Television Books

Book SynopsisDerided as simple, dismissed as inferior to film, characterized as a vast wasteland, television nonetheless exerts an undeniable, apparently inescapable power. The secret of television's success may lie in the narrative complexities underlying its seeming simplicity, complexities the author unmasks in her analysis here.Trade ReviewRemarkably little work (scholarly or otherwise) has been done on television. These four essays provide what may be the most cogent and systematic study of the subject currently available. Thompson is an extremely solid writer with a keen intellect and exceptional analytical skills, and all of these qualities are in evidence here. Simply stated, there is at present no book quite like this one, despite the pressing need for such a book. -- Thomas Schatz, Professor of Radio, Television & Film, University of Texas at AustinI quite enjoyed reading this book. What I like most about it is its interdisciplinary approach. It shows the insights that an intellectually mature media scholar can have when she crosses disciplinary boundaries--applying analytical principles of one medium to another. I feel strongly that this sort of work should be encouraged. -- Jeremy Butler, Professor of Telecommunications and Film, University of AlabamaTable of ContentsPreface 1. Go with the Flow? Analyzing Television 2. What Do They Think They're Doing? Theory and Practice in Screenwriting 3. The Dispersal of Narrative: Adaptations, Sequels, Serials, Spin-offs, and Sagas 4. The Strange Cases of David Lynch Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisDrawing on in-depth interviews with animation professionals, field research, and a wide-scale market survey, The Anime Boom in the United States investigates the Japanese export of anime television and film to the United States. This story carries broad significance for those interested in understanding the cultural and media globalization.Trade ReviewThis book has long been needed. Amid the many treatises on the contents, fans, images, artistic qualities, and sociocultural meanings of anime, there is finally a study of factors such as transnationalism, globalization, conglomeration, entrepreneurship, and hybridity relative to Japanese animation…The Anime Boom in the United States excellently pries open another area of animation study. -- J. A. Lent * Choice *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDeals with the topic - Watching Television.Table of ContentsTelevision - familiarity and phenomenology; television - hermeneutics and horizon; audiences - constructions of sense; viewing and the veridical effect; mechanisms of identification in film and television; subverting the veridical image; towards an "epic" television; conclusion - resisting television's familiarity.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn a world that has been shrunk by modern communications and transport, Star Trek has maintained the values of western maritime exploration, and the discovery of Strange New Worlds in space. This - Starry Sea - has become a familiar metaphor in the history of Star Trek, providing a backdrop to the relentless questioning of human nature.Trade Review'Star Trek has been subject to a lot of scrutiny by literary and cultural critics ... The bad conscience that many have about serious discussion of popular culture means that Star Trek can still be read simplistically, as a stalking-horse for denouncing the modernity of the American century. The Barretts are more subtle. A television series is a product of a variety of creators and so, inevitably, a rich complex of signs, hints and idealisms. There is no final reading of Star Trek; just an endless journey.' The Independent 'There are only a handful of book length surveys of Star Trek, and this mother-and-son collaboration is a welcome contribution to those. It provides a valuable overview of the programme from its original appearance 35 years ago, tracing the ways in which successive series have reproduced and challenged the original "liberal humanist" ethos of Star Trek.' New Formations'As we stand on the threshold of the age of human cloning, the leading question asked by this engaging book-- What is human?--could hardly be more timely. The Barretts offer persuasive answers in their thorough analysis of a media phenomenon that has touched virtually everyone who lives in a technologically advanced society.' Andrew Ross, Director, American Studies Program, New York University Star Trek: The Human Frontier goes a long way toward explaining the enduring success of "the franchise" without succumbing to naive celebration. It explores Star Trek's strengths and flaws, its continuities and discontinuities, its intertextualities and its contextualities. The two Barretts explore Star Trak's ambivalent relationship to modernity, to nautical exploration (and colonial empires), humanism, and ultimately, post-modernity. Moving effortlessly from Homer to Foucault, from Orwell to Butler, they manage to give substance to many of the intuitvely experienced, commonsensical assumptions about Star Trek. And they have produced a book that is a delight to read. If this is what intergenerational authorship can accomplish, we should all start writing with our kids. Lawrence Grossberg, Morris davis Professor of Communication and Cultural Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillTable of ContentsList Of Illustrations. Preface And Acknowledgements. Introduction. Part One: Exploration. Part Two: Humanity On Trial. Part Three: Boldly Going Postmodern. Conclusion. Notes. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn a world that has been shrunk by modern communications and transport, Star Trek has maintained the values of western maritime exploration, and the discovery of Strange New Worlds in space. This - Starry Sea - has become a familiar metaphor in the history of Star Trek, providing a backdrop to the relentless questioning of human nature.Trade Review'Star Trek has been subject to a lot of scrutiny by literary and cultural critics ... The bad conscience that many have about serious discussion of popular culture means that Star Trek can still be read simplistically, as a stalking-horse for denouncing the modernity of the American century. The Barretts are more subtle. A television series is a product of a variety of creators and so, inevitably, a rich complex of signs, hints and idealisms. There is no final reading of Star Trek; just an endless journey.' The Independent 'There are only a handful of book length surveys of Star Trek, and this mother-and-son collaboration is a welcome contribution to those. It provides a valuable overview of the programme from its original appearance 35 years ago, tracing the ways in which successive series have reproduced and challenged the original "liberal humanist" ethos of Star Trek.' New Formations'As we stand on the threshold of the age of human cloning, the leading question asked by this engaging book-- What is human?--could hardly be more timely. The Barretts offer persuasive answers in their thorough analysis of a media phenomenon that has touched virtually everyone who lives in a technologically advanced society.' Andrew Ross, Director, American Studies Program, New York University Star Trek: The Human Frontier goes a long way toward explaining the enduring success of "the franchise" without succumbing to naive celebration. It explores Star Trek's strengths and flaws, its continuities and discontinuities, its intertextualities and its contextualities. The two Barretts explore Star Trak's ambivalent relationship to modernity, to nautical exploration (and colonial empires), humanism, and ultimately, post-modernity. Moving effortlessly from Homer to Foucault, from Orwell to Butler, they manage to give substance to many of the intuitvely experienced, commonsensical assumptions about Star Trek. And they have produced a book that is a delight to read. If this is what intergenerational authorship can accomplish, we should all start writing with our kids. Lawrence Grossberg, Morris davis Professor of Communication and Cultural Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillTable of ContentsList Of Illustrations. Preface And Acknowledgements. Introduction. Part One: Exploration. Part Two: Humanity On Trial. Part Three: Boldly Going Postmodern. Conclusion. Notes. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery day millions watch, vote and critique reality programs in print and online. June Deery examines why this has programming proven to be so popular and so tenacious.Trade Review"This vibrant, accessible book provides an up-to-date synthesis of current patterns in and thinking about reality TV. Ranging across cutting-edge topics such as new media, commercialization, identity markers and politics, this illuminating study draws on an eye-popping array of programmes to argue that reality television is less a style than an ontology."Misha Kavka, The University of Auckland"Taking reality television seriously as "staged actuality," Deery presents a clear way to understand this phenomenon of the past twenty years through a seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of the programs and the scholarship on them. This is a great text for students and viewers alike."Vicki Mayer, Tulane UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgements1. Introduction: Definitions, History, Critiques2. Reality Status3. Social Television: Reality TV and New Media4. Advertising and Commercialization5. Gender and Race6. Class7. PoliticsNotesReferencesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery day millions watch, vote and critique reality programs in print and online. June Deery examines why this has programming proven to be so popular and so tenacious.Trade Review"This vibrant, accessible book provides an up-to-date synthesis of current patterns in and thinking about reality TV. Ranging across cutting-edge topics such as new media, commercialization, identity markers and politics, this illuminating study draws on an eye-popping array of programmes to argue that reality television is less a style than an ontology."Misha Kavka, The University of Auckland"Taking reality television seriously as "staged actuality," Deery presents a clear way to understand this phenomenon of the past twenty years through a seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of the programs and the scholarship on them. This is a great text for students and viewers alike."Vicki Mayer, Tulane UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgements1. Introduction: Definitions, History, Critiques2. Reality Status3. Social Television: Reality TV and New Media4. Advertising and Commercialization5. Gender and Race6. Class7. PoliticsNotesReferencesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisMexican cinema is booming today, a decade after the international successes of Amores perros and Y tu mamá también. Mexican films now display a wider range than any comparable country, from art films to popular genre movies, and boasting internationally renowned directors like Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Guillermo del Toro. At the same time, television has broadened its output, moving beyond telenovelas to produce higher-value series and mini-series. Mexican TV now stakes a claim to being the most dynamic and pervasive national narrative. This new book by Paul Julian Smith is the first to examine the flourishing of audiovisual fiction in Mexico since 2000, considering cinema and TV together. It covers much material previously unexplored and engages with emerging themes, including violence, youth culture, and film festivals. The book includes reviews of ten films released between 2001 and 2012 by directors who are both established (Maryse Sistach, CarloTrade Review''Combining insightful readings of key films with social science approaches to issues of production, distribution, exhibition and audience response, Paul Julian Smith’s Mexican Screen Fiction ventures beyond the boundaries of traditional film studies to offer a probing and wide ranging study of Mexico’s dynamic audiovisual sector.'' Kathleen Vernon, Stony Brook University ''With his latest book, Paul Julian Smith not only offers valuable insights into contemporary Mexican screen fiction, bringing together both film and TV, which are located in their industrial, critical, cultural and historical contexts. Researched and written with evident pleasure, he provides us with an innovative paradigm for thinking about screen media in the twenty-first century.'' Andrea Noble, Durham UniversityTable of ContentsFigures vii Preface viii Introduction: Mexican Screen Fiction 1 Jump Cut 1: Y tu mamá también 7 PART I SETTING SCENES 13 1 Revising Mexican Cinema 15 2 Following Festivals 30 Jump Cut 2: Perfume de violetas, Frida 47 PART II AUTEURS AND GENRES 53 3 A Case Study in Transnational Gay Auteurism: Julián Hernández’s A Thousand Clouds of Peace Encircle the Sky, Love, Your Being Love Will Never End 55 4 A Case Study in Genre and Nationality: Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth 64 Jump Cut 3: 21 Grams, Battle in Heaven, KM 31 78 PART III MARGINAL SUBJECTS 87 5 Youth Culture in Mexico: Rebel, I’m Gonna Explode 89 6 Lady Killers in TV Fiction: Women Murderers, The Aparicio Women 120 Jump Cut 4: We Are What We Are, Leap Year 152 PART IV TALES OF INSECURITY 159 7 Film Fictions of Violence: Hell, Saving Private Pérez, Miss Bala 161 8 TV Histories of Violence: In the Sewers, Cries of Death and Freedom 191 Jump Cut 5: The Prize, Windows to the Sea 220 Conclusion: Between Cinema and Television 224 Appendix: Interviews with Five Media Professionals (Jesús Mario Lozano, Daniela Michel, Alejandro Ramírez, Roberto Fiesco, Leticia López Margalli) 227 Bibliography 256 Index 266

