Defining visions : television and the American experience in the 20th century / Mary Ann Watson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Watson, Mary Ann.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Television broadcasting--United States--History.

Television broadcasting.

United States.

History.

Physical Description:

xii, 298 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 23 cm

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Malden, MA : Blackwell Pub., 2008.

Summary:

Defining Visions is a powerful narrative social history that examines television's rise as the great "certifying agent" in American life. This newly updated and fully revised edition extends its coverage to the end of the 20th century. It defines the "Television Age" as a discrete period in American history bracketed by monumental events - the triumph of the Allied victory in World War II and the devastation of 9/11.

The new edition includes discussions of key events in American history and TV history since the book's original publication in 1997, including the Monica Lewinsky scandal and Clinton impeachment; the massacre at Columbine High School; the 2000 presidential election; and the television coverage of September 11, 2001. In addition, the book considers the cultural impact of recent prime-time programs such as Seinfeld, CSI, and Will & Grace.

As with the successful first edition, Defining Visions: Television and the American Experience in the 20th Century is thematically organized and presents a sweeping account of the connections between the medium and American culture. It tells the story of how television not only covered history in the 20th century but also actively influenced its course.

Contents:

Television enters the picture

Television and the melting pot: race and ethnicity

Home on screen: gender and family

The Killing tube: violence and crime

TV goes all the way: romance and sexuality

The boxed-in workplace: jobs and professions

Tuning out restraint: indulgence and advertising

Taking the cue: television and the American personality

Deep focus: television and the American character

The webbed republic: democracy in the television age.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [267]-284) and index.

ISBN:

9781405170536

1405170530

9781405170543

1405170549

OCLC:

156751186

Online:

Contributor biographical information

Publisher description