Television in America

Now in its second edition, Television in America is a concise, readable analysis of the influence of television on the manners and mores of the American viewing public. The heart of the volume is the synthesis of three modes of thought - empirical research, theory, and speculative extrapolation - synthesizing three decades of research by psychologists, sociologists, political behaviouralists and mass communication researchers. Its lucidity, topicality and breadth make it ideal as a core text or supplemental reading in classes in television, mass communication and popular culture. This new, substantially revised edition has updated statistics, issues, and topics, including description and analysis of emerging technologies. The author has given greater attention to the political, social and economic foces shaping television. There is explicit historical coverage of the development of the three major programming genres - entertainment, news and sports. The growth of television is described by three stages - early years, maturity and rebirth - in each of which distinctive major technological developments, competitive forces, audience behaviour, and programming are identified. The second edition of Television in America will be welcome as a brief, introductory or supplementary text for the continuing study of the topic with emphasis on the social and behavioural sciences as sources of evidence, but within a broadened historical and cultural framework.Comstock, George is the author of 'Television in America' with ISBN 9780803933392 and ISBN 0803933398.