Read more less

Book SynopsisMexican cinema is booming today, a decade after the international successes of Amores perros and Y tu mamá también. Mexican films now display a wider range than any comparable country, from art films to popular genre movies, and boasting internationally renowned directors like Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Guillermo del Toro. At the same time, television has broadened its output, moving beyond telenovelas to produce higher-value series and mini-series. Mexican TV now stakes a claim to being the most dynamic and pervasive national narrative. This new book by Paul Julian Smith is the first to examine the flourishing of audiovisual fiction in Mexico since 2000, considering cinema and TV together. It covers much material previously unexplored and engages with emerging themes, including violence, youth culture, and film festivals. The book includes reviews of ten films released between 2001 and 2012 by directors who are both established (Maryse Sistach, CarloTrade Review''Combining insightful readings of key films with social science approaches to issues of production, distribution, exhibition and audience response, Paul Julian Smith’s Mexican Screen Fiction ventures beyond the boundaries of traditional film studies to offer a probing and wide ranging study of Mexico’s dynamic audiovisual sector.'' Kathleen Vernon, Stony Brook University ''With his latest book, Paul Julian Smith not only offers valuable insights into contemporary Mexican screen fiction, bringing together both film and TV, which are located in their industrial, critical, cultural and historical contexts. Researched and written with evident pleasure, he provides us with an innovative paradigm for thinking about screen media in the twenty-first century.'' Andrea Noble, Durham UniversityTable of ContentsFigures vii Preface viii Introduction: Mexican Screen Fiction 1 Jump Cut 1: Y tu mamá también 7 PART I SETTING SCENES 13 1 Revising Mexican Cinema 15 2 Following Festivals 30 Jump Cut 2: Perfume de violetas, Frida 47 PART II AUTEURS AND GENRES 53 3 A Case Study in Transnational Gay Auteurism: Julián Hernández’s A Thousand Clouds of Peace Encircle the Sky, Love, Your Being Love Will Never End 55 4 A Case Study in Genre and Nationality: Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth 64 Jump Cut 3: 21 Grams, Battle in Heaven, KM 31 78 PART III MARGINAL SUBJECTS 87 5 Youth Culture in Mexico: Rebel, I’m Gonna Explode 89 6 Lady Killers in TV Fiction: Women Murderers, The Aparicio Women 120 Jump Cut 4: We Are What We Are, Leap Year 152 PART IV TALES OF INSECURITY 159 7 Film Fictions of Violence: Hell, Saving Private Pérez, Miss Bala 161 8 TV Histories of Violence: In the Sewers, Cries of Death and Freedom 191 Jump Cut 5: The Prize, Windows to the Sea 220 Conclusion: Between Cinema and Television 224 Appendix: Interviews with Five Media Professionals (Jesús Mario Lozano, Daniela Michel, Alejandro Ramírez, Roberto Fiesco, Leticia López Margalli) 227 Bibliography 256 Index 266

Read more less

Book SynopsisAndy Bryant is Managing Director of Red Bee, a London-based, internationally acclaimed creative agency. He is a recognised thought leader and frequent speaker at leading industry conferences globally on TV brand strategy, marketing and creativity. He is Honorary Professor in Film and Media at the University of Nottingham. Charlie Mawer is Executive Creative Director of Red Bee, responsible for their global creative output. A BAFTA nominee and former Promax UK chairman, Charlie has lectured around the world including for a number of universities, TEDx, the BFI and D&AD.Trade Review"'The TV Brand Builders is an outstanding and in-depth examination of the craft of television marketing, full of insight, perspective and anecdotes into what really works and why. It is sure to become a must-read for all those wanting to understand what's important in today's rapidly evolving TV landscape. Bryant and Mawer combine their many years of experience to provide the reader with an entertaining and easily read journey into how to build a TV brand.'" * Jeremy Darroch, CEO, Sky plc *"'Rich in anecdote, example and insight, this is an encyclopedic survey of the crucial role marketing plays in great content finding audiences. It is an essential handbook for anyone looking to build content brands in a transmedia age.'" * Wayne Garvie, Chief Creative Officer, International Production, Sony Pictures Television *"'Two of the field's top talents draw a road map of the best routes to brand just about any kind of television content. In the process, Bryant and Mawer entertain and inform you with a wealth of case studies, peppered with amusing anecdotes and assessments by a host of industry insiders. Written in an engaging style, this book is a must-read for its concise history of the evolution of television branding from in-house afterthought to a booming, and often entrepreneurial, industry sector.'" * Jennifer Gillan, Professor, English and Media Studies, Bentley University, and author of Television Brandcasting: The return of the content–promotion hybrid *"'The TV Brand Builders manages to be both a weighty tome of real insight into the industry today, and a fun and gossipy read. Great case studies abound across the US market and it proves a valuable book for anyone wrestling with the challenge of finding and keeping viewers.'" * Dave Howe, President, Strategy and Commercial Growth, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment *"'As entertainment marketing continues to evolve, we must adapt to thrive in this new dynamic landscape. Bryant and Mawer are true visionaries in our industry. The TV Brand Builders gives all brand marketers, regardless of expertise, the insights needed to drive not only viewership but, more importantly, the deep emotional bonds that are the underpinning of the world's most valuable entertainment brands.'" * Steve Kazanjian, President & CEO, PromaxBDA *"'The TV Brand Builders is a gift to students and media industry scholars seeking to understand the fast-moving world of television marketing. Brimming with insights, and written with verve, the book offers a compelling and clear-sighted account of TV promotion from leading practitioners in the field. Bryant and Mawer bring all their experience to bear in demonstrating the creativity and skill of TV brand building. A must-read for anyone interested in promotional screen culture.'" * Paul Grainge, Professor of Film and Television Studies, The University of Nottingham, and co-author of Promotional Screen Industries *"'The TV Brand Builders is comprehensive, well-researched and insightful - the definitive guide for anyone looking to build their career in entertainment marketing.'" * Walter Levitt, EVP, Chief Marketing Officer, Comedy Central *"'I don't think I have ever read a more comprehensive account of the craft of marketing in television. There are many inspiring examples within an increasingly complex industry, which makes this book really valuable, as it describes the landscape so entirely. Armed with it, perhaps the TV marketing and branding fraternity can bring simplicity, joy and fun to communications despite that complexity.'" * Martin Lambie-Nairn, founder, Lambie-Nairn, and author of Brand Identity for Television: With Knobs On *"'Was it ever true in TV that "if you build it, they will come"? It's certainly not so anymore in our exciting multi-screen, on-demand, dynamic industry. The art and science of TV marketing was never so vital, nor so full of possibility. But there are good reasons why it's still one of the most dysfunctional marketing jobs around, as frustrating as it is rewarding. 'This book, written by two people who have practised what they preach for many years at the heart of some of the most iconic TV marketing campaigns, is an absolute gold mine of best practice case studies, insider anecdotes and wise counsel. It covers every aspect of marketing TV, from channels to programmes, and from genres to sub-audiences. If you're trying to unpick your "timeless principles" from your "seismic changes" as you nobly serve audiences, producers and broadcasters, you'd be dotty not to have this book at your side.'" * Tess Alps, Chair, Thinkbox *"'A fascinating piece of television history that shows how marketers moved from being the monkeys to the organ grinders of the broadcasting world, this book will be enjoyed by broadcasting professionals as well as those who just love watching TV. The authors take us into the much maligned and misunderstood world of TV marketing, showing how this art will become evermore important as we move further into a multi-platform, on-demand age.'" * Lorraine Heggessey, Advisor, Channel 4 Growth Fund, and former Controller, BBC One *"'Fragmented, segmented, bundled, unbundled, TV marketing today apes 3D chess. Thoroughly researched and wonderfully compiled, this book transmits a clear picture of advertising and marketing's special role.'" * Tim Lefroy, Chief Executive, Advertising Association *Table of Contents Section - 01: The context; Chapter - 01: Marketing in the world of television; Section - 02: Building tv channel brands; Chapter - 02: What’s the point of a tv channel brand?; Chapter - 03: Relaunching a tv channel: waving a flag on the horizon; Chapter - 04: The 800lb gorillas: building a big broadcast brand; Chapter - 05: The risk takers: building a TV channel brand with attitude; Chapter - 06: Idents: giving a channel a personality; Section - 03: Building and promoting tv programme brands; Chapter - 07: Marketing drama: glimpsing the future, unravelling the helix and speed dating; Chapter - 08: Timing and other secrets: a guide to promoting TV comedy; Chapter - 09: Selling the news; Chapter - 10: Promoting entertainment shows: scrubbing the shiny floors; Chapter - 11: Documentaries and reality: stories and storytellers; Chapter - 12: Faster, higher, stronger, longer: the hyperbolic world of TV sports promotion; Chapter - 13: Marketing to children: nailing jelly to a moving train; Section - 04: Building brands in the age of online tv; Chapter - 14: Storyworlds: blurring the lines between content and marketing; Chapter - 15: Social media: from viewers to fans to friends; Chapter - 16: The future of tv marketing: seismic change, timeless principles Section - Additional online-only chapter: TV channel design in a multiscreen world (online-only chapter at www.koganpage.com/TheTVBrandBuilders - please scroll to bottom of page and complete form to access)

