Chicago Tribune

In memoriam: Newton Minow had 97 years of amazing, influential and ever-curious life

Martha Minow, the chair of the MacArthur Foundation, with her father Newton Minow in Chicago on March 18, 2022.

CHICAGO — When one lives for 97 years, you can be assured that this person is filled with a mountain of memories of people, events and accomplishments, especially if fortunate enough to remain active and sharp until the very last hours.

Such was the case with Newton Minow. Influential and inspirational, if admirably self-effacing, Minow died early Saturday in his home in Chicago, only hours after attending a Newberry Library event honoring documentarian Ken Burns.

“Simply put, Newt Minow changed the world,” said journalist Carol Marin, a longtime friend. “A visionary, he inspired public television, satellite communication and presidential debates. He was everyone’s mentor, including mine.

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