It is the longest running program in the history of American public television and was first broadcast in May 1956.

[1] Its creator, Richard Heffner, engaged in a "thoughtful excursion into the world of ideas" across politics, media, technology, the arts and realms of civic life, and was host until his death on December 17, 2013.

[3] The Open Mind was conceived to elicit meaningful insights into the challenges that society faces in contemporary areas of public concern.

In 2023, the producer of The Open Mind released a special series of conversations with elected officials over meals in their home states, Breaking Bread with Alexander, that premiered on Bloomberg TV and are now available on The Open Mind.

[5][6] Season 2 launched on July 4, 2024 and was released on Bloomberg Originals and The Open Mind.