Demographic Vistas: Television in American Culture

This was written in the 80s and revised in the 90s, but television has undergone such a revolutionary shift in its very nature (with hundreds of channels where there were only a few when this was first written) that Marc needs to do a complete rewrite. Even so, the book is still a goldmine of THEORY about how to think about TV: why we watch, what we're seeking when we turn on the tube. Yes, there's some academic jargon, but it's generally a clear and concise look at the dominant medium of our age. He dissects several popular shows and really gets inside the box. There's a little of everything here: history, theory, criticism, sociology. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand TV instead of just watching it.