--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It might be hard to remember this far…" description: "\"It might be hard to remember this far back, but once upon a time, some of us hoped that public TV would develop into a smart, sophisticated, civilized ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/tom-shales-12468_alternative_it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-ba_2145802.png" --- # It might be hard to remember this far back, but once upon… ![“It might be hard to remember this far back, but once upon a time, some of us hoped that public TV would develop into a smart, sophisticated, civilized alternative to commercial TV - not a cheap imitation of it.” quote by Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/tom-shales-12468_alternative_it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-ba_2145802.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/tom-shales-12468_alternative_it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-ba_2145802.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/tom-shales-12468_alternative_it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-ba_2145802.png) > “It might be hard to remember this far back, but once upon a time, some of us hoped that public TV would develop into a smart, sophisticated, civilized alternative to commercial TV - not a cheap imitation of it.” [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early hopes for public TV were for it to become an elevated, thoughtful alternative to commercial broadcasting, not a low‑budget copy. **In simple terms:** Public TV should be a refined alternative. Key Takeaway Advocate for quality public media. Themes media criticism public broadcasting cultural standards Mood critical nostalgic Type essay opinion When to use this quote - policy making - education - content creation Key Concepts journalism media studies Questions to Reflect On - What defines “smart” TV? - How can public TV stay true to its mission? A Different Perspective Funding constraints limit quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [When you work in TV you have to develop a thick skin, and I have certainly grown used to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-reid/when-you-work-in-tv-you-have-to-develop-a-thick-skin-and-i-have/) [Susanna Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-reid/) > [Me just being myself in public or on TV is the biggest nightmare in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-saunders/me-just-being-myself-in-public-or-on-tv-is-the-biggest-nightmare-in/) [Jennifer Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-saunders/) > [We respect that children are smart, sophisticated and can handle things that adults typically don't think they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/we-respect-that-children-are-smart-sophisticated-and-can-handle/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [“They were smart and sophisticated, with an air of independence about them, and so casual about their looks and clothes and manners as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-moore/they-were-smart-and-sophisticated-with-an-air-of-independence-about/) Colleen Moore > [I really believe that readers are smart and sophisticated enough to realize that the author is not the narrator of his novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-really-believe-that-readers-are-smart-and-sophisticated-enough-to/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [The public has yet to see TV as TV. Broadcasters have no awareness of its potential. The movie people are just beginning to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-public-has-yet-to-see-tv-as-tv-broadcasters-have-no-awareness-of/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [We've sussed that we've paid all this money to watch ourselves entertain ourselves. 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Like shipwrecked sailors, she turned despairing eyes upon the solitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/at-the-bottom-of-her-heart-however-she-was-waiting-for-something-to/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [My intent was to gain experience for fiction I eventually hoped to write. But there's no question I was drawn in by the hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/my-intent-was-to-gain-experience-for-fiction-i-eventually-hoped-to/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [Everything that I have ever hoped to accomplish, she has done and done better than anyone I have ever seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/everything-that-i-have-ever-hoped-to-accomplish-she-has-done-and-done/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) ## More by Tom Shales > [Maybe it's the hair. Maybe it's the teeth. Maybe it's the intellect. No, it's the hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/maybe-it-s-the-hair-maybe-it-s-the-teeth-maybe-it-s-the-intellect-no/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Jimmy Kimmel still comes across like a guy who crashed a party and got caught at it, yet adamantly refuses to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/jimmy-kimmel-still-comes-across-like-a-guy-who-crashed-a-party-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [In city after city, newspaper after newspaper has diminished its staff of critics, sometimes to zero. Film and T.V. critics have been dropped and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/in-city-after-city-newspaper-after-newspaper-has-diminished-its-staff/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > ['Kukla, Fran and Ollie' occurred in real time and was a benign and bewitching example of pure television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/kukla-fran-and-ollie-occurred-in-real-time-and-was-a-benign-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Maybe Larry Kings cannot thrive or even survive in a world where the norms for discourse are rage, vehemence and character assassination. King wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/maybe-larry-kings-cannot-thrive-or-even-survive-in-a-world-where-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing With the Stars' is a variety show in the classic sense, but the way they incorporate elements of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-dancing-with-the-stars-is-a/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Robert Osborne either has the best job in the world, or comes very close. As millions of viewers know, Osborne is the resident host…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/robert-osborne-either-has-the-best-job-in-the-world-or-comes-very/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In the '60s and '70s, prime time was stuffed with variety shows headlined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/making-music-on-tv-used-to-be-as-common-as-commercials-in-the-60s-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [For those who don't like Dave Letterman, there's Jay Leno; and for those who like neither, there's Craig Ferguson; and if you're still feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/for-those-who-don-t-like-dave-letterman-there-s-jay-leno-and-for/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [The once inviolate frame within which programs or commercials