Chapter 5: Television and the Power of Visual Culture

Chapter Five is about television: the history and technology behind it, and its social, cultural, and economical impacts. The idea of the television was expanded upon way before it became popular with homes in the United States. The invention of the cathode ray tube in the late 1800s was an important predecessor for the television to evolve into what it is today. in 1927, the young Philo Farnsworth was able to transmit the first TV picture electronically and finally patented the first television three years later.
It is interesting to read about sponsorship with television programs and how it ultimately came to a halt, as well as the impact of quiz-show scandals. I liked how the book separated television programs into three main categories: comedy, drama, and news. The book pointed out that many of the popular programs out today are different variations of the same shows that have been on since the early years of television. I also found the case study of the anatomy of a TV "Failure" to be funny and accurate.
Another thing that surprised me was the impact of a simple show like Sesame Street which has always been around: it was able to break down racial, ethnic, and class barriers.