POPULAR CULTURE

CHAPTER 27, SECTION 3

THE ERA OF MASS MEDIA

Mass Media: Define:– The means of communication that reach large audiences– Examples?

Television becomes powerful– Why?

Novelty of televisions & TV shows F.C.C. expands licenses granted to new TV stations

– Define: “F.C.C.” Affordability of TV sets

– Popularity of TV shows; Examples: I Love Lucy Ozzie and Harriet Father Knows Best

– 1952 – 56: “The Golden Age of Television”

THE ERA OF MASS MEDIA (CONT’D.)

RADIO & MOVIES– Post-War prediction: Movies and Radio would disappear due to TV popularity– Reality: It didn’t happen– Why Not?

Both forms of entertainment were still popular w/many people Both forms of entertainment made adjustments to their operations that allowed them to survive

– Examples?– Radio:

Radio didn’t try to compete w/TV for nation-wide audiences Radio stations start to focus on local news, shows, etc.

– Movies: Movies take advantage of weaknesses in TV images Movies could use color, large size & “stereophonic” sound; TVs couldn’t

– Famous movies: Ben-Hur North by Northwest

– Famous movie personalities/actors/directors: Alfred Hitchcock James Dean Cary Garnt

BIRTH OF A COUNTERCULTURE

The “Beat” Movement When? Mid-late 50’s Where?

– San Francisco– New York (Greenwich Village)– Los Angeles

Why those areas? Did What?

– Attempted to express views, philosophy in a more non-conformist way– Wanted to reach a “higher consciousness” through non-Western religious ideas,

unconventional music & drugs “Coffeehouses”: Where Beat followers, called Beatniks, would gather to

recite poetry, play music, etc. Pros?* Cons?*

– See bottom, p. 815

BEATNIK GROUP

JACK KEROUAC

ARE YOU

KIDDING ME?

ROCK AND ROLL

Origins: – African-American rhythm & blues (R&B)– Some “Rockabilly” influence– Introduction of the electric guitar

“Rock ‘N Roll” : 1951 – Alan Freed, Cleveland, OH “DJ” (“disc jockey”) Who?

– Musicians: Chuck Berry Little Richard Buddy Holly Elvis Presley

– TV Show Hosts: Ed Sullivan Dick Clark – American Bandstand

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame MuseumCleveland, Ohio

CHUCK

BERRY

AT UVa

ELVIS PRESLEY THE KING OF ROCK ‘N ROLL

DICK CLARK’S AMERICAN BANDSTAND

LITTLE RICHARD

WOLFMAN JACK, 1966