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first book about politics and infotainment in Canada, Breaking News? examines the challenges of these (often) controversial programs for democratic citizenship.Table of ContentsIntroduction: A Controversial Marriage1 The Rise of Infotainment Television2 Be (or Don’t Be) Our Guests3 The Political Interviews: Beyond Sex and Saxophone4 From the War Room to the Confessional5 The Disproportionate Influence of Infotainment6 The Rules of the Game7 The Challenges of InfotainmentAppendix; Notes; References; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA portrait of the Soviet mass media from the end of World War II through the 1970s.Trade ReviewKristin Roth-Ey's Moscow Prime Time interweaves an analysis of Soviet cinema 'as an industry' with the much-less studied phenomena of Soviet radio and television.... Roth-Ey successfully connects the history of post-Stalinist mass media to the broader struggle for power and influence during the cold war.... Moreover, Roth-Ey's book contributes positively to the growing historiography on the Soviet Union after Stalin with its focus on mid-level institutional actors within the Soviet system, which thankfully takes us beyond the traditional dissident/repressive-state dichotomy of scholarship on this period. -- Joshua First * Technology and Culture *Not only does Kristin Roth-Ey provide a wealth of fascinating details about subjects such as Soviet ticket sales for domestic and foreign feature films, she also analyzes the multiple tensions that constrained post-Stalinist mass media production, and develops a consistent, powerful argument. Moscow Prime Time is a meticulous, well-written, and original book, a fascinating read. * Russian Review *This insightful study is a strong addition to the growing body of work concerning Soviet media culture during the Cold War.... It is a compelling, well-documented, articulate examination of the processes, products, and effects of the Soviet film, radio, and television industries. Roth-Ey argues that the Soviets' success at creating an indigenous popular culture became a major part of the USSR's eventual downfall, since the media in which the culture was expressed were inherently skewed toward a non-Soviet worldview. * Choice *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Soviet Culture in the Media Age 1. The Soviet Film Industry: Defining Cinematic Success after Stalin 2. The New Soviet Movie Culture 3. What Was Said When the Muses Were Heard: Foreign Radio in Soviet Contexts 4. Finding a Home for Television in the USSR 5. Television and Authority in Soviet Culture EpilogueSelected Bibliography Acknowledgments Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA portrait of the Soviet mass media from the end of World War II through the 1970s.Trade ReviewKristin Roth-Ey's Moscow Prime Time interweaves an analysis of Soviet cinema 'as an industry' with the much-less studied phenomena of Soviet radio and television.... Roth-Ey successfully connects the history of post-Stalinist mass media to the broader struggle for power and influence during the cold war.... Moreover, Roth-Ey's book contributes positively to the growing historiography on the Soviet Union after Stalin with its focus on mid-level institutional actors within the Soviet system, which thankfully takes us beyond the traditional dissident/repressive-state dichotomy of scholarship on this period. -- Joshua First * Technology and Culture *Not only does Kristin Roth-Ey provide a wealth of fascinating details about subjects such as Soviet ticket sales for domestic and foreign feature films, she also analyzes the multiple tensions that constrained post-Stalinist mass media production, and develops a consistent, powerful argument. Moscow Prime Time is a meticulous, well-written, and original book, a fascinating read. * Russian Review *This insightful study is a strong addition to the growing body of work concerning Soviet media culture during the Cold War.... It is a compelling, well-documented, articulate examination of the processes, products, and effects of the Soviet film, radio, and television industries. Roth-Ey argues that the Soviets' success at creating an indigenous popular culture became a major part of the USSR's eventual downfall, since the media in which the culture was expressed were inherently skewed toward a non-Soviet worldview. * Choice *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Soviet Culture in the Media Age 1. The Soviet Film Industry: Defining Cinematic Success after Stalin 2. The New Soviet Movie Culture 3. What Was Said When the Muses Were Heard: Foreign Radio in Soviet Contexts 4. Finding a Home for Television in the USSR 5. Television and Authority in Soviet Culture EpilogueSelected Bibliography Acknowledgments Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThrough extensive archival research and a systematic study of sample programs from Sesame Street's first ten seasons, Morrow tells the story of Sesame Street's creation; the ideas, techniques, organization, and funding behind it; its place in public discourse; and its ultimate and unfortunate failure as an agent of commercial television reform.Trade ReviewAn insightful look at American children's television. Library Journal 2005 [An] accessible, well-researched introduction to the people and principles behind the show's creation... Essential. Choice 2006 Any student of film, television, sociology and American history will find it intriguing and educational. California Bookwatch 2006 Morrow's engaging and straightforward book takes us back to that moment in the late 1960s when Sesame Street struggled into existence, and when programming was not yet brought to us by the letter 'S.' -- Nicholas Sammond American Historical Review 2007 Reading Morrow's account of the complex and discordant early years of Sesame Street was like reading the biography of a childhood friend. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media 2008Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroduction1. The Problem of Television and the Child Viewer2. The Preschool Moment3. "A New Bloom on the Wasteland"4. The CTW Model5. "The Itty Bitty Little Kiddy Show"6. "Hope for a More Substantive Future"7. "The Verdict on SESAME STREET"Conclusion: The Many Faces of SESAME STREETNotesEssay on SourcesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisBrings a much-needed perspective to Deadwood's representation of the frontier WestTrade Review"Melody Graulich and Nicholas S. Witschi offer a smart collection of 11 essays that deconstruct Deadwood."—True West"Dirty Words in Deadwood will be welcomed by Deadwood scholars and casual readers looking for fresh insights into Milch's iconoclastic series."—Brad Benz, Great Plains Quarterly“Solidly researched and persuasively argued. . . . Dirty Words in “Deadwood” expands upon its multiple meanings from a broad scope of perspectives that situate the series in a startlingly contemporary world.”—Kirsten Møllegaard, Journal of American Culture Table of ContentsList of IllustrationsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Deadwood's Barbaric Yawp: Sharing a Literary HeritageMelody GraulichDeadwood EpisodesDeadwood Cast1. David Milch at Yale: An InterviewNathaniel Lewis2. Last Words in DeadwoodBrian McCuskey3. The Thinking of Al Swearengen's Body: Kidney Stones, Pigpens, and Burkean Catharsis in DeadwoodTim Steckline4. "Land of Oblivion": Abjection, Broken Bodies, and the Western Narrative in DeadwoodJohn Dudley5. The Final Stamp: Deadwood and the Gothic American FrontierWendy Witherspoon6. "Down These Mean Streets": Film Noir, Deadwood, Cinematic Space, and the Irruption of Genre CodesNicolas S. Witschi7. "Right or Wrong, You Side with Your Feelings"Jennilyn Merten8. "A Brooding and Dangerous Soul": Deadwood's Imperfect MusicDavid Fenimore9. Calamity Jane and Female Masculinity in DeadwoodLinda Mizejewski10. Queer Spaces and Emotional Couplings in DeadwoodMichael K. Johnson11. Who Put the Gun into the Whore's Hand? Disability in DeadwoodNicole TonkovichBibliographyContributorsIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Morta Las Vegas stands as a vital contribution to the evolving conversation between poststructuralist thought and Western American history in the "post-truth" era."—Alex Trimble Young, Western Historical Quarterly"A work of impressive ambition, written by two of Western literary studies' most influential scholars."—Jeffrey Chisum, Western American Literature“Bold, dangerous, troubling, speculative, and playful, spinning stories from the vortex provided by the CSI episode outward and back—away from the West . . . and then back to the widening sense of what the ‘postregional’ might mean.”—Neil Campbell, professor emeritus of American studies at the University of Derby and author of The Rhizomatic West: Representing the West in the Transnational, Global, Media Age Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction: Morning in Las Vegas 1. The Problem of the Past: The Case of the Stolen Hummer 2. The Problem of Space and Place: The Case of the Dead Convention Model 3. The Problem of Aesthetics: The Case of the Dead Bodybuilder 4. The Problem of the [Uncanny] West: The Case of the Abandoned Dead Boy Conclusion: Nighthawks in Las Vegas “Just Another Day in Paradise”: An Envoi Source Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwelve distinguished scholars and critics discuss the production, reception, and distribution of Hollywood and foreign films after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and examine how movies have changed to reflect the new world climate.Trade ReviewFilm and Television after 9/11 contributes to a new understanding both of recent American film and our reaction, as a culture, to the circumstances and aftermath of September 11th.... Anyone interested in coming to grips with the way the image of 9/11 has been appropriated for ideological ends will find solace in this collection. -Steven Shaviro, author of Doom Patrols and The Cinematic Body

