Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television 2nd Edition

by Erik Barnouw (Author)

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ISBN-13: 978-0195064841

ISBN-10: 0195064844

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Based on the classic History of Broadcasting in the United States, Tube of Plenty represents the fruit of several decades' labor. When Erik Barnouw--premier chronicler of American broadcasting and a participant in the industry for fifty years--first undertook the project of recording its
history, many viewed it as a light-weight literary task concerned mainly with "entertainment" trivia. Indeed, trivia such as that found in quiz programs do appear in the book, but Barnouw views them as part of a complex social tapestry that increasingly defines our era.
To understand our century, we must fully comprehend the evolution of television and its newest extraordinary offshoots. With this fact in mind, Barnouw's new edition of Tube of Plenty explores the development and impact of the latest dramatic phases of the communications revolution.
Since the first publication of this invaluable history of television and how it has shaped, and been shaped by, American culture and society, many significant changes have occurred. Assessing the importance of these developments in a new chapter, Barnouw specifically covers the decline of the
three major networks, the expansion of cable and satellite television and film channels such as HBO (Home Box Office), the success of channels catering to special audiences such as ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) and MTV (Music Television), and the arrival of VCRs in America's
living rooms. He also includes an appendix entitled "questions for a new millennium," which will challenge readers not only to examine the shape of television today, but also to envision its future.

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Editorial Reviews

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"On of the better texts on the history of TV. The writing is emotive and well informed. Students read this text with interest and many comment on its excellence."--William Prior, Ramapo College

"Tube of Plenty has established itself as a book that every student of communications must read. It is also a book that every American citizen should read."--David Marc, Annenberg School of Communication, University of Southern California

Praise for previous editions:

"A major achievement."--The Philadelphia Inquirer

"By condensing his scholarly three-volume History of Broadcasting in the United States into a revised and updated paperback...Barnouw has produced an authoritative, well-informed, and highly readable account of the growth and present status of radio and television."--Backstage

"A master of the on-point anecdote, Barnouw has provided us with an eminently readable guide to the forces and personalities, both on and off the air, that developed this nation's system of broadcasting. It is well worth turning off the set for three hours to read."--Fred Friendly, former
President, CBS News

"One of the most complete works on [television], a true history in the exact meaning of the word, thorough, and remarkably up-to-date."--Film Library Quarterly

"Still the finest, most readable history of early TV we have."--Richard Gross, University of Wyoming

"An excellent historical introduction to television's emergence in modern American life and culture. Useful for the undergraduate student interested in media/culture studies."--Mark Kosinski, Bradford College

"The best single-volume history of radio and TV in this country."--The New York Times Book Review

"The best single-volume history of television ever written."--Nathan Angell, Brown University

"Barnouw's classic on the evolution of American television is a book worthy of n encore. In Tube, Barnouw achieves the most challenging of feats for a writer--he ennobles without pontificating. And he is as welcoming to the uninitiated as he is respectful of the well informed....With graceful and
insightful storytelling, Barnouw also vividly illustrates how the medium's maturation has been intertwined with the course of American history. It's a brilliant stroke....With masterly elegance he crafts a compelling narrative tht simultaneously documents and evaluates television's past and gives
us a framework for engaging the future. Understandably, every scholar examining TV history cites Erik Barnouw."--Television Quarterly

"A condensation of much of the material in his monumental three-volume History of Broadcasting in the United States....Tube of Plenty is ideal for undergraduate reading....His is solid libertarian history based on careful reading of primary sources, years of work in the Library of Congress Motion
Picture, Broadcast, and Sound Division, and enormous skill in synthesizing huge amounts of material....Barnouw devotes a lot of space to the notion of White House news management. Just the chronology of that issue alone would make an important unit for an undergraduate history class."--American
Journalism

"The best general history of television available. An integrated social-institutional-content history. It doesn't fall into the traps of simplistic technological determination, nor does it ignore the importance of the industrial organization and development of the medium."--Michael Griffin,
University of Minnesota

