TV's Greatest Turning
Points with Professor Robert J. Thompson
In
this TV Time Machine interview, Professor
Robert J. Thompson explores the moments,
people and events that made up some
of Television's Greatest Turning Points.
Professor Thompson is the founding
director of the Center for the Study
of Popular Television at Syracuse
University, where he is also a Trustee
Professor of Television and Popular
Culture at the S.I. Newhouse School
of Public Communications.
Over
the next three audio segments, Professor
Thompson covers the shows, characters,
and happenings that changed TV forever,
including America's love of Lucy,
Ralph Kramden's bluster, and Archie
Bunker's bigotry. Host Jim Benson
and the good professor also take a
crash course in the social and political
impact of television, including the
medium's coverage of such landmark
events as JFK's assassination, Apollo
11's landing on the moon, and the
Watergate scandal.
Listen
to the interview below
Professor Thompson
Audio Segment One-
In this segment, Syracuse University
Professor Robert J. Thompson discusses
the influence I Love Lucy and The
Honeymooners had on all future situation
comedies. The Professor also talks
about the courage and integrity of
journalist and newscaster Edward R.
Murrow, who nearly single-handedly
brought down the powerful anti-communist
Senator Joseph McCarthy.
For this segment, Professor Robert
J. Thompson examines the impact that
TV's coverage of the assassination
of JFK had on the nation. Professor
Thompson also examines the influence
the classic TV series The Twilight
Zone had on future science fiction
shows and future generations of filmmakers.
The good professor also discusses
the Star Trek phenomenon, and how
CBS newscaster Walter Cronkite's editorial
on the Vietnam War helped influence
public opinion.
In this segment, Professor Robert
J. Thompson discusses TV's coverage
of the first moon landing, and the
cultural impact crater left by All
in the Family and America's beloved
bigot, Archie Bunker. Finally, Professor
Thompson talks about the merging of
comedy, drama and politics on the
classic series MASH; and the medium's
coverage of the scandal that brought
down a president, Watergate.
In
this TV Time Machine interview, Professor
Robert J. Thompson explores the moments,
people and events that made up some
of Television's Greatest Turning Points.
Professor Thompson is the founding
director of the Center for the Study
of Popular Television at Syracuse
University, where he is also a Trustee
Professor of Television and Popular
Culture at the S.I. Newhouse School
of Public Communications. 
Over
the next three audio segments, Professor
Thompson covers the shows, characters,
and happenings that changed TV forever,
including America's love of Lucy,
Ralph Kramden's bluster, and Archie
Bunker's bigotry. Host Jim Benson
and the good professor also take a
crash course in the social and political
impact of television, including the
medium's coverage of such landmark
events as JFK's assassination, Apollo
11's landing on the moon, and the
Watergate scandal.
Listen
to the interview below