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Demographic Vistas, David Marc shows how we can take television seriously within the humanist tradition while enjoying it on its own terms. To deal with the barrage of messages from television's chaotic history, Marc adapts tools of theatrical and literary criticism to focus on key personalities and genres in ways that reward serious students and casual viewers alike. This updated edition includes a new foreword by Horace Newcomb and a new introduction by the author that discusses the ways in which the nature of television criticism has changed since the book's original publication in 1984. A new final chapter explores the paradox of the diminishing importance of over-the-air broadcasting during the period of television's greatest expansion, which has been brought about by complex technologies such as cable, videocassette recorders, and online services.Trade Review"A cooly sophisticated analysis . . . of American televsion." * American Studies International *"Demographic Vistas analyzes television in the tradition of a Gilbert Seldes or Michael Arlen. Exhibiting fluency in television history, theories of culture, and American literature, the book offers a thoughtful, idiosyncratic interpretation of television's life so far in American culture." * Critical Studies in Mass Communication *"Marc does a good job of drawing links between the American literary tradition and television themes, which illustrate that television texts are not isolated from the critical mainstream of American creative efforts. . . . These links illustrate that television texts offer themselves to much the same analytical forms as any other literary endeavor." * Southern Speech Communication Journal *Table of ContentsPreface to the 1984 Edition Foreword to the Revised Edition , by Horace Newcomb Introduction to the Revised Edition 1. Beginning to Begin Again 2. The Situation Comedy of Paul Henning: Modernity and the American Folk Myth in The Beverly Hillbillies 3. The Comedy of Public Safety 4. Gleason's Push 5. Self-Reflexive at Last 6. What Was Broadcasting? Appendix: Broadcast Network Prime Time Viewing Suggestions, 1984-96 Notes Bibliography Glossary Main Index Index of Television Series Index of Films Made for Theatrical Release

Read more less

Book SynopsisDrawing on a wide range of political and cultural indicators to explain the sudden upsurge of gay material on prime-time network television in the 1990s, this book brings together analysis of relevant Supreme Court rulings, media coverage of gay rights battles, debates about multiculturalism, concerns over political correctness, and much more.Trade Review"From beginning to end, this book is a highly engaging and impeccably researched study of the cultural anxieties produced in the destabilization of straight and gay identity." -- Michael DeAngelis * DePaul University *"An insightful, well-written, and well-argued book." -- Michael Kimmel * professor of sociology, SUNY at Stony Brook *"Becker's analysis of the connections between sexual representation and industrial strategy is original and compelling. An example of the best kind of television scholarship, Gay TV and Straight America is a rare find." -- Sasha Torres * author of Black, White and In Color: Television and Black Civil Rights *"From beginning to end, this book is a highly engaging and impeccably researched study of the cultural anxieties produced in the destabilization of straight and gay identity." -- Michael DeAngelis * DePaul University *"An insightful, well-written, and well-argued book." -- Michael Kimmel * professor of sociology, SUNY at Stony Brook *"Becker's analysis of the connections between sexual representation and industrial strategy is original and compelling. An example of the best kind of television scholarship, Gay TV and Straight America is a rare find." -- Sasha Torres * author of Black, White and In Color: Television and Black Civil Rights *Table of ContentsIntroduction : the importance of gay-themed TV Straight panic and American culture in the 1990s Thinking about gay people : civil rights and the confusion over sexual identity Network narrowcasting and the slumpy demographic The affordable, multicultural politics of gay chic Gay material and prime-time network television in the 1990s "We're not gay!" : heterosexuality and gay-themed programming Straight panic in the 2000s

Read more less

Book SynopsisDuring the 1980s, U.S. television experienced a reinvigoration of the family sitcom genre. Drawing on Foucauldian and feminist theories, Alice Leppert examines the nature of sitcoms against the backdrop of a time period generally remembered as socially conservative and obsessed with traditional family values.Trade Review"The sharp and insightful analysis of 1980s family sitcoms we need! An engaging assessment of TV comedy in a changing culture of gender, work, and home during a transitional decade." -- Elana Levine * author of Wallowing in Sex: The New Sexual Culture of 1970s American Television *“Insightful, well-argued and carefully researched, TV Family Values gives a rich and multifaceted picture of the social, cultural and political currents at play in 80s sitcoms.” -- Joanne Morreale * author of Advertising and Promotional Culture: Case Histories *"Recommended." * Choice *"Leppert provides an excellent analysis of the significant storylines and “fantasies” that provided a lens with which to view the realities of the Reagan Era." * H-Net *Table of ContentsContents Introduction 1 Selling Ms. Consumer 2 “I Can’t Help Feeling Maternal—I’m a Father!”: Domesticated Dads and Career Women 3 Solving the Day-Care Crisis, One Episode at a Time: Family Sitcoms and Privatized Child Care in the 1980s 4 “You Could Call Me the Maid—But I Wouldn’t”: Lessons in Masculine Domestic Labor 5 Disrupting the Fantasy: Reagan Era Realities and Feminist Pedagogies Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisL.A. Private Eyes examines the tradition of the private eye as it evolves in films, books, and television shows set in Los Angeles from the 1930’s through the present day. This book explores the metamorphosis of the solitary detective figure and the many facets of the genre itself. Trade Review"Slip into the gritty romantic noir of the LA detective scene with Dahlia Schweitzer and you won’t want to leave—at least not until she’s helped you unlock the genre’s mysteries, its place in American culture and its evolution. Bring a fedora, a stiff drink and a desire to understand, as Schweitzer does, the light and dark sides of the private eye." -- Jonathan Allen * coauthor of Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign *"Much more than a deftly written and comprehensive chronicle of the enduring appeal of the LA detective, Schweitzer’s book compellingly traverses the fields of history, geography and popular culture so that we might more fully grasp this absorbing character and its inflections over decades of literature, radio, film and TV. From Philip Marlowe to Easy Rawlins to Veronica Mars, the author invites the reader on a compressed tour of the mean streets, stifling suburbs and sprawling highways inhabited by this private eye, with insight and acumen. If you think you know this icon already, Schweitzer’s writing will make you think again." -- Deborah Jermyn * reader in Film and TV, University of Roehampton, and author of Prime Suspect *“With the same punchy, elegant concision true to the noir style, Schweitzer reappraises the long line of L.A. gumshoes from Philip Marlowe and Easy Rawlins through Veronica Mars.” -- Noah Isenberg * author of We’ll Always Have Casablanca *"Dahlia Schweitzer pounds the pavement in search of the gumshoes who pervade the city and popular culture. She uncovers the clues, weighs the evidence, and presents her case in yet another terrific, informative read." -- Mike White * host of the Projection Booth Podcast *"The Projection Booth" interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * The Projection Booth *WICN.org "Inquiry" podcast interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * Inquiry podcast *The Mo'Kelly Show interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * The Mo'Kelly Show *iZombie podcast interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * iZombie podcast *"With noir still a hotly debated genre, Dahlia Schweitzer takes a welcome approach in L.A. Private Eyes to a subset of the style....Scwheitzer’s detailed look at this central figure of noir helps to clarify the investigator’s point of view and its effects on the narrative." * Film and History *Table of ContentsCONTENTS Introduction 1 Los Angeles 2 The Detective Story 3 The Detective 4 The Black Detective 5 The Lady Dick 6 The Girl Sleuth Acknowledgments Further Reading Works Cited Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisL.A. Private Eyes examines the tradition of the private eye as it evolves in films, books, and television shows set in Los Angeles from the 1930’s through the present day. This book explores the metamorphosis of the solitary detective figure and the many facets of the genre itself. Trade Review"Slip into the gritty romantic noir of the LA detective scene with Dahlia Schweitzer and you won’t want to leave—at least not until she’s helped you unlock the genre’s mysteries, its place in American culture and its evolution. Bring a fedora, a stiff drink and a desire to understand, as Schweitzer does, the light and dark sides of the private eye." -- Jonathan Allen * coauthor of Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign *"Much more than a deftly written and comprehensive chronicle of the enduring appeal of the LA detective, Schweitzer’s book compellingly traverses the fields of history, geography and popular culture so that we might more fully grasp this absorbing character and its inflections over decades of literature, radio, film and TV. From Philip Marlowe to Easy Rawlins to Veronica Mars, the author invites the reader on a compressed tour of the mean streets, stifling suburbs and sprawling highways inhabited by this private eye, with insight and acumen. If you think you know this icon already, Schweitzer’s writing will make you think again." -- Deborah Jermyn * reader in Film and TV, University of Roehampton, and author of Prime Suspect *“With the same punchy, elegant concision true to the noir style, Schweitzer reappraises the long line of L.A. gumshoes from Philip Marlowe and Easy Rawlins through Veronica Mars.” -- Noah Isenberg * author of We’ll Always Have Casablanca *"Dahlia Schweitzer pounds the pavement in search of the gumshoes who pervade the city and popular culture. She uncovers the clues, weighs the evidence, and presents her case in yet another terrific, informative read." -- Mike White * host of the Projection Booth Podcast *"The Projection Booth" interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * The Projection Booth *WICN.org "Inquiry" podcast interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * Inquiry podcast *The Mo'Kelly Show interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * The Mo'Kelly Show *iZombie podcast interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * iZombie podcast *"With noir still a hotly debated genre, Dahlia Schweitzer takes a welcome approach in L.A. Private Eyes to a subset of the style....Scwheitzer’s detailed look at this central figure of noir helps to clarify the investigator’s point of view and its effects on the narrative." * Film and History *Table of ContentsCONTENTS Introduction 1 Los Angeles 2 The Detective Story 3 The Detective 4 The Black Detective 5 The Lady Dick 6 The Girl Sleuth Acknowledgments Further Reading Works Cited Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA study of ""Twin Peaks"", the first foray into television for film director David Lynch. It addresses topics which include the series' cult status, its obsession with doubling and its silencing of women. It also analyses the series from feminist, deconstructionist and semiotic perspectives.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGilligan’s Island, created by Sherwood Schwartz, aired for three seasons between 1964 and 1967 on the CBS network. While the series was typically dismissed for its episodic inanity, author Walter Metz argues that this characteristic is precisely the source of the show’s innovation as it produces a vibrant critique of dominant American values. In this analysis of Gilligan’s Island, Metz reveals the inner workings of American television and society through an intensive look at the popular sitcom.

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamines the innovations of Breaking Bad through a study of its main character, using psychoanalysis, genre study, gender studies, American studies, and the graphic arts to assist an exploration of the supreme danger of modern, postindustrial toxic masculinity embodied in Walter White.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn defiance of the alleged ‘death of romantic comedy’, After ""Happily Ever After"": Romantic Comedy in the Post-Romantic Age edited by Maria San Filippo attests to rom-com's continuing vitality in new modes and forms that reimagine and rejuvenate the genre in ideologically, artistically, and commercially innovative ways.Trade ReviewThe essays in this book document a level of generic activity that belies the death notices so often read out for romantic comedy. Moreover, they do so with analytical skill and rhetorical force. With a fresh focus on rom-coms that make use of alternative distribution practices, disrupt conventional plotlines, or are non-traditional in representational content-featuring queer, ethnically diverse, and/or 'un-couples'-After 'Happily Ever After' cogently illustrates that there is still much to be learned from and about this oft-sidelined genre. A scholarly comedy in two prologues and three acts, this wonderful book starts by resisting the predictions of the doomsayers about the death of comedy and ends up being a song to the vitality, diversity, and apparently endless ability of romantic comedy to shift shape, to adapt, to survive-like life itself if viewed through a comic lens.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRenowned for its unique visual style, Homicide fundamentally changed the police procedural genre. The show was an anomaly in the ‘90s for its honest portrayals and discussions of race. Lisa Doris Alexander uses Critical Race Theory as a lens to highlight how the show illustrated the impacts that racial politics can have on policing.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFocuses on the intersections of phallocratic violence and masculine identity in contemporary works of fiction across North America, Western Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa. In doing so, Messier details the ways in which male desire is predicated on mediated forms of predatory and misogynistic sexuality that cross national and cultural divides.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisRostock's history offers insight into the relationship between Cold War ideology, television documentary, the tactics of Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, and their overall impact on political culture. There are illuminating readings of the documentary texts in this case study of the rhetoric of television documentary.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDuring the tumultuous 1990s, as Russia struggled to shed the trappings of the Soviet empire, television viewing emerged as an enormous influence on Russian life. This title describes the knowing ways in which ordinary Russians watch the news, sceptically analyse information, and develop strategies for dealing with news bias.Trade Review“A riveting look at the political struggle for control of television [in] the Soviet Union. . . . The policy debates detailed in Changing Channels have universal application to our digital communications future. They are explained with skill and competence by an author who is intimately acquainted with both the issues and the people involved.”—Bruce Christensen, former President and CEO of PBS“An important and fascinating story, elegantly told by Ellen Mickiewicz.”—Stephen Hess, author of International News & Foreign Correspondents“For those who care about Russia’s stormy evolution from dictatorship to democracy, here is an important story—the first extensive account of the crucially important revolution in Moscow television since 1985.”—Hedrick Smith, author of The New Russians“From the days when Leonid Brezhnev clung to power through the tumult of Mikhail Gorbachev and the election victories of Boris Yeltsin, Russian leaders have struggled over the control of television. In this fine and penetrating book, Ellen Mickiewicz traces those struggles and examines the larger question still ahead: whether a free and independent television can emerge that will bolster prospects for a stable, democratic nation. No one else has better captured this important saga.”—David Gergen, Editor at Large, U.S. News & World Report“It is difficult to imagine a more fair and thorough chronicle of television’s role in Russia’s ongoing evolution.”—Phil Kloer, tv critic, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution“This book will enthrall and enlighten its readers with its vivid revelations of political stratagems by politicians and journalists. . . . This is a definitive study, based on lengthy interviews with the movers and shakers in the world of politics and television by a brilliant participant/observer of the momentous changes-in-the-making.”—Doris A. Graber, University of Illinois at Chicago“When Ellen Mickiewicz combines her years of on-scene experience, range of contacts, academic credentials, and writing skill to address the subject of media power in Russia, the result makes must reading for anyone interested in today’s Russian power struggle—or the central role of media control in every society.”—Nicholas Johnson, former Commissioner, U.S. Federal Communications Commission“[A] deep and detailed look at a long and occasionally fatal obsession with television’s power on the part of Russia’s political leaders.”—Ron Aldridge, Publisher & Editorial Director, Electronic MediaTable of ContentsPreface to Revised and Enlarged Edition ix Preface xi Television: The Prize 3 Soviet Television Rulers and Their Empire 23 Closely Watched Targets: The Nightly News, the Military, and Lenin 52 Pushing the Envelope: Reforming from Within 65 Viewers and Voters: The First Competitive Elections and the Rise of Alternative News 83 Television and Crisis: The End of Soviet Rule 98 Between Putsch and Revolt 109 Pictures, Parties, and Leaders: Television and Elections in the New Russia 135 Room for Views: Television and the Play of Controversial Positions 190 The Media Market: Politics, Commerce, and Press Freedom 217 Television at War: Private Television News Under Fire 242 Changing Channels on the Most Powerful Medium 264 Afterword 274 Notes 305 Chronology 351 Index 355

Read more less

Book SynopsisA critical examination of racial discrimination in television broadcasting during the civil rights eraTrade Review“Watching Jim Crow is a highly original, sophisticated, and important piece of scholarship that will undoubtedly influence a variety of fields ranging from legal theory to cultural studies. One of the most striking things about this work is the compelling way it crosses barriers that have blinkered both scholarly and commonsense thinking about law, media, and culture.”—Thomas Streeter, author of Selling the Air: A Critique of the Policy of Commercial Broadcasting in the United States“Watching Jim Crow is a powerful blend of memory, history, and careful analysis. For those who lived through the days and years chronicled here, especially those of us who lived in the places Steven D. Classen studies, the memories are painful, the history is precise, the analysis essential. Classen’s strong recognition that television is something people do is a challenge not only for scholars, but for policymakers and citizens who recognize how much remains to be done.”—Horace Newcomb, director of the George Foster Peabody Awards at the University of GeorgiaTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction: Reconstruction 1 1: Broadcast Foundations 31 2: Consuming Civil Rights 52 3: Trouble around the Ponderosa 75 4: Programming/Regulating Whiteness 107 5: Blacking out: Remembering TV and the Sixties 140 6: Not Forgetting 174 Appendix: Chronology 197 Notes 205 Bibliography 245 Index 263

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhether discussing Maori cinema in New Zealand or activist community radio in Colombia, this title describes how native peoples are utilizing both traditional and new media to combat discrimination, to advocate for resources and rights, and to preserve their cultures, languages, and aesthetic traditions.Trade Review“Global Indigenous Media is a necessary, urgent, and conceptually brilliant volume. Each essay is a gem. Taken together, they change how one thinks about Indigenous media and they reveal its importance in the transnational media landscapes of the twenty-first century.”—Patricia R. Zimmermann, author of States of Emergency: Documentaries, Wars, Democracies“All scholars and practitioners interested in the global Indigenous mediascape will want to have access to this excellent volume packed with original contributions from all over the world.”—Harald E. L. Prins, former visual anthropology editor, American Anthropologist, and past president, Society for Visual AnthropologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction: Indigeneity and Indigenous Media on the Global Stage / Pamela Wilson and Michelle Stewart 1 Part I: From Poetics and Politics: Indigenous Media Aesthetics and Style 1. Imperfect Media and the Politics of Indulgence Video in Latin America / Juan Francisco Salazar and Amalia Cordova 39 2. "Lest Others Speak for Us": The Neglected Roots and Uncertain Future of Maori Cinema in New Zealand / Jennifer Gautheir 58 3. Cache: Provisions and Productions in Contemporary Igloolik Video / Cache Collective 74 4. Indigenous Animation: Educational Programming, Narrative Interventions, and Children's Cultures / Joanne Hearne 89 Part II: Indigenous Activism, Advocacy, and Empowerment Through Media 5. Media as our Mirror: Indigenous Media of Burma (Myanmar) / Lisa Brooten 111 6. Transistor Resistors: Native Women's Radio in Canada and the Social Organization of Political Space from Below / Kathleen Buddle 128 7. Weaving a Communication Quilt in Colombia: Civil Conflict, Indigenous Resistance, and Community Radio in Northern Cauca / Mario A. Murillo 145 8. Outside the Indigenous Lens: Zapatistas and Autonomous Videomaking / Alexander Halkin 160 Part III: Cultural Identity, Preservation, and Community-Building Through Media 9. The Search for Well-Being: Placing Development with Indigenous Identity / Laurel Smith 183 10. "To Breathe Two Airs": Empowering Indigenous Sami Media / Sari Pietikainen 197 11. Indigenous Media as an Important Resource for Russia's Indigenous Peoples / Galina Diatchkova 214 12. Indigenous Minority-Language Media: S4C, Cultural Identity, and the Welsh-Language Televisual Community / Ruth McElroy 232 Part IV: New Technologies, Timeless Knowledges: Digital and Interactive Media 13. Recollecting Indigenous Thinking in a CD-ROM / Priscila Faulhaber and Louis Forline 253 14. Digital Tools and the Management of Australian Aboriginal Desert Knowledge / Michael Christie 270 15. Rethinking the Digital Age / Faye Ginsburg 287 References 307 About the Contributors 335 Index 341

