Understanding Television offers an introduction to some of the issues of television broadcasting and its main genres. It examines a number of programme categories, such as news, drama-documentary, sit-com, soap opera, sport and quizzes, and discusses aspects of the history of the organisation of television, its audiences and its future; it also looks at some key conceptual debates about hegemony in contemporary television

Music video is one of the most important emergent cultural forms in contemporary popular culture. It has had a profound impact both on music, fashion, and youth culture and on the codes and forms that operate across television, film, and advertising. But until now, criticism has denied the specific nature of the form and its cultural history.
"Sound and Vision" is the first significant collection of new and classic texts on video, bringing together some of the leading international cultural and music critics writing today. Addressing one of the most controversial forms of popular culture in the contemporary world, the book confronts simple interpretations of music television -- as promotional vehicles, filmic images, postmodern culture -- to offer a bold understanding of its place in pop music, television, and the media industries. It moves beyond such early preoccupations as whether videos are promotions, songs, or mini-films, or whether they representthe destruction or salvation of pop music. "Sound and Vision" acknowledges the history of the commercial status of pop music, as well as its complex relations with other media, to offer a refreshing interpretation which takes both music and video seriously. It will be an essential text for students of popular music and popular culture.

Addressing one of the most controversial forms of popular culture in the contemporary world, Sound and Vision confronts easy interpretations of music video - as promotional vehicles, filmic images, postmodern culture - to offer a new and bold understanding of its place in pop music, television and the media industries. _ Sound and Vision is the first significant collection of new and classic texts on video and brings together some of the leading international cultural and music critics writing today. The book acknowledges the history of the commercial status of pop music as a whole, as well as its complex relations with other media, to offer a new and refreshing interpretation which takes both terms - music and video - seriously. Sound and Vision will be an essential text for students of popular music and popular culture. _ The editors: Lawrence Grossberg is a Professor of Speech Communications and Criticism and Interpretive Theory at the University of Illinois. Simon Frith is a Professor of English at Strathclyde University and co-director of the John Logie Baird centre. Andrew Goodwin is a lecturer in the Department of Broadcast Communication Arts at San Francisco State University. _ The contributors: Jody Berland, Mark Fenster, Simon Firth, Andrew Goodwin, Lawrence Grossberg, Lisa Lewis, Kobena Mercer, Leslie Savan, Will Straw, Robert Walser e Savan, Will Straw, Robert Walser _ Readership: Communication, media and cultural studies

Classic sociological analyses of 'deviance' and rebellion; studies of technology; subcultural and feminist readings, semiotic and musicological essays and close readings of stars, bands and the fans themselves by Adorno, Barthes and other well-known contributors

Understanding Television offers an introduction to some of the issues of television broadcasting and its main genres. It examines a number of programme categories, such as news, drama-documentary, sit-com, soap opera, sport and quizzes, and discusses aspects of the history of the organisation of television, its audiences and its future; it also looks at some key conceptual debates about hegemony in contemporary television

Classic sociological analyses of 'deviance' and rebellion; studies of technology; subcultural and feminist readings, semiotic and musicological essays and close readings of stars, bands and the fans themselves by Adorno, Barthes and other well-known contributors