Description
Book SynopsisTo understand American popular culture, we need to come to grips with the enormous role that television has played in shaping that culture over the past sixty years. In this timely and provocative book, Jason Mittell provides students with a uniquely thorough look at the medium of television. Exploring television at once as a technological medium, an economic system, a facet of democracy, and a part of everyday life, this landmark text uses numerous sidebars and case studies to demonstrate the past, immediate, and far-reaching effects of American culture on television--and television's influence on American culture. Arranged topically, the book provides a broad historical overview of television while also honing in on such finer points as the formal attributes of its various genres and its role in gender and racial identity formation. Replete with examples, this pedagogically rich text includes many end-of-chapter case studies and narratives with suggestions for further reading--and, appropriately, viewing. Illustrations and photographs--primarily DVD grabs--contextualize historical footage and older television programs that may not be familiar to younger students. A multi-disciplinary approach to American television, Television and American Culture is ideal for an array of intermediate undergraduate- and beginning graduate-level courses, including: * Television Criticism * Television & American Culture * Television & Society * Introduction to Media Studies * American Popular Culture * Radio & TV * History of Mass Communication * Broadcasting & Broadcast Programming For more information about this book, including updates, corrections, links, videos, and teaching resources, visit the companion website at http://tvamericanculture.net.
Trade ReviewA terrific introduction to the study of television, this textbook masterfully integrates a look at American television's industrial practices, its genres and narrative strategies, and its cultural roles. Professors will find this textbook comprehensive and well-organized, while students will find it engaging and provocative. * Ethan Thompson, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi *
Mittell brings much needed energy to television studies * a well-rounded treatment of television as culture, industry, form, production, and technology.Anandam Kavoori, University of Georgia *
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Why Television? SECTION 1: TELEVISION INSTITUTIONS 1. Exchanging Programming 2. Exchanging Audiences 3. Serving the Public Interest 4. Televised Citizenship SECTION 2: TELEVISION MEANINGS 5. Making Meanings 6. Telling Television Stories 7. Screening America 8. Representing Identity SECTION 3: TELEVISION PRACTICES 9. Viewing Television 10. Television for Children 11. Television's Transforming Technologies Conclusion: American Television in a Global Context