were displayed on television - always separately - has been violated to a pulp. Program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/the-once-inviolate-frame-within-which-programs-or-commercials-were/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > ['Leave It to Beaver,' which ran from 1957 until 1963, was one of the strangest, sweetest, most distinctive domestic sitcoms of television's celebrated Golden Age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/leave-it-to-beaver-which-ran-from-1957-until-1963-was-one-of-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [The original and very basic 'Law & Order' series has always seemed to me to be 100-percent exposition, with no filler, no pesky nuances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/the-original-and-very-basic-law-order-series-has-always-seemed-to-me/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Gimmicks come and go; the cop show seems one genre that will never leave - not as long as people like to sit at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/gimmicks-come-and-go-the-cop-show-seems-one-genre-that-will-never/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [If the networks can get audiences to tolerate pop-up promos by the dozens, maybe they'll start selling pop-up commercials, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/if-the-networks-can-get-audiences-to-tolerate-pop-up-promos-by-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Jerry Seinfeld is amazing in many ways, not the least of them his ability to find humor, and convincing us to find it, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/jerry-seinfeld-is-amazing-in-many-ways-not-the-least-of-them-his/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) [Explore all 54 Tom Shales quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) ## More Alternative quotes > [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [In my book I specifically discussed the structural nature of injustice and offered Nine Touchstones of Goddess ethics as an alternative to the Ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-p-christ/in-my-book-i-specifically-discussed-the-structural-nature-of/) [Carol P. Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-p-christ/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [Maximise the alternative forms in which a user might receive a service, and the alternative sources of supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-chipp/maximise-the-alternative-forms-in-which-a-user-might-receive-a/) Don Chipp > [In January 2012, Google Plus started to roll out support for nicknames and pseudonyms, but those registering with a name other than their real-life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/in-january-2012-google-plus-started-to-roll-out-support-for-nicknames/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [It's American Alternative radio stations that bug me. We're considered Alternative, but don't expect us to be played next to Blink 182 and Offspring.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/it-s-american-alternative-radio-stations-that-bug-me-we-re-considered/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) > [There are some fantastic, brilliant alternative doctors out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-mills/there-are-some-fantastic-brilliant-alternative-doctors-out-there/) [Hayley Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-mills/) > [The alternative to the market process is government control, and we know where that principle leads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-richman/the-alternative-to-the-market-process-is-government-control-and-we/) [Sheldon Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-richman/) > [Alternative services would mean that there would be services available to compete with Google, Facebook, Amazon, Dropbox, Skype, etc., and they would be run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikko-hypponen/alternative-services-would-mean-that-there-would-be-services/) [Mikko Hypponen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikko-hypponen/) > [I liked a lot of alternative and I like punk stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/i-liked-a-lot-of-alternative-and-i-like-punk-stuff/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [I've thought about what is an alternative word to feminism. There isn't one. It's a perfectly good word. And it can't be changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/i-ve-thought-about-what-is-an-alternative-word-to-feminism-there-isn/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [The Voice has always been an alternative paper. They have always understood that that was part of their role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-schanberg/the-voice-has-always-been-an-alternative-paper-they-have-always/) [Sydney Schanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-schanberg/) > [Please don't eat less, eat right, don't hold it in, its okay to cry, do not hurt yourself there is always an alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/please-don-t-eat-less-eat-right-don-t-hold-it-in-its-okay-to-cry-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Gospel is not an alternative, it’s an ultimatum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/the-gospel-is-not-an-alternative-it-s-an-ultimatum/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [Alternative medicine plays into this exaggerated notion that you can prevent disease simply by doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-angell/alternative-medicine-plays-into-this-exaggerated-notion-that-you-can/) [Marcia Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-angell/) Browse all 400 Alternative quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It might be hard to remember this far back, but once upon a time, some of us hoped that public TV would develop into a smart, sophisticated, civilized alternative to commercial TV - not a cheap imitation of it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Shales" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-back-but-once-upon-a-time-some/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alternative" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-back-but-once-upon-a-time-some/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/tom-shales-12468_alternative_it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-ba_2145802.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/tom-shales-12468_alternative_it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-ba_2145802.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/tom-shales-12468_alternative_it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-ba_2145802.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It might be hard to remember this far back, but once upon a time, some of us hoped that public TV would…” — Tom Shales", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Shales", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It might be hard to remember...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-back-but-once-upon-a-time-some/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/it-might-be-hard-to-remember-this-far-back-but-once-upon-a-time-some/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```