Material to be Covered in Weekly Presentations

General Material for all Weeks

1. Define and describe the program genre? What makes it unique and different? What are some representative examples of the genre throughout the history of television? Has the genre evolved over time? How?
   
2. Give some background about the specific programs we watched. When did the program air? On what network(s)? What were the ratings? What was it competition (what was on the other channels at the same time)?
   
3. Is there anything about these programs that illustrates the structure or business practices of early television?
   
4. Is there anything about these programs that illustrates society of the 1950s?
   
5. How important and significant were these programs? Did they have a noticeable impact on the popular culture of that era? Have the programs had any enduring impact? Have any of these programs serves as models for future media content?
   
6. Is there anything interesting about the plot, stars, actors, or commercials in any of the specific programs?
   

Questions for Specific Weeks

Comedies

How did these shows reflect their times? Where would you rate these programs if you were giving awards for the best comedies of all television history? How do the comedies of that era compare to the comedies of the 1980s - 1990s (e.g., Cosby, M*A*S*H, Cheers, Roseanne, Seinfeld, Mad About You, and Friends)?

Children's Shows

In what ways are these programs different from today's programs designed for children? Are these changes for the better or not?

Crime Drama

Given what you've learned in previous communication classes about the effects of television violence, what about these programs would give concern to parents, educators, and scholars?

Family Drama

How did these television families compare to the typical family of the 1950s?

Westerns I

Why were westerns so popular at that time?

Westerns II

Why did the popularity of the Westerns fade?

Variety

Describe the changing target audience for the variety program from the 1950s to current day.

Military

What accounts for brief time duration of this genre's popularity? Can you relate this to the recent interest in movies about the military?

Game Shows

How did the quiz show scandal change the face of game shows and television?

Commercials

What has been the history of program sponsorship and commercials?