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The Columbia History of American Television (Columbia Histories of Modern American Life) Hardcover – October 12, 2007
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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.
- Print length512 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherColumbia University Press
- Publication dateOctober 12, 2007
- Dimensions7.28 x 1.5 x 10.04 inches
- ISBN-100231121644
- ISBN-13978-0231121644
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An extensive, readable... informative, well-written study... Recommended. ― CHOICE
A 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 Quarterly
An excellent addition to any undergraduate library and also a nice addition to public libraries. -- Linda W. Hacker ― American Reference Books Annual
A marvelous, detailed, and comprehensive narrative... This remarkable book, unquestionably one-of-a-kind, belongs in every reference library. -- Robert Fyne ― Film & History
Positioned 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 Media
A seminal work of meticulous scholarship... Welcome and highly recommended. -- James A. Cox ― The Midwest Book Review
Highly 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 Journalism
This 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 History
A monumental and definitive account of American television. -- Jason Jacobs ― Media International Australia
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Columbia University Press (October 12, 2007)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 512 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0231121644
- ISBN-13 : 978-0231121644
- Item Weight : 2.37 pounds
- Dimensions : 7.28 x 1.5 x 10.04 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #3,709,310 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,221 in TV History & Criticism
- #13,367 in Popular Culture in Social Sciences
- #13,909 in Communication & Media Studies
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Gary R. Edgerton is professor of Creative Media and Entertainment in the College of Communication at Butler University where he served as dean for five years. He was previously eminent scholar, professor, and chair of the Communication and Theatre Arts Department at Old Dominion University. He has published twelve books and more than eighty-five essays on a wide assortment of media and culture topics in a variety of books, scholarly journals, and encyclopedias.
Dr. Edgerton became the first permanent dean of Butler’s College of Communication in July 2012. While at Old Dominion, he was appointed eminent scholar by the institution's Board of Visitors in June 2010; and received the university's 27th Annual Research Award in Recognition of a Distinguished Scholarly Career in 2011.
In addition, Professor Edgerton is the Co-Executive Editor of the Journal of Popular Film and Television and an editorial board member of seven other scholarly journals. He has also delivered more than one hundred scholarly presentations at various international, national, and regional conferences. In 2004 he received the American Culture Association Governing Board Award for Outstanding Contributions to American Cultural Studies.
Over the years, Dr. Edgerton has been recognized with three teaching awards. He also averages two-dozen commentaries per year since 1990 across a wide variety of media subjects in magazines such as Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, and Variety; international magazines and newspapers such as El País (Madrid), The Guardian (Manchester, U.K.), Télérama (Paris), national newspapers such as the Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, and U.S.A. Today; regional newspapers such as the Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News, and Los Angeles Times; and numerous interviews on national and local TV and radio programs, including Marketplace (American Public Media), BBC Radio 5, CBC Radio Network, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News, and Morning Edition (NPR), among other media outlets.
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