Fifty years ago last Wednesday on Oct. 15, 1958, Chicago, Edward R. Murrow gave what many consider the most profound speech about Television to the Radio and Television News Directors Association convention, know referred to as the Wires and Lights in a Box speech.

In reflecting on the state of Television as currently presented and the next wave of iTV/ IPTV and other forms we may not be yet aware of, I found much to consider when reading Mr. Murrow's speech.

While news and informational programming has expanded well beyond what Mr. Murrow called the "intellectual ghetto on Sunday afternoons", I often wonder what the value of repetitive news of the 24/7 cycle other then to scare, this as example in the case of the recent Wall Street melt down. If Morgan Stanley stock can fall in real time when cable news pundits repetitively wondered if MS would survive then the connection from input to output and back has created a closed loop where the news anchors are feeding and regurgitating the same information over and over, to what end other then filling time or boosting ratings?

Similarly, in this election year when some would use the medium to divide and instill fear that we are not all equal or equally concerned about our country, Mr. Murrow's words that the "battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance and indifference" are as profound today as when first spoken.

If our history is, what we make it, as Mr. Murrow said then what is the next chapter in iTV and IPTV as a medium and can it rise above simply the technology itself to inspire, educate and entertain us? Will it be just a new form of technology for established media outlets to showcase their content and adverts, or will it afford a more inclusive media for individuals to express themselves while being able to make a sufficient living to expand the diversity of voices online?