I wrote in the newsletter for this week that I was surprised to learn that, in 1965, religion was already being excluded from television programming. So when Charles Schultz was invited to write A Charlie Brown Christmas, he chose to write it in such a way that no one could cut out the scene where Charlie asks, “Isn’t there anyone who understands what Christmas is all about?” and Linus responds by reciting from memory Luke’s story of the angels visiting the shepherds and announcing to them Jesus’ birth. Then Linus says to Charlie, “That’s what Christmas is all about.” CBS did not like the show with its religious content, but they had made a commitment to its sponsor, Coca-Cola. Coke got it right.[1]
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