Primetime Politics: The Truth About Conservative Lies, Corporate Control, And Television Culture

The average American watches over 25 hours of television each week. Ninety-nine percent of U.S. households have at least one TV set, and 66% own three or more. Over the course of a year, Americans will watch 250 billion hours of television, but what, actually, are