Everything Everywhere Daily · Friday, October 2, 2026
In 1951, Darryl F. Zanuck, head of 20th Century Fox, predicted that television would fail to hold viewers' attention for long, stating people would 'soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night.' A New York Times writer, Orrin E. Dunlap Jr., echoed similar skepticism in 1939.
“television won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night.”
“The problem with television is that the people must sit and keep their eyes glued on a screen. The average American family hasn't time for it. Therefore, the showmen are convinced that for this reason, if for no other, television will never be a serious competitor of broadcasting.”