Americans’ first introduction to television was the World’s Fair of 1939. It was not until the 1950s, however, that TVs became more affordable. The programming really took shape during the late 1940s and 1950s, which has been called the “Golden Age” of television. One of the most popular TV shows was I Love Lucy, followed by quiz shows such as The $64000 Question. It later turned out that a number of the quiz shows were rigged—the contestants were given the answers. The public soon lost interest and many of these shows were pulled from the lineup. Another great moment in TV was the live debates between presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Historians claim that the debate significantly influenced the voters. Another major event broadcasted on TV was the Kennedy assassination and the killing of Lee Harvey Oswald. Live coverage of the Vietnam War brought the horror into the living rooms of Americans. The most watched TV event may have been the moon landing in1969, which was seen by more than 500 million people. In addition to comedy, quiz shows, and live coverage of war and world events, TV also provided educational programs. Sesame Street was one of the earliest such programs and is still seen today in 120 countries. Another major event was the development of 24-hour news. One of the pioneers was Ted Turner, who established CNN. The latest impacts on TV were music and videos, cable and VCRs that let people record programs and play them whenever they wished. The layout of the book is interesting—in addition to the facts in each section, there are boxes with either extra information or questions to make the reader think. The closing pages contain a fact sheet spread, glossary, a list of additional books and websites, and an index. A part of the “Great Moments in Media” series. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot; Ages 8 to 12.