Read more less

Book SynopsisArgues that whether depicting transformations of bodies, trucks, finances, relationships, kids, or homes, makeovers depict a self achievable only in the transition from the 'Before-body' to the 'After-body' filled with confidence, coded with celebrity, and imbued with a renewed faith in the powers of meritocracy.Trade Review“Whether or not you’re a fan of What Not to Wear and its ilk, Makeover TV is a great read which raises some serious questions about our society’s obsessions with appearance and conspicuous consumption. Next time I’m staring at my reflection in a department store three-way mirror, I’ll not only be wondering ‘What would Tim Gunn do?’, but also ‘What would Brenda Weber say?’” - Librarian Hot“The book is an engaging work that is as humorous as it is horrifying. While Weber’s very personal conclusion still questions the processes of humiliation and painful surgical procedures endured in the name of reality TV, she remains quietly optimistic about the role of the makeover genre because, after all, we all want to feel better about ourselves.” - Peter C. Pugsley, Media International Australia“[Weber’s] book blends the enthusiasm of a fan who has thought through her own connection to the genre with a high degree of scholarship that will be of considerable value to students and scholars alike. . . . It is the combination of redemption and coercion that make lifestyle such a fascinating genre and Weber’s book such an engaging read.” - Gareth Palmer, Celebrity Studies“Weber sees in these makeover programs a strange new world—or, more accurately, a strange new nation, one where citizenship is available only to those who have made the transition ‘from Before to After.’ . . . Weber’s makeover nation is an eerie place, because no one fully belongs there, and, deep down, everyone knows it.” - Kelefeh Sanneh, The New YorkerMakeovers are everywhere in today’s society, though I had never really given much thought to them until I read Brenda R. Weber’s Makeover TV. Weber points out that we are making over everything: bodies, houses, cars, hair, lifestyles, wardrobes, and even pets. . . . It was a bit scary to realize how right Weber is, and that so much ‘entertainment’ on TV is focused on making people conform to the norm. Makeover TV is a good, eye-opening read.” - Kristin Conard, Feminist Review blog“Makeover TV is a great book and a true pleasure to read. Brenda R. Weber’s treatment of makeover television as a crafting of the self within the broad scope of neoliberalism, postfeminism, and a kind of savvy consumerism is convincing and provocative. Her book is an important contribution to television studies, media studies, feminist theory, and cultural theory.”—Sarah Banet-Weiser, author of Kids Rule!: Nickelodeon and Consumer Citizenship“Makeover TV is a project of striking originality and timeliness, written by a skillful, sure critic. Brenda R. Weber’s analyses are consistently subtle and penetrating.”—Diane Negra, co-editor of Interrogating Postfeminism: Gender and the Politics of Popular Culture“[Weber’s] book blends the enthusiasm of a fan who has thought through her own connection to the genre with a high degree of scholarship that will be of considerable value to students and scholars alike. . . . It is the combination of redemption and coercion that make lifestyle such a fascinating genre and Weber’s book such an engaging read.” -- Gareth Palmer * Celebrity Studies *“The book is an engaging work that is as humorous as it is horrifying. While Weber’s very personal conclusion still questions the processes of humiliation and painful surgical procedures endured in the name of reality TV, she remains quietly optimistic about the role of the makeover genre because, after all, we all want to feel better about ourselves.” -- Peter C. Pugsley * Media International Australia *“Weber sees in these makeover programs a strange new world—or, more accurately, a strange new nation, one where citizenship is available only to those who have made the transition ‘from Before to After.’ . . . Weber’s makeover nation is an eerie place, because no one fully belongs there, and, deep down, everyone knows it.” -- Kelefeh Sanneh * The New Yorker *Makeovers are everywhere in today’s society, though I had never really given much thought to them until I read Brenda R. Weber’s Makeover TV. Weber points out that we are making over everything: bodies, houses, cars, hair, lifestyles, wardrobes, and even pets. . . . It was a bit scary to realize how right Weber is, and that so much ‘entertainment’ on TV is focused on making people conform to the norm. Makeover TV is a good, eye-opening read.” -- Kristin Conard * Feminist Review blog *Table of ContentsIntroduction. Into the Makeover Maze: A Method in the Madness 1 1. Makeover Nation: Americanness, Neoliberalism, and the Citizen-Subject 37 2. Visible Subjects: Economies of Looking, Pedagogies of Shame, Sights of Resistance 81 3. "I'm a Woman Now!" Race, Class, and Femme-ing the Normative 127 4. What Makes the Man? Masculinity and the Self-Made (Over) Man 171 5. Celebrated Selfhood: Reworking Commodification through Reality Celebrity 215 Conclusion. Can This Makeover Be Saved? 253 Notes 267 Bibliography 285 Videography 301 Index 315

Read more less

Book SynopsisRethinks films including Pillow Talk and Rear Window by identifying the apartment plot as a distinct genre, one in which the urban apartment figures as a central narrative device.Trade Review“Wojcik’s insightful analysis, supported by thorough research, contrasts privacy and community, sight and sound, urban and suburban, married and single life, white and African American neighborhoods, and upper- and lower-class milieus. . . . Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above.” - S. R. Kozloff, Choice“With her volume Wojcik deftly connects the apartment plot to social history.She also offers dozens of close readings of films—readings that oftencontradict (or at the very least complicate) conventional wisdom about thosefilms. . . . Wojcik offers an almost encyclopedic account of apartment-centered films, such that any postwar film and media scholar will find Wojcik’s careful analysis useful.” - Kathy M. Newman, American Quarterly“Pamela Robertson Wojcik's intriguing book takes an original approach to Hollywood cinema. Her subject is the apartment as setting, which, in films of the post-war decades, she claims, became a space where ‘a philosophy of urbanism’ could be dramatized ‘at a time when the meaning and status of urban living were undergoing a sea change.’ Wojcik argues persuasively that the ‘apartment plot’ imbues films with recurrent themes that transcend genre and director.” - Alexander Jacoby, Times Literary Supplement“Exhaustively researched and brimming with insightful observations, The Apartment Plot is a gift for those intent on studying the architecture that amps the plotline.” - Michael Dalton, M/C Reviews“Wojcik . . .succeeds in demonstrating the value of focusing on the apartment, and mise-en-scène more generally, as a heuristic device. Doing so enables her to explore continuities between an otherwise diverse body of films, revealing how cinema both represents and participates in the production of discourses about urban architectures and experiences. As such, the volume makes a valuable contribution to our understandings of the relations among cinematic representations, architecture, and everyday life.” - Hilary Radner, Journal of American History“Working with an admirably wide range of additional materials, including periodical and advice literature, advertising, fiction, television, music, building blueprints, and comics . . . Wojcik balances her many disciplines carefully. The book’s overall argument for the ‘apartment story’ as a distinct and important genre, and Wojcik’s embedding of her case studies in migration trends, cultural and social concerns, and shifting ideas about the city and its alternatives is a fresh and convincing addition to studies of postwar media.” - Miriam G. Reumann, The Sixties“The Apartment Plot is an imaginative, thoroughly researched, closely observed, accomplished interdisciplinary work on the mid-century ‘apartment plot’ in American film and, to a lesser but important degree, TV, design, print, and sociology. It is a lively and engaging book that both breaks new ground and renovates existing critical edifices.”—Patricia White, co-author of The Film Experience: An Introduction“Exhaustively researched and brimming with insightful observations, The Apartment Plot is a gift for those intent on studying the architecture that amps the plotline.” -- Michael Dalton * M/C Reviews *“Pamela Robertson Wojcik's intriguing book takes an original approach to Hollywood cinema. Her subject is the apartment as setting, which, in films of the post-war decades, she claims, became a space where ‘a philosophy of urbanism’ could be dramatized ‘at a time when the meaning and status of urban living were undergoing a sea change.’ Wojcik argues persuasively that the ‘apartment plot’ imbues films with recurrent themes that transcend genre and director.” -- Alexander Jacoby * TLS *“With her volume Wojcik deftly connects the apartment plot to social history. She also offers dozens of close readings of films—readings that often contradict (or at the very least complicate) conventional wisdom about those films. . . . Wojcik offers an almost encyclopedic account of apartment-centered films, such that any postwar film and media scholar will find Wojcik’s careful analysis useful.” -- Kathy M. Newman * American Quarterly *“Wojcik . . .succeeds in demonstrating the value of focusing on the apartment, and mise-en-scène more generally, as a heuristic device. Doing so enables her to explore continuities between an otherwise diverse body of films, revealing how cinema both represents and participates in the production of discourses about urban architectures and experiences. As such, the volume makes a valuable contribution to our understandings of the relations among cinematic representations, architecture, and everyday life.” -- Hilary Radner * Journal of American History *“Wojcik’s insightful analysis, supported by thorough research, contrasts privacy and community, sight and sound, urban and suburban, married and single life, white and African American neighborhoods, and upper- and lower-class milieus. . . . Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above.” -- S. R. Kozloff * Choice *“Working with an admirably wide range of additional materials, including periodical and advice literature, advertising, fiction, television, music, building blueprints, and comics . . . Wojcik balances her many disciplines carefully. The book’s overall argument for the ‘apartment story’ as a distinct and important genre, and Wojcik’s embedding of her case studies in migration trends, cultural and social concerns, and shifting ideas about the city and its alternatives is a fresh and convincing addition to studies of postwar media.” -- Miriam G. Reumann * Sixties *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Preface ix Introduction: A Philosophy of Urbanism 1 1. A Primer in Urbanism: Rear Window's Archetypal Apartment Plot 47 2. "We Like Our Apartment": The Playboy Indoors 88 3. The Great Reprieve: Modernity, Femininity, and the Apartment 139 4. The Suburbs in the City: The Housewife and the Apartment 180 5. Movin' On Up: The African American Apartment 220 Epilogue: A New Philosophy for a New Century 267 Notes 279 Bibliography 289 Index 303