"Lively, detailed and briskly written, this panoramic survey is the best I know. Accessible to undergraduates as well as more advanced students."--Stuart Liebman, Queens College, CUNY

"Excellent."--Raymond Foery, Quinnipioc College

About the Author

Erik Barnouw, Professor Emeritus of Dramatic Arts at Columbia University, co-founded and chaired Columbia's Film Division for many years. He also helped to organize, and headed, the Writers Guild of America. He is Editor in Chief of the International Encyclopedia of Communications and the author
of several books, including Indian Film (with S. Krishnaswamy) and The Magician and the Cinema.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 2nd edition (May 31, 1990)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 624 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0195064844
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195064841
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.16 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 5.35 x 1.22 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #401,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #167 in Film & Television
- #197 in International Relations (Books)
- #290 in TV History & Criticism

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A. Howard

Erik Barnouw - King of Braodcast History

Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2014

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"Tube of Plenty" is a condensation of Mr. Barnouw's three volume "History of Broadcasting" in the United States, updated to cover 1970-1989. "Plenty" does not replace "History", but if you have trouble justifying $300.00 for the three volume set "Plenty" is a passable stand-in. A word of caution, while Barnouw's grasp of the subject is unparalleled and he has a great writing style, his histories are not for those with only a casual interest. He goes into significant detail and covers the social, business and political environment that shaped the growth of broadcasting in the U.S. But if you have an interest going back to the end of the 19th century (Marconi) and through most of the 20th (1989) this is your book and your author. Mr. Barnouw died in July, 2001 (93). A great loss and his knowledge, wit and style are missed.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Well Written, great textbook Substitute!

Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2013

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I had to read this book for a class and I was pleasantly pleased about the product. He gave a very thorough account on broadcasting up until the book was written. Some parts he had some tendencies to drag on, but for the most part he did a good job of even keeping a 19 year old girl like me engaged. He really tackled the facts well and sought to make them interesting, just went off on the occasional tangents. I especially appreciated that he remained neutral on matters of major controversy, just stating straight fact and not enforcing his opinion, especially with the emergence of politics, which was necessary as politics is a big part of the broadcast world.

2 people found this helpful

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Gabriel Morales

Great quality cover and page but boring

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2020

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Boring book, not Amazon's fault

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Kitchens97

Good, in depth read on the history of television

Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2016

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While the book does go into more detail than it needs to. You can expect this book not to skip any important details. I got this book because it was required for my class, but I do find it's desciptive telling on how television has evolved from radio to what it is now to be fascinating. While that could just be because of my love for television and film, I still rate this book a 4/5.

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Tom

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2018

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Very good book -- as much about television as it is about Amercian history. Quite long!

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Jay

Excellent product and seller.

Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2014

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Excellent product and seller.

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KC Cotton

Fascinating History

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2011

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It's amazing to understand the media's roll in the history of our country. Quite relevant today with the whole Murdock issue. I would suggest that anyone wanting to understand the issues of the day provide themselves with this background.

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Roberto Raimundez

Educated 🤯

Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2019

Verified Purchase

Great reading intro to television

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Leonardo Di Marino Azevedo

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 28, 2014

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Excellent

Ignacio Mireles Rangel

Opinión

Reviewed in Mexico on August 28, 2017

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Un buen recuento sobre una parte muy importante de la historia de la televisión en los Estados Unidos. Imprescindible para quien quiera conocer no sólo el recuento de los avances técnicos sino que también busque entender las razones por las que la televisión llegó a constituirse en parte fundamental de la sociedad actual.

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CAROLIN

Sehr schnell geliefert

Reviewed in Germany on August 16, 2013

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Gute Qualität und prompte Lieferung. Dachte nicht, dass die Lieferung so schnell kommt. Sehr guter Service. Würde wieder dort bestellen.

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Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television 2nd Edition

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