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Keller @ Large: Remembering Eugene Polley, The Father Of The Couch Potato

BOSTON (CBS) - Eugene Polley died the other day at the ripe old age of 96. And while you've probably never heard of him, trust me, he had a profound effect on the way we live today.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

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Mr. Polley was an engineer at the TV manufacturer Zenith back in the 1950's when television was coming into vogue. The head of the company believed that viewers would not tolerate commercials interrupting their programming, and asked Polley to find a way to help.

In 1955, he produced the Flash-Matic, the first wireless TV remote, that could change channels and control the picture and sound.

His invention has been refined over the years, and remains a staple of electronic technology.

But at what social cost?

Mr. Polley was affectionately nicknamed the father of the couch potato by some, but what a dubious legacy.

The remote turned an already-passive medium into the ultimate passive activity. And it seems obvious that the remote had a huge effect on TV content as well. It suddenly became so easy to surf away from a show that failed to hold your attention that programmers had to start catering to shorter attention spans.

Consumers also began demanding more choices on TV, and the marketplace responded. And now look - 500 channels, and sometimes there's still nothing to watch!

How many relationships have been damaged by bitter arguments over who controls the remote?

And how much time has been wasted because the remote makes it so easy to veg out?

Some say the TV remote opened the door for development of much of the wonderful technology that so enhances our lives today, like the Internet, home to predators, porn, bullies and an endless flow of false information and vicious anonymous commentary.

You could argue that the remote helped usher in our current era of obesity and social disconnectedness.

All Eugene Polley meant to do was create a convenience. I guess we always need to beware of unintended consequences.

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.

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