This powerful history of broadcasting in the United States goes beyond traditional accounts to explore the field's important social, political, and cultural ramifications.

It examines how broadcasting has been organized as a business throughout much of the 20th century, and focuses on the aesthetics of programming over the years

• Surveys four key broadcasting periods from 1921 to 1996, drawing on a range of new sources to examine recent changes in the field, including coverage of the recent impact of cable TV and home video
• Includes new data from collections at the Library of Congress and the Library of American Broadcasting
• Ideal for anyone seeking a readable history of the field, offering the most current coverage available