Television

Yes, I definitely, FONDLY, remember this PBS documentary mini-series. (In fact, when it originally aired, I was a braniac high-school frosh, and I actually taped all eight installments. Alas, I taped it on a T-160, SLP speed, and eventually I wore it out!) Apparently, it wasn't too widely seen outside of the academic setting; the only references I could find to the series when I searched for it on Google were related to university journalism courses: in lectures and syllabi "suggested additional material". What I wouldn't give to get my hands on a set of the tapes today! (I did find a copy of the companion book, by Michael Winship, available used at alibris.)

Because of rights issues, this was only telecast on PBS during three different release periods (A release period being anytime during the course of a week) over three years. The money did not exist for re-upping rights to further showings nor were we allowed to release it as a home video or for any other ancillary uses.

The Paley Centers in New York and Los Angeles have copies of all eight episodes. And as mentioned, secondhand copies of my book are still available online. Nor have any attempts been made to update either the series or book -- a daunting prospect I leave to others. In any case, it was a fascinating experience to make it.

To the best of my recollection it was only aired once and does not appear to be available for purchase in any format, which is a shame.

This documentary was aired on PBS back in the late 80's, in eight, hour-long installments telling the story of broadcast television- from its birth (anyone remember the images of Felix the Cat or the Fred Waring singers and orchestra?) to modern times (perhaps the first incarnations of cable TV- HBO, SHOWTIME, etc.). It included many clips from the infamous news stories- 'breaking' items of the Kennedy and King assassinations; presidential campaign elections; the World, Korean, and Vietnam wars- to entertainment shows: sitcoms, dramatic anthologies like KRAFT TELEVISION THEATRE (showing the Rod Serling classic 'Patterns') and PLAYHOUSE 90 ("introducing" Robert Redford!!), and musical variety shows from Ed Sullivan, Barbra Streisand, and a 60-something Fred Astaire dancing with Barrie Chase. It also gave an in-depth time line of television: origins from Philo Farnsworth, RCA's David Sarnoff and Russian immigrant Vladimir Zworykin; the 1939 TV address from President Roosevelt, and the wartime 'freeze' on marketing of the new contraption (which would not lift until 1946). It was a stunning documentary, breezily narrated by NBC's Edwin Newman, and probably contains more vintage footage of early television than any other documentary I've seen. Any light to shed on where or how this documentary can be found would be greatly appreciated.