The television history book / edited by Michele Hilmes ; associate editor, Jason Jacobs.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [141]-153) and index.

Introduction: TV Nations / Michele Hilmes -- Technologies -- Introduction / Michele Hilmes -- Television's Prehistory: Radio (The Origins of the Soap Opera) / David Hendy -- The Development of Television (High Definition Television 1969-90) / Brian Winston -- Cable, Satellite and the Challenge of Digital Media (Digital Distribution, Intellectual Property and the End of TV as We Know It?) / Michele Hilmes -- The Internet: From Cold War to Commercialisation / Clare Bratten -- Institutions: From Origins to Stability -- Introduction / Michele Hilmes -- The Origins of Public Service Broadcasting (British Television before the War) / Glen Creeber -- The Origins of Commercial Broadcasting in the US / Michele Hilmes -- Post-War Television in Britain: BBC and ITV (Grace Wyndham Goldie -- Jason Jacobs) / Tim O'Sullivan -- Establishment of the US Television Networks (The 'Other' Networks) / Matthew Murray -- Competition and Change in British Television (Television in Wales 1960-80) / Jamie Medhurst -- The 'Classic Network System' in the US (Genre Cycles: Innovation, Imitation, Saturation / Jason Mittell -- Institutions: Conflict and Change -- Introduction / Michele Hilmes -- Channel Four and the Redefining of Public Service Broadcasting (Jeremy Isaacs -- First Chief Executive of Channel Four (1981-7) / Sylvia Harvey -- Public Television and Public Access in the US (Paper Tiger Television) / Daniel Marcus -- Satellite, Cable and New Channels in the UK (Rupert Murdoch) / Tom O'Malley -- US Television in the Multichannel Age (Protectionism, Deregulation and The Telecommunications Act of 1996) / Michele Hilmes -- Programming: 1950s-80s -- Introduction / Michele Hilmes -- Early Television in Great Britain (The Coronation) / Jason Jacobs -- Experimental and Live Television in the US (Studio One, 'The Hospital') / Jason Jacobs -- ITV: 1955-89: Populism and Experimentation (Mystery and Imagination) / Helen Wheatley -- The 'Youth Revolution' and American Television (The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour [CBS, 1967-9]) / Aniko Bodroghkozy -- The BBC Adapts to Competition (Zircon) / Tom O'Malley -- US Networks in the 1970s and 80s (Charlie's Angels) / Elana Levine -- Programming: New Venues, New Forms -- Introduction / Michele Hilmes -- Channel Four: Innovation in Form and Content? / John Ellis -- Quality Drama in the US: The New 'Golden Age'? (China Beach) / Jane Feuer -- The 1990s: Quality or Dumbing Down? (Makeover Shows) / Rachel Moseley -- New US Networks in the 1990s (Married...with Children) / Alisa Perren -- Satellite and Cable Programmes in the UK (All Aussie Weekender: Sky One Down Under) / Ros Jennings -- US Television Abroad: Exporting Culture (Baywatch) / Lisa Parks -- The Global Television Format Trade (Big Brother) / Albert Moran -- Audiences -- Introduction / Michele Hilmes -- From Network to Neo-Network Audiences / Michael Curtin -- From Mass to Meanings (Citizens and Consumers) / Justin Lewis -- The Ratings System and Its Effects (The A. C. Nielsen Company) / Eileen R. Meehan -- The Television Violence Debates (The V-Chip) / Willard D. Rowland, Jr. -- Audiences and the Internet (Xena and Buffy Fans) / Allison McCracken.