Read more less

Book SynopsisA comprehensive analysis of the changing representations of military women in American and British movies and TV programs from the Second World War to the present.Trade Review“All the chapters are impeccably researched and meticulously detailed, but it’s Tasker’s attention to small particulars, the kind many casual observers might miss (such as an offhand reference to a beauty parlor or the importance of costumes in ‘transformation narratives’), and the complicated conclusions she draws, even when the films (or television shows) seem superficial on the surface, that really make the text. . . . Reading Tasker’s analyses of these texts could make many rethink what is considered ‘entertaining’ at the expense of women.” - Catherine Ramsdell, PopMatters“Richly illustrated, the book carefully explains the evolution f the icons, showing the provocation sof women soldiers not only to their collegial male warriors but also to the cultural values of both genders in both countries. . . . Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.” - R. A. Champagne, Choice“I don’t see how anyone can do serious scholarship that involves feminism and/or gender and/or film without having read Tasker.” - Carol Wical, Media International Australia“Attentive to issues of race and class as well as gender, and sensitive to the range of volatile topics associated with the figure of the military woman, including violence, sexuality, and nationality, Soldiers’ Stories conscientiously provides the military woman a well-deserved visibility in cinema and media studies.” - Elaine Roth, Journal of American History“... Soldiers’ Stories does more than fill a gap. It joins a wider discussion on how gendered assumptions persist amid women’s rising presence in the real-life military and other areas of American life. As Tasker aptly puts it, even in our own time “the military woman still requires explanation” (p. 236). Thus the ultimate implication of the work is that purveyors of culture, and presumably much of the public, continue to regard the female soldier as a paradox—not quite a soldier, Tasker tells us, but not quite a woman either.” - Andrew J. Huebener, American Historical Review“[A] provocative and important book…. [A] valuable study, clear in its purpose, and well supported by research…. [Tasker] has written a comprehensive social and cultural history of how we’ve been asked to view women in the military since World War II.” - Jeanine Basinger, Journal of American Studies“Soldiers’ Stories is an important, timely, and eminently readable—and teachable—cultural history. Yvonne Tasker takes the figure of the woman soldier in US and UK popular film and TV as a cultural flashpoint for examining the history of our collective thinking about war, violence, authority, sexuality, female embodiment, and gender trouble in the military.”—Sharon Willis, author of High Contrast: Race and Gender in Contemporary Hollywood Film“What is so valuable about Yvonne Tasker’s investigation of film and TV images of British and American military women is that she doesn’t stop at the end of World War II. She keeps us attentive right through the Korean and Vietnam wars. She makes sure we track the ambivalences and confusions that women in militaries have provoked—among officials, directors, scriptwriters, and audiences—over two generations. I have learned so much from Soldiers’ Stories.”—Cynthia Enloe, author of Nimo’s War, Emma’s War: Making Feminist Sense of the Iraq War“... Soldiers’ Stories does more than fill a gap. It joins a wider discussion on how gendered assumptions persist amid women’s rising presence in the real-life military and other areas of American life. As Tasker aptly puts it, even in our own time “the military woman still requires explanation” (p. 236). Thus the ultimate implication of the work is that purveyors of culture, and presumably much of the public, continue to regard the female soldier as a paradox—not quite a soldier, Tasker tells us, but not quite a woman either.” -- Andrew J. Huebener * American Historical Review *“[A] provocative and important book…. [A] valuable study, clear in its purpose, and well supported by research…. [Tasker] has written a comprehensive social and cultural history of how we’ve been asked to view women in the military since World War II.” -- Jeanine Basinger * Journal of American Studies *“All the chapters are impeccably researched and meticulously detailed, but it’s Tasker’s attention to small particulars, the kind many casual observers might miss (such as an offhand reference to a beauty parlor or the importance of costumes in ‘transformation narratives’), and the complicated conclusions she draws, even when the films (or television shows) seem superficial on the surface, that really make the text. . . . Reading Tasker’s analyses of these texts could make many rethink what is considered ‘entertaining’ at the expense of women.” -- Catherine Ramsdell * PopMatters *“Attentive to issues of race and class as well as gender, and sensitive to the range of volatile topics associated with the figure of the military woman, including violence, sexuality, and nationality, Soldiers’ Stories conscientiously provides the military woman a well-deserved visibility in cinema and media studies.” -- Elaine Roth * Journal of American History *“I don’t see how anyone can do serious scholarship that involves feminism and/or gender and/or film without having read Tasker.” -- Carol Wical * Media International Australia *“Richly illustrated, the book carefully explains the evolution f the icons, showing the provocation sof women soldiers not only to their collegial male warriors but also to the cultural values of both genders in both countries. . . . Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.” -- R. A. Champagne * Choice *Table of ContentsList of Figures ix Acknowledgments xiii A Provocative Presence: Military Women in Visual Culture 1 Part One 19 1. Auxiliary Military Women 23 2. Invisible Soldiers: Representing Military Nursing 71 Part Two 3. Musical Military Women 115 4. Women on Top: Comedy, Hierarchy, and the Military Woman 139 5. Military Women and Service Comedy: M*A*S*H and Private Benjamin 173 Part Three 201 6. Controversy, Celebration, and Scandal: Military Women in the News Media 205 7. Conflict over Combat: Training and Testing Military Women 235 8. Scandalous Stories: Military Women as Victims, Avengers, and Investigators 255 Afterword 277 Notes 281 Bibliography 301 Index 309

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book focuses on the people—such as television set assemblers, talent scouts, and community regulators—who produce television but are not acknowledged as production workers within Hollywoods industrial hierarchies.Trade Review“[T]his volume succeeds in enlarging the scope of television production studies significantly. It should encourage other researchers to cast their net widely.” -- Andrew Spicer * Screening the Past *“Mayer’s studies of television-set assemblers, soft-core cameramen, reality-program casters, and volunteers on television regulatory committees not only draw critical attention to the individuals whose roles, creativities, and values are frequently overlooked, but argues that their contributions to the industry can, and ought to be, viewed as creative and professional…. Mayer’s great contribution to television-production studies is in nudging the field toward a more inclusive and coherent definition of its objects of study. Below the Line provides a thoughtful example of just what stands to be gained by such a move.” -- Nina F. O'Brien * International Journal of Communication *“This is an important if contentious contribution to the evolving field of cultural studies of labour…. Mayer’s invitation to researchers to broaden their understanding of what and where creativity is in television production is extremely useful, as is the provocation to reconsider different workers’ and roles’ value to media industries, and in particular to uncover the invisible labour on which media production relies.” -- Ben Goldsmith * Media International Australia *“There is much to recommend in this book. Although Mayer’s accounts of the challenges faced by Brazilian electronics workers will probably read as all too familiar to readers of this journal, situating these individuals within a context of media production represents a fresh and welcome perspective on the artifacts of popular culture. Her other case studies break new ground in making visible the atomized work worlds of decentralized media industries.” -- Alexander Russo * New Labor Forum *“Vicki Mayer’s book, Below the Line, illuminates some of these critical trends within the context of a broader examination of work in and the production of television…. One major contribution of the book, beyond the insights provided within the individual case studies, is the author’s ability to illuminate how various facets of industry work and worker identity are transforming in the context of industry restructuring and macroeconomic forces.” -- Susan Christopherson * Work and Occupations *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements vii Introduction: Who Are Television's Producers? 1 Part I 1. Producers as Creatives: Creativity in Television Set Production 31 2. Producers as Professionals: Professionalism in Soft-Core Production 66 Part II 3. Sponsoring Selves: Sponsorship in Production 103 4. Regulating Selves: Regulation in Production 139 Conclusion: Rethinking Production Studies in the New Television Economy 175 Notes 187 Bibliography 207 Index 225

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this feminist cultural study of reenactments, Katie King traces the development of a new kind of transmedia storytelling during the 1990s, as a response to the increasing difficulty of reaching large audiences at a time where entertainment media and knowledge production were both being restructured.Trade Review“King... here offers a challenging, meandering take on feminist transdisciplinary posthumanities through the lens of networked reenactment--what one could think of as transmedia storytelling, experiments in communication, and/or epistemological melodramas.... Recommended.” - S.E. Vie, CHOICE Magazine“Theoretically rigorous, these books are also highly pragmatic in recommending activism for social justice…. King bases her argument on factually dense case studies organized in loose chronological order… [T]he organization works well to support historical analysis of a specific period… it is rewarding because her analysis is so trenchant.” - Carol Colatrella, Postmodern Culture“In this lively, thoughtful, and provocative book, Katie King traces the multiple layers and complex intertwined ‘communities of practice’ that assemble around such diverse discursive sites as television programs, academic classes and conferences, museum exhibitions, and other public spectacles. Networked Reenactments leaves the reader with a heightened sense of the possibilities, as well as the limits and dangers, of contemporary knowledge production, of the ways that we collectively make meanings and understand the heritage of the past in the present.”—Steven Shaviro, author of Connected, or What It Means to Live in the Network Society“King... here offers a challenging, meandering take on feminist transdisciplinary posthumanities through the lens of networked reenactment--what one could think of as transmedia storytelling, experiments in communication, and/or epistemological melodramas.... Recommended.” -- S.E. Vie * Choice *“It is often the case that I read a book that inspires me to rethink a particular phenomenon. However, it is rare that a book challenges me to think differently about what it means to think. Katie King's Networked Reenactments accomplishes both things. It is, in significant ways, a very tough act to follow.” -- Joy V. Fuqua * Women's Studies Quarterly *“Theoretically rigorous, these books are also highly pragmatic in recommending activism for social justice…. King bases her argument on factually dense case studies organized in loose chronological order… [T]he organization works well to support historical analysis of a specific period… it is rewarding because her analysis is so trenchant.” -- Carol Colatrella * Postmodern Culture *“A well-researched and convincing series of arguments reminding us that our own esoteric expertise can connect us to many conversations that help us remain relevant in the creation and dissemination of knowledges.” -- Jeanne L. Gillespie * Journal of American Culture *Table of ContentsForeword / Donna Haraway ix Preface. What Are Reenactments in This Book? xv Acknowledgments xix Introduction. A Thick Description amid Authorships, Audiences, and Agencies in the Nineties 1 1. Nationalities, Sexualities, and Global TV: Highlander, Xena, and Meanings of European Union 21 2. Science in American Life: Among the Culture Warriors 59 3. TV and the Web Come Together 129 4. Scholars and Intellectual Entrepreneurs 203 Conclusion. Toward a Feminist Transdisciplinary Posthumanities 273 Notes 301 Bibliography 335 Index 351

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this study of Alfred Hitchcock's two television series, Jan Olsson demonstrates how Hitchcock created a personal brand build on his large body, gastronomical proclivities, and teh manipulation of bodies and food, which allowed him to mark is creative oeuvre as strictly his own.Trade Review“Olsson shines a valuable light on Hitchcock’s television work (which may be unfamiliar to today’s audiences). . . .” -- Stephen Rees * Library Journal *"Olsson's witty and playful analysis should send readers scurrying to the box sets. Olsson offers us many toothsome delights on such subjects as the difference between English and American murders, typing and casting against type, doubles and vetriloquism, framing and mirroring and 'momism' (the modern cult of motherhood) and the depiction of women...Olsson is well versed in semiotics and modern critical theory, but he writes in a way that should entice the general reader." -- Christopher Silverster * TLS * “Olsson’s research is impressive. He writes well. The book is delicious. Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers.” -- W. A. Vincent * Choice *"After over 100 books and countless tributes written about and to Alfred Hitchcock, Jan Olsson’s Hitchcock a la Carte is a refreshing change of pace. ...Olsson’s superbly researched book heads off in a different direction, one sure to be of interest to fans of Hitchcock’s thrilling foray into television that resulted in Alfred Hitchcock Presents and then The Alfred Hitchcock Hour." -- Michael Dalton * M/C Reviews *"[Olsson’s book] excels by virtue of its incisive historiography, illuminating biographical detail, and sharp-eyed cultural analysis. Hitchcock a la Carte is a first-rate achievement by any measure." -- David Sterritt * Quarterly Review of Film and Video *"Jan Olsson definitely has a mind for the analysis of television, a gift even. Even with the bulk of Hitchcock material out there, this fresh perspective gives Hitchcock fans something new to sink their teeth into. Overall, the book is a fine multi-course meal that brings all sorts of new tastes and senses to explore." -- Romana Guillotte * Popular Culture Review *"Jan Olsson has shown in great detail how Hitchcock consistently manipulated celebrity gossip in order to project the image of a creative genius who was as much 'prankster' as 'master craftsman'. The biggest prank of all was his own body. Despite periodic bouts of binge-dieting, Hitchcock remained until the end of his life mountainously fat. In the mid-1930s, as his ambitions turned increasingly towards a career in Hollywood, he began to parlay his corpulence - and the appetites which had brought it about - into an instantly recognisable public persona. 'His film fame, food reputation, and fabulous physicality were supreme assets,' Olsson observes, 'when he signed up for Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1955, on the cusp of Hollywood's television era.'" -- David Trotter * London Review of Books *"Although Hitchcock’s obsession with food has been noted and commented upon in previous scholarly works, none has focussed on it exclusively as Professor Jan Olsson has done in Hitchcock à la Carte. What makes his book a significant addition to the research into the less populated areas of the Hitchcock oeuvre is that he spends considerable time on many of the individual episodes of his two long-running television series." -- Colin Shindler * Journal of American Studies *"...Olsson’s Hitchcock à la Carte marks both an important contribution to the existing literature on Hitchcock and an original approach to a still under-researched aspect not only of Hitchcock’s oeuvre, but of film culture more generally." -- Vinzenz Hediger * Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television *"Olsson’s study of the relationship between Hitchcock and the press is meticulous, as he thoroughly researches the media content of the time, noting countless instances where Hitchcock’s dietary habits and weight were used for promotion. . . . Olsson’s study succeeds in noting the many different connections between Hitchcock’s brand image and television work." -- Melenia Arouh * European Journal of American Studies *"[Olsson's] decision to be highly selective and provocative rather than exhaustive in considering the Hitchcock corpus . . . provides a wonderfully refreshing aperitif to those who will turn its final page with a sigh of pleasure." -- Thomas Leitch * Hitchcock Annual *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction. A Body for All Seasons 1 1. Feeding the Legend 13 Interlude 1. Tasty Bodies 63 2. Smaller Screen, Bigger Brand: Hosting "Hitchcock" 69 Interlude 2. Double Hosting 109 3. Hitchcockian Reflections: Traces, Proxies, Doubles, and Corpses 117 Conclusion. Violent Endings with a Twist 183 Appendix. Director Credits for Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour 215 Notes 219 Selected Bibliography 245 Index 253

Read more less

Book SynopsisTania Lewis, Fran Martin, and Wanning Sun analyze the complex social and cultural significance of lifestyle television programming in China, India, Taiwan, and Singapore, showing how it adds insight into late Asian modernity, media cultures, and broad shifts in the nature of private life, identity, citizenship, and social engagement.Trade Review"Telemodernities is a valuable addition to a growing body of scholarship.... A fascinatingly detailed comparative study of lifestyle television in China, India, and Taiwan, the book seeks to decenter the normative modernity of the West, interrogating instead the role television plays in constituting and interpreting multiple 'modernities.'" -- Tilottama Karlekar * Feminist Media Studies *"The scope of the book is expansive, covering all three aspects of media studies: production, content, and audience analysis. The thick description helps immensely with the goal of showing how modernities are interpreted, negotiated, and confronted in nuanced ways...." -- Yang Bai * International Journal of Communication *"[Telemodernities] provides a convincing comparative and nuanced analysis of how lifestyle TV filters conflicting ideologies. . . . This book offers groundbreaking comparative work on South Asian television." -- Daniel Keyes * Critical Studies in Television *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction: Telemodernities 1 1. Lifestyle Television in Context: Media Industries, Cultural Economies, and Genre Flows 25 2. Local versus Metropolitan Television in China: Stratification of Needs, Taste, and Spatial Imagination 52 3. Here, There, and Everywhere: Mediascapes, Geographic Imaginaries, and Indian Television 82 4. Imagining Global Mobility: TLC Taiwan 106 5. Gurus, Babas, and Daren: Popular Experts on Chinese and Indian Advice TV 126 6. Magical Modernities: Spiritual Advice TV in India and Taiwan 157 7. Risky Romance: Navigating Late Modern Identities and Relationships on Chinese and Indian Lifestyle TV 196 8. A Self to Believe In: Negotiating Femininities in Sinophone Lifestyle Advice TV 222 Conclusion: Negotiating Modernities through Lifestyle Television 254 Notes 271 Works Cited 281 Index 305

Read more less

Book SynopsisCharlotte Brunsdon traces television's representations of Paris, London, and Baltimore to show how they reflect the medium's history and evolution, thereby challenging the prevalent assumptions about television as quintessentially suburban and showing how television shapes our perception of urban spaces, both familiar and unknown.Trade Review"A well written and well researched book that opens new prospects for television researchers on the history and the future of the medium." -- Nahuel Ribke * H-France, H-Net Reviews *"Television Cities is relatively short . . . but it packs in a wide range of thought-provoking issues without losing its focus. . . . An engaging and rewarding read for anybody interested in fictions for small, and not-so-small, screens. It will no doubt succeed in its aim of encouraging debate in these domains." -- Robin Nelson * Critical Studies in Television *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction: Does the Flâneur Watch Television 1 1. The Modernity of Maigret's Paris 24 2. Living-Room London 65 3. Portable Cities: Baltimore 116 Notes 165 Bibliography 195 Index 211

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Brazilian television industry is one of the most productive and commercially successful in the world. At the forefront of this industry is TV Globo and its production of standardized telenovelas, which millions of Brazilians and viewers from over 130 countries watch nightly. Eli Lee Carter examines the field of television production by focusing on the work of one of Brazil's greatest living directors, Luiz Fernando Carvalho. Through an emphasis on Carvalho's thirty-plus year career working for TV Globo, his unique mode of production, and his development of a singular aesthetic as a reaction to the dominant telenovela genre, Carter sheds new light on Brazilian television's history, its current state, and where it is goingas new legislation and technology push it increasingly toward a post-network era.Trade ReviewA groundbreaking discussion about the work Luiz Fernando Carvalho, one of the most imaginative artists in the Brazilian audiovisual field. Carter’s book considers all of Carvalho’s successful and polemical career, analyzing the innovations he brought to the small and the big screen and revealing the intricate interconnections between television, film, literature, theater, and politics in contemporary Brazil."" - Hélio Guimarães, University of São Paulo""Carter’s book offers a richly textured account of the professional practices that govern commercial Brazilian television, and the major role Carvalho has played in shaping the aesthetic conventions of prime-time serialized dramas and series. A must-read for scholars and nonscholars alike."" - Cacilda Rêgo, Utah State University

Read more less