Sesame Street’s Controversial Early Years
Sesame Street's original purpose was to use TV to deliver research-based educational techniques and prepare low-income kids for school.
Did the Internet Kill the TV Cliffhanger?
The internet may have changed the concept of the television cliffhanger, but is it possible that knowing the ending of something increases our enjoyment?
Rory Gilmore: The New New Woman
Recently, Netflix brought us the Gilmore Girls revival–Rory, Lorelei, and Emily 10 years on, able to “end” the show as its creator intended.
“The Simpsons”: More Than Just a Cartoon
"The Simpsons" is the longest-running scripted series in television history, full of canny satire and the occasional prophecy.
A Little Political Knowledge Is…Much Better Than Nothing
Studies show that viewers do gain political knowledge through daytime television and other forms of "soft news."
How Televising Presidential Debates Changed Everything
Ever since Kennedy-Nixon, televised debates have given viewers an insight into candidates' policies—and their personalities, too.
“Stranger Things” and the Psychic Nosebleed
Where did we get the idea that using psychic or telekinetic powers makes a person's nose bleed?
Is TV for Toddlers Really that Bad?
BabyFirstTV, a channel aimed specifically at toddlers is headed for US TV.
Why Bias Helps News Channels—and Maybe Viewers Too
According to a 2005 paper about bias in newspapers, reporting that tries to play things straight down the middle isn't necessarily a winning move.
The Sociology of Mork and Mindy
Mork, from Mork and Mindy, was "subversive with an anarchistic strain of defiance for convention" according to a scholarly analysis.