Book Description
A media ecologist's view of the US's love affair with television and its effects on social and familial structures, as well as her impassioned arguments for turning the TV off. Pawlowski (speech communication, U. of Northern Colorado) outlines, for the general reader, the problems with television programming for regular viewers and, particularly, their families. She traces the history of TV viewing, including how programs have changed and what societal values this reflects or creates; the many roles the TV now fulfills that were previously occupied by people (family manager, gender mentor, sexual advisor, hero, friend, etc.); and what the future holds and how people may wean themselves from watching. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR