >> the american public was hungry for more. >> mor...

>> charges were leveled at the commercial television networks. >> congress has no right to interfere in the media. >> excuse me! >> we have the responsibility to give the audience what it tuned in to see. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> the years of the 60s which end in a few hours have a bad reputation that is not entirely justified. some things got worse, obviously. but tv and other news coverage is better, not worse. we simply developed more demanding standards. >> when i think of tv, i think of the...

Germany. "the holocaust" telecast caused heated discussion. its most tangible political effect was shown when the german legislature debated the search for nazi war criminals. "holocaust" made it easier for lawmakers to vote to continue the hunt for nazis. >> "holocaust" brought it home. it made it real, even though it was a hollywood creation. >> sunday night, "roots" begins in eight parts on abc. if it sounds like im plugging it, i am. basically, television will never be the same again. >> the...

>> the character that i got to portray in "roots," kunta kintae, the adult, was a dream role. >> it was really genius to cast all of americas favorite television dads in the roles of the white slave owners and the villains. >> ill be by to fetch ya in the morning, captain. sleep well. >> it is difficult to explain in todays culture how unprecedented "roots" was. no one had ever seen the story of slavery before told from the point of view of the africans. >> it may be the first time that televisi...

Portray in "roots," kunta kintae, the adult, was a dream role. >> it was really genius to cast all of americas favorite television dads in the roles of the white slave owners and the villains. >> ill be by to fetch ya in the morning, captain. sleep well. >> it is difficult to explain in todays culture how unprecedented "roots" was. no one had ever seen the story of slavery before told from the point of view of the africans. >> it may be the first time that television allowed an embracing of blac...

>> "holocaust" brought it home. it made it real, even though it was a hollywood creation. >> sunday night, "roots" begins in eight parts on abc. if it sounds like im plugging it, i am. basically, television will never be the same again. >> there was really no bigger television event than "roots." it was based on a 1976 book by alex haley about his family in africa and coming to america as slaves and what happens to them as the centuries go on. >> i will go to my grave believing that "roots" is a...

Was a hollywood creation. >> sunday night, "roots" begins in eight parts on abc. if it sounds like im plugging it, i am. basically, television will never be the same again. >> there was really no bigger television event than "roots." it was based on a 1976 book by alex haley about his family in africa and coming to america as slaves and what happens to them as the centuries go on. >> i will go to my grave believing that "roots" is americas story. its not just black americas story. >> we might ha...

>> we might have come over in the bottom of the ship, but we all came over on ships. >> my name means stay put. but it dont mean stay a slave. >> as a 19-year-old kid, "roots" was my first job. >> were not children. were very close to being men. >> whats your name? >> kunta. kunta kintae. >> the character that i got to portray in "roots" was a dream role. >> it was really genius to cast all of americas favorite television dads in the roles of the white slave owners and the villains. >> ill be by...