Earlier tonight FOX News Channel aired the final installment of its five-part documentary “Television & the Presidency,” hosted by Chris Wallace, son of retired longtime “60 Minutes“ correspondent, Mike Wallace. This episode focused on the years 1997 to 2000, which covers President Bill Clinton’s second term (when the Monica Lewinsky scandal took place) and George W. Bush and Al Gore running for president. It was during that time period when the rise of 24/7 cable news networks really took root.

I didn’t see any of the other episodes, so I hope FNC re-airs them sometime soon. I’m curious if an early episode mentions Streator native J. Leonard Reinsch, who was a media consultant for several Democratic presidents and is credited with arranging the first televised presidential debates, between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960. The last story I wrote for The Times was about Reinsch. Here is a link to that story:

http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=369690