The Television History Book

by Hilmes, Michele; Jacobs, Jason

• ISBN13: 9780851709888
• ISBN10: 0851709885
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-02-13
• Publisher: British Film Institute

Summary

This volume presents an overview by leading media scholars, which traces the history of broadcasting in two major centres of television development and export: Great Britain and the USA. It identifies tendencies that both unite and differentiate these traditions.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Acknowledgments	ix
Notes on Contributors	x
INTRODUCTION
TV Nations
Michele Hilmes	1
TECHNOLOGIES
Introduction
Michele Hilmes	4	(1)
Television's Prehistory: Radio (The Origins of the Soap Opera)
David Hendy	4	(5)
The Development of Television (High Definition Television 1969-90)
Brian Winston	9	(4)
Cable, Satellite and the Challenge of Digital Media (Digital Distribution, Intellectual Property and the End of TV as We Know It?)
Michele Hilmes	13	(6)
The Internet: From Cold War to Commercialisation
Clare Bratten	19	(3)
INSTITUTIONS: FROM ORIGINS TO STABILITY
Introduction
Michele Hilmes	22	(1)
The Origins of Public Service Broadcasting (British Television before the War)
Glen Creeber	22	(4)
The Origins of Commercial Broadcasting in the US
Michele Hilmes	26	(4)
Post-War Television in Britain: BBC and ITV
Tim O'Sullivan (Grace Wyndham Goldie - Jason Jacobs)	30	(5)
Establishment of the US Television Networks (The 'Other' Networks)
Matthew Murray	35	(5)
Competition and Change in British Television (Television in Wales 1960-80)
Jamie Medhurst	40	(4)
The 'Classic Network System' in the US (Genre Cycles: Innovation, Imitation, Saturation)
Jason Mittell	44	(6)
INSTITUTIONS: CONFLICT AND CHANGE
Introduction
Michele Hilmes	50	(1)
Channel Four and the Redefining of Public Service Broadcasting (Jeremy Isaacs - First Chief Executive of Channel Four (1981-7))
Sylvia Harvey	50	(5)
Public Television and Public Access in the US (Paper Tiger Television)
Daniel Marcus	55	(4)
Satellite, Cable and New Channels in the UK (Rupert Murdoch)
Tom O'Malley	59	(3)
US Television in the Multichannel Age (Protectionism, Deregulation and The Telecommunications Act of 1996)
Michele Hilmes	62	(6)
PROGRAMMING: 1950's-80's
Introduction
Michele Hilmes	68	(1)
Early Television in Great Britain (The Coronation)
Jason Jacobs	69	(3)
Experimental and Live Television in the US (Studio One, 'The Hospital')
Jason Jacobs	72	(4)
ITV: 1955-89: Populism and Experimentation (Mystery and Imagination)
Helen Wheatley	76	(5)
The 'Youth Revolution' and American Television (The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour [CBS, 1967-9])
Aniko Bodroghkozy	81	(5)
The BBC Adapts to Competition (Zircon)
Tom O'Malley	86	(3)
US Networks in the 1970's and 80's (Charlie's Angels)
Elana Levine	89	(6)
PROGRAMMING: NEW VENUES, NEW FORMS
Introduction
Michele Hilmes	95	(1)
Channel Four: Innovation in Form and Content?
John Ellis	95	(3)
Quality Drama in the US: The New 'Golden Age'? (China Beach)
Jane Feuer	98	(5)
The 1990's: Quality or Dumbing Down? (Makeover Shows)
Rachel Moseley	103	(4)
New US Networks in the 1990's (Married ... with Children)
Alisa Perren	107	(5)
Satellite and Cable Programmes in the UK (All Aussie Weekender: Sky One Down Under)
Ros Jennings	112	(3)
US Television Abroad: Exporting Culture (Baywatch)
Lisa Parks	115	(3)
The Global Television Format Trade (Big Brother)
Albert Moran	118	(4)
AUDIENCES
Introduction
Michele Hilmes	122	(1)
From Network to Neo-Network Audiences
Michael Curtin	122	(4)
From Mass to Meanings (Citizens and Consumers)
Justin Lewis	126	(3)
The Ratings System and Its Effects (The A.C. Nielsen Company)
Eileen R. Meehan	129	(3)
The Television Violence Debates (The V-Chip)
Willard D. Rowland, Jr	132	(5)
Audiences and the Internet (Xena and Buffy Fans)
Allison McCracken	137	(4)
Bibliography	141	(14)
Index	155