Reading television

New Accents

by John Fiske, John Hartley

"How is it that television has come to play such an important role in our culture? What does TV tell us, and how do we make sense of its content? How does what's on telly relate to the culture of the people watching it? What is it that we find so satisfying in the format of TV crime shows, or in quiz or sports programmes, that we enjoy watching them again and again? Reading Television addresses these questions, providing a sympathetic but systematic method of analysis from which critical readings of television can be made." The book's overall approach - recognizable now as cultural studies - became widely influential when Reading Television was first published in 1978, and it continues to shape the field internationally. In this edition, John Hartley reflects on the development of television studies since then and provides invaluable new suggestions for further reading. His fascinating foreword both underlines and ensures the continuing relevance of this foundational text, which provides the ideal entry point for anyone wanting to understand the place of television within contemporary culture.

Genres: Nonfiction, Film, Tv, Academic

223 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

John Fiske (born 1939) is a media scholar who has taught around the world. He was a Professor of Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His areas of interest include cultural studies, popular culture, media semiotics and television studies. He is the author of eight books, including Power Plays, Power Works (1993), Understanding Popular Culture (1989), Reading the Popular (1989), and the influential Television Culture (1987). Fiske also acts as a media critic, examining how cultural meaning is created in American society, and how debates over issues such as race are handled in different media. In May 2008, Fiske received an Honorary Degree from the University of Antwerp.

Reviews

[Lor-El · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Skyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I checked out Reading Television because it is regarded as one of the first books written on television and critical theory. The books is an amazing show of research, and is really well thought out. I particularly liked the sections on "Dance," "Bardic Television," and "Competition." It would be interesting to know how Fiske and Hartley feel about reality television and blockbuster television today. Sometimes, however, the book can be quite dry, and it does focus a lot on some old television shows, which I wish it did more of, and I wish it could be a little more focused at times, providing more examples and a breadth of examples. This being said, it truly is a fascinating early examination of television and the role it plays in our lives.

[Eleni · Rating 5 out of 5]

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