Newton Minow, chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) during John Kennedy's presidency, considered his plan for the organization of international television--one that gave a new priority to broadcasting without fundamentally altering the legal framework of regulation--as one of the major accomplishments of his tenure. Yet historians researching FCC policy during the 1960s have paid little attention to Minow's fascination with international broadcasting. Developments in global politics and the communications industry (such as the perceived threat of international Communist takeover, and the development of communications satellites) raised concerns about a policy gap in this area. Minow attempted to develop such policy by articulating a link between the public interest and the national interest. Richard Neustadt's model of presidential power shows how Minow's efforts were closely tied to the Kennedy administration as part of a larger campaign to bring together disparate and often conflicting interests behind a coherent policy for international television. To influence public thinking and forge alliances among powerful societal groups, Minow focused on three major areas: the public at large; Democratic party circles; and the broadcasting industry. By providing this historical context for Minow's maneuvers, researchers can better understand how and why he succeeded in forming a plan for international television. (Seventy-three footnotes are appended.) (MM)