Television

Television is not just a form of entertainment, but it is an excellent form of study of society’s view concerning its families. This study focuses on the history of television beginning in the early 1950s and will run through present day. It examines the use of racial, ethnic and sexual stereotypes to characterize the players of these shows. The examples assist in tracing what has happened to the depiction of the American family on prime time television. It reveals the change of the standards employed by network television as disclosed to the American public. Finally, I will propose the question of which is the influential entity, television or the viewing audience.

The Goldbergs, which was originally a radio show, became the first popular family series. It became a weekly TV series in 1949, revealing to Americans a working class Jewish family who resided in a small apartment in the Bronx. The show, while warm and humorous, confronted delicate social issues, such as sensitivity due to the Second World War. It is an excellent example of an ethnic family’s status in society.

A classic among classics, I Love Lucy appeared on television on October 15, 1951, (http://www.nick-at-nite.

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Some common words found in the essay are:
Ward Petire, Family Television, Married Children, Bill Cosby, Ward June, Archie Bunker, Love Lucy, Brady Bunch, Family Ties, Happy Days, american family, social issues, racial ethnic, depiction american family, leave beaver, american families, middle-class family, parents children, family series, bill cosby, relationship shared,
Approximate Word count = 1138
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)