Bootlegging the Airwaves: Alternative Histories of Radio and Television Distribution (The History of Media and Communication)

By: Eleanor Patterson

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Synopsis: How fan passion and technology merged into a new subculture Long before internet archives and the anytime, anywhere convenience of streaming, people collected, traded, and shared radio and television content via informal networks that crisscrossed transnational boundaries. Eleanor Patterson’s fascinating cultural history explores the distribution of radio and TV tapes from the 1960s through the 1980s. Looking at bootlegging against the backdrop of mass media’s formative years, Patterson delves into some of the major subcultures of the era. Old-time radio aficionados felt the impact of inexpensive audio recording equipment and the controversies surrounding programs like Amos ‘n’ Andy. Bootlegging communities devoted to buddy cop TV shows like Starsky and Hutch allowed women to articulate female pleasure and sexuality while Star Trek videos in Australia inspired a grassroots subculture built around community viewings of episodes. Tape trading also had a profound influence on creating an intellectual pro wrestling fandom that aided wrestling’s growth into an international sports entertainment industry.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
Book Size:: 208 Pages
ISBN-13:: 9780252087691
Related ISBNs:: 9780252045585
Publisher:: University of Illinois Press
Date of Addition:: 02/06/24
Copyrighted By:: the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: Entertainment, Nonfiction, Business and Finance, Social Studies, Communication
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.