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The Columbia History of American Television
Author(s): Gary Edgerton (Author)
- Publisher: Columbia University Press
- Publication Date: February 12, 2009
- Edition: Illustrated
- Language: English
- Print length: 512 pages
- ISBN-10: 9780231121651
- ISBN-13: 9780231121651
Book Description
Media historian Gary R. Edgerton follows the technological developments and increasing cultural relevance of TV from its prehistory (before 1947) to the Network Era (1948-1975) and the Cable Era (1976-1994). He begins with the laying of the first telegraph line in 1844, which gave rise to the idea that images and sounds could be transmitted over long distances. He then considers the remodeling of television's look and purpose during World War II; the gender, racial, and ethnic components of its early broadcasts and audiences; its transformation of postwar America; and its function in the political life of the country. He talks of the birth of prime time and cable, the influence of innovators like Sylvester "Pat" Weaver, Roone Arledge, and Ted Turner, as well as television's entrance into the international market, describing the ascent of such programs as
Dallas and The Cosby Show, and the impact these exports have had on transmitting American culture abroad.Edgerton concludes with a discerning look at our current Digital Era (1995-present) and the new forms of instantaneous communication that continue to change America's social, political, and economic landscape. Richly researched and engaging, Edgerton's history tracks television's growth into a convergent technology, a global industry, a social catalyst, a viable art form, and a complex and dynamic reflection of the American mind and character. It took only ten years for television to penetrate thirty-five million households, and by 1983, the average home kept their set on for more than seven hours a day.
The Columbia History of American Television illuminates our complex relationship with this singular medium and provides historical and critical knowledge for understanding TV as a technology, an industry, an art form, and an institutional force.Editorial Reviews
Review
An extensive, readable... informative, well-written study... Recommended. ―
CHOICEA tour-de-force narrative of more than six decades of American television and its impact on U.S. society.... An important contribution. -- Christopher H. Sterling ―
Communication Booknotes QuarterlyAn excellent addition to any undergraduate library and also a nice addition to public libraries. -- Linda W. Hacker ―
American Reference Books AnnualA marvelous, detailed, and comprehensive narrative... This remarkable book, unquestionably one-of-a-kind, belongs in every reference library. -- Robert Fyne ―
Film & HistoryPositioned with the monumental works of Erik Barnouw, Asa Briggs, Christopher Sterling and John Kittross, Edgerton contributes a comprehensive study of American television's popular culture....
The Columbia History of American Television should be on the shelf of every television historian and popular culture scholar, as well as the non-specialist. -- Donald G. Godfrey ― Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic MediaA seminal work of meticulous scholarship... Welcome and highly recommended. -- James A. Cox ―
The Midwest Book ReviewHighly informative... eminently readable... Edgerton tells a compelling history of the medium. His book would work well as a primer for general readers, as well as for scholars (particularly international readers) wanting to gain an understanding of the history, forms, and economics of the U.S. television system as well as pointers for further research from his meticulous referencing. -- Faye Woods ―
Journal of American Studies[The book] is meticulous and inspired. Devoted to television, it is richly resourced, eloquently written, and nicely illustrated. -- Craig Allen ―
American JournalismThis book is best seen as an update of Erik Barnouw's widely read and concise history,
Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television. Moving beyond Barnouw, Edgerton has attempted to craft a unified narrative that simultaneously engages some of the more fine-grained scholarship in the field.... A highly readable account of the development of a complex industry and cultural form. -- Michael Kackman ― Journal of American HistoryA monumental and definitive account of American television. -- Jason Jacobs ―
Media International Australia
