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Television During The 1980s

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Have you ever thought about what television was like when cable was first created? Or when it only had three channels? When television was first created, not many people had cable, or a lot of channels to watch. The nineteen eighties television greatly influenced how people see the world today.
The 1980s was a great time in history. For example, “ [...] the US enjoyed vast economic growth in the 1980s” (McKenzie 1). This shows that the main reason the 1980s are known is for the large economic growth. It had a great impact on the 1980s. Furthermore, “[...] took a roller coaster ride during the 1980s” (Calkins 1). This explains that, there were some of the greatest points in time, and there were some of the worst moments. The 1980s was both …show more content…

For example, “the MTV aesthetic during its golden age of 1981 to 1992 [...] influenced not only music but network and cable TV, radio, advertising, film, art, fashion [...] even politics” (Marks, Craig, and Rob Tannenbaum 1). MTV encouraged teenagers, and society around them. It was a smashing hit that influenced how we have TV today. “Billboard” mentions, “1984 ‘Top Video Countdown’ debuts” (1). This helped the teenagers find what kind of music they enjoyed. MTV took the most popular songs teenagers liked and created a countdown, which pleased their audience. Finally in, “1986 ‘Dial MTV’ the first viewer request show debuts” (1). MTV got more creative, and let the teengers pick the music. This satisfied the teenagers because they felt like they had the control of picking the music they wanted to hear. MTV opened many doors for new networks to …show more content…

Therefore, “on February 28, 1983, 106 million Americans watched the final episode of M*A*S*H* [...]” (Condon, Moffat, and Pearlman 190). This shows that M*A*S*H* was the start of a new world of sitcoms. Little did they know, the television world was greatly influenced by the TV show M*A*S*H*. Furthermore, “[...] The A-Team [..]. It was so successful, in fact, that any discussion of 1980s popular culture is incomplete without its mention” (324). This tells that when people think of the 1980s, they think of The A-Team. Beyond the 1980s, television was not the same because of The A-Team. Finally, “ [The Cosby Show] a show that helped define the 1980s and reinvigorated the family sitcom” (342). The Cosby Show showed that not every family is perfect, which attracted all crowds. This became themes of many sitcoms through the years. The 1980 sitcoms were just the start for splendid television to

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Have you ever asked your mom if she’ll take you to this movie and she said no I don’t like stuff like that? That may be because having so many options and channels to watch divides audiences, maybe only boys like that movie or maybe only girls like that movie all because of there being so may channels and things to watch. If there was only three channels on your TV would you and your family watch TV together more often? Probably yes, because that is all there is to watch.

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Television programs often retain an aspect of reality in order to relate to the audience and commentate on social issues. Although both The Goldbergs and The Twilight Zone address controversial issues such as gender roles, insanity, and ethnic stereotypes, genre differentiates their approach and their audiences’ receptiveness to change. Whereas The Goldbergs, an ethnic sitcom, addresses the external world using comedic relief, The Twilight Zone, a science fiction program, delves into the human mind using imagination. Despite their common efforts to direct social change, the programs are inverse images of one another, and The Twilight Zone’s genre structure allows it to resonate more with the audience. From 1949 to 1956, The Goldbergs dominated television as the first televised sitcom.

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I. Introduction Parenthood, a drama television series, attends to the adversity of an extended and imperfect family. The Bravermans are a blended California family who face a series of both fortunate and unfortunate events but together find a way to get by (Katims, 2010). Television consumers have been introduced to many fictional families overtime and continue to fall in love with family related television shows. Historically, the media has transformed and continues to adapt to the changes in present day family types. “Writers often take seeds from real life experiences and plant then in their scripts,” consumers both consciously or subconsciously attend to cues on television and want to apply what they see to their lives.

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On September 20, 1984, the Cosby Show made airways and forever changed the general population views on gender roles and race on television. Shows in the 1980s and 1970s were still perpetuated outdated gender stereotypes and televise them, for the American audience to perceive as “normal”. The Cosby Show went against the typical gender and racial stereotypes of African Americans on television. The show reshapes the four basic elements of gender stereotypes such as personality traits, domestic behaviors, occupations, and physical appearance” (“Gender Roles and Stereotypes”). The episode “Back to school”, The school season has begun and each of the children is having a different perspective on the school they attended.

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The viewers related to the show and gave the network their full and undivided attention. Ultimately, the teens adopted the attitudes and behaviors they were exposed to. Personally, I have been a part of such loop when I was an adolescent. I followed trends such as clothing, shoe ware, soft drinks, cellular phones, TV shows and more.

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There are very few things in existence that can impact and help shape many parts society as television is able to do. With just the press of a button, a person can gain a front row seat to different aspects of the world such as politics, news updates, entertainment, or travel, without having to leave the comfort of their living room. Information wasn’t always this easy to attain though. Television, an everyday amenity, took decades of time and research for inventors to create. America during the 1920’s had very little in means of communication when compared to today’s media.

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The past decade has not seen any notable family sitcoms that has surpassed such leaps of social justice as some had in the 1950’s or 1970’s. While that may be disappointing to some, this is also a great feat for all television audiences. So many issues that were once considered, “taboos,” now, can be the premise of the sitcom altogether. Even the little things like interracial couples, married partners in the same bed, and even mentioning a pregnant woman is considered normal. Yes, the family sitcom is still no direct comparison to the modern family arrangement, but it is as close as were going to get for

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