Five shows that changed society

The United Nations proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day for the first time in 1997.

It is designed to be less of a celebration of the television itself as the impact it can have on decision making at all levels of government, both national and international, by bringing world attention to conflicts and threats to peace and security. And, as the UN says, even more that, “its potential role in sharpening the focus on other major issues, including economic and social issues.”

To help mark World Television Day 2018 we have put together a list of five programmes that have had a major impact above and beyond their screening. Featuring three UK and two US shows across 51 years the list is, of course, by no means comprehensive. But it’s not meant to be; this is an illustration that television programmes can help generate positive social outcomes in all languages and in all countries around the world when they are created by passionate men and women with a voice and the freedom to express it.

We have also deliberately looked outside news and current affairs to genres not usually thought of as being instrumental in affecting social change. Arguably advertising could be included here as well, especially the landmark public information films that have done so much to change the public attitudes to drink driving in the UK, for example. That, though, is a discussion for another time.

Star Trek
NBC (1966 - 1969)

Hard to believe now, especially as the programme has become such an influential part of modern culture, but Star Trek: The Original Series only ran for three seasons before being cancelled by NBC due to poor ratings. But in its 79 episodes, Gene Roddenberry’s avowedly utopian space western changed the way…