Suburbanization and the Social Use of Television :: Television Media TV Essays

Suburbanization and the Social Use of TelevisionThe 1950s can be seen as a time of unprecedented family values, in which young, white, middle-income thermonuclear families arrived en masse in the pre-planned community living areas of suburbia. In the article ride, Kunstler identifies the reasons for, and attraction of, a grand public relocation to previously unoccupied areas outside main city centres. Kunstler argues that it was, in part, the replacement of the streetcar (or trolley), and by and by the automobile, from the horse-powered transit of earlier 20th century life, that ignited weekend trading to expand outside urban centres. Joyriding on weekends, as Kunstler explains, made suburban areas more accessible and attractive. Suburban areas often hosted various family attractions (such as amusement parks) in which families could experience safe, clean entertainment while being aloof from the chaos of the city. Two factors encouraged this weekending family behaviour (1) wit h the introduction of the electric trolley, passengers could endure any distance at a flat rate cheaper than grey horse-drawn methods and (2) automobiles were greatly subsidized after their initial introduction, thus promoting the turn of middle-class car owners. Both these factors brought large-scale transit outside of the city, make the suburbs more accessible and demanding the development of suburban communities. This major development, as depict in Lynn Spiegels article The Suburban Home Companion, was largely dictated by the concept of suburbia as a safe, clean surroundings (free from undesirables such as blacks and lower-income families) in which families could experience both an increased occult and community life. This separation, Spiegel says, is what opened the opportunity for TV success. As nuclear suburban families desired to experience the outside world (including travel, unusual voyages etc.), they were alike trapped in a homogenous communities where life was m undane, and immense air pressure was put on each family in these fair tale towns to respect up with, and out-do, next door neighbours, and produce a consistently permanent and satisfied appearance. As this suburban sprawl of the fifties took America by storm, Spiegel discusses how television provided a necessary means of escapism for bilk families. The first television show, broadcast in 1949, was a very innocent program in which a man and woman sit observance and discussing the TV. Although by todays standards this would be seen as unsurpassingly boring to audiences, this simple show provided a stress relief and easy entertainment it seemed as though audiences enjoyed watch programs which, similar to their own situation, seemed more rewarding.