Cultural History of Television (411-0-20)

Instructors

Lynn B Spigel

Meeting Info

Annie May Swift Hall 109: Mon 1:00PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

This course explores the history of television, focusing on the US network broadcast era (especially 1950-1990) through to transnational digital streaming. The course will provide background into the events surrounding the emergence of TV as a technology, industry, and cultural form, and we will consider the vast changes in the medium during the contemporary streaming era. We'll study the history of programming genres and narrative forms, and we will especially concentrate on TV's relationship to society and social change since the 1950s. The course interweaves historical contexts of television with theoretical concerns about TV's relationship to social identity, social movements, political activism, and audiences. Readings include histories and theories of teelvision--supplied on canvas or in library--and screenings in class, and canvas.

Learning Objectives

The student will know the major history and theories of television and its social/political significance; the student will know how to conduct a research project and paper relevant to tv and media history

Class Materials (Required)

streaming TV content--not more than 50 dollars