Overview

From its earliest beginnings, television was destined to become one of the great new forces at work in the twentieth century. This new edition (which includes six completely new chapters) greatly expands the original and unique historical coverage of this most influential cultural phenomenon. Written by a distinguished international team of specialists, the book describes the history of television from its technical conception in the nineteenth century right through to the bewildering multi-media developments of the present. Alongside this historical account, chapters provide important discussion of the central debates affecting television world-wide, from America, Canada, and Britain to Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, China, South Asia, the Arab world, Australia, Africa, and the Third World. All genres of programme making --news, sport, drama, comedy --are examined in the light of key questions: how viewing practices affect particular societies; how standards of taste and decency are arrived at; the influence of television of government power; the role of public service broadcasting; and the relationship of television to terrorism and violence. A thought-provoking Epilogue ponders the likely impact and influence of television in the coming years. This book is accessibly written and is a major exploration of the world's most dominant medium. QUOTES FROM THE FIRST EDITION `Those who wish to take a close look at the way television has affected the lives of people in other countries as well as their own will find all the information they need here . . . a work which will earn its keep in the reference libraries, but also merits a place on the bookshelves of individuals.' THES `For those desiring to fully understand the medium that has dominated the later twentieth century.' The Business of Film `What a terrific assembly of contributors to document an international story of television . . . so many outstanding features in this book . . . an important addition to documenting the global story of television in a single volume.' Journalism History

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9780198159285

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Those who wish to take a close look at the way television has affected the lives of people in other countries as well as their own will find all the information they need here ... a work which will earn its keep in the reference libraries, but also merits a place on the bookshelves of individuals. * THES *

Hitler and Lord Reith were the first arbiters of television's usage; today we have to accept what international moguls like Rupert Murdoch think is good for us. And we still don't know quite how it affects us. As Anthony Smith points out in the introduction to this wide-ranging examination of television's worldwide impact, 'many have tried but no one has yet succeeded in distilling the essence of the nature of its influence'. This book does much to redress the balance, with especially interesting chapters on television and family life, terrorism and the Third World. Read it, and you'll never watch EastEnders - or News at Ten - in quite the same way again. (Kirkus UK)

Those who wish to take a close look at the way television has affected the lives of people in other countries as well as their own will find all the information they need here ... a work which will earn its keep in the reference libraries, but also merits a place on the bookshelves of individuals. THES

Author Information

Anthony Smith is President of Magdalen College, Oxford. Richard Paterson is Head of the Information and Education Division at the British Film Institute.

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