How the Iran Hostage Crisis Changed International Journalism
On November 4th, 1979, Iranian militants took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. They seized 63 Americans, a number later ...
What Star Trek: Discovery Can Tell Us About Tech and Social Progress
What makes Star Trek essential for any contemporary tech user is its role in helping us understand our relationship to technology.
Weirdly Enough, Movies about TV Prepared America for TV
Ironically, it was movies that helped accustom American viewers to television in the first place, writes Richard Koszarski.
Little People on TV: Educational or Exploitative?
Little people have been used for entertainment purposes in royal courts from ancient Egypt to medieval Europe. But can this be more than exploitative?
How The “Fag Hag” Went From Hated to Celebrated
At its core, the relationship between single women and gay men has longstanding historical roots.
Dan Rather on Dan Rather
Dan Rather's ruminations on politics and morality feel so 2017. This interview he gave in the '70s lends insight into how seriously he takes journalism.
A Short History of the Condom
Dating back to at least medieval times, the condom has taken a winding path to social acceptance.
Ronald Reagan, The First Reality TV Star President
Ronald Reagan is at the heart of the modern American politics of advertising, public relations, and a television in every home.
How Academics Fell In and Out of Love with TV Quiz Shows
In the 1950s, the world went quiz-show crazy. But something was rotten inside Hollywood—the shows were packed with ringers.
Mediated Reality is No Match for Personal Experience
The world represented in the media greatly influences our understanding and beliefs about reality. But our lived experiences might be more important.