Exhaustive 13-part survey of the television medium from its hesitant beginnings in the 1920s to the multi-million dollar extravaganzas of today and the cable and satellite technologies of the future [relative to 1985]. Tackling the medium as a worldwide phenomenon, the series examines each of the principal areas of programming - news, drama, documentaries, and light entertainment - and the unique impact of "live" coverage.
Visions of power
The race for television
We bring you live pictures
News power
News: the power of pictures
The story machine
Play power
The rise and fall of the documentary
Chewing gum for the eyes
The good, the bad, and the ugly
Canned laughter
The selling of the president
The third age of broadcasting
NextFilm 2025