“Sometimes television is a theatre; sometimes it’s a newsroom; sometimes it’s a movie house; sometimes it’s a sports stadium; and sometimes it’s a chapel.” Don Hewitt, executive producer of “Sixty Minutes”

Why Study Television? In the United States: 99 percent own one or more TVs 92 percent own a VCR or a DVD player 76 percent are wired for cable or satellite 51 percent own 3 or more TVs Over million households watch TV Americans watch over 7 hours per day

Why Study Television? Television is a powerful communications medium that can reach hundreds of millions of people simultaneously. Television allows people to share common experiences and witness history. Television can entertain, educate, inform and persuade.

Television... Affects our moral, political and religious beliefs Affects our speech, our dress, our buying habits, our lifestyle Reflects American culture throughout the world “We shall stand or fall by television – of that I am quite sure.” – E.B. White, 1944

Class Goals Provide an understanding of how the television industry works Critically analyze the role television plays in our society Explore and discuss current issues in television.