Some of the best examples of the growing body of criticism that seeks to establish and define the role of television in American culture are brought together in this unique anthology. In its broadest sense a collection of humanistic criticism, it extends beyond journalistic criticism which at its best is often as ephemeral as the medium itself, and supplements the social scientific research that deals primarily with audience responses rather than with the content of television.
Television: The Critical View reminds us that we have not yet created for television what one commentator has called a "climate of criticism." We are aware that television occupies a central position in American culture, yet those who are most conscious of cultural attitudes are often among the people who have neglected or scorned television without giving it proper attention. A true climate of criticism will require that most of the population take a serious approach to television.
The twenty essays in Television: The Critical View are directed toward the education of televiewers. The first section, Seeing Television, contains essays on specific popular shows like "The Waltons," "All in the Family," and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" as well as more general selections on soap operas, comedies, westerns, news programs, and all of Norman Lear's productions. This section offers models for more practical television criticism and interpretation. The essays in the second section, Thinking About Television, consider the role of television in our culture—how it affects our view of the world and of ourselves. Does it distort our values as a nation, or reinforce them? The final section, Defining Television, presents articles on the aesthetics of television which compare it to other art forms and other media. The premise of each selection is that television, as a serious art form, must be analyzed in regard to both its content and what it does to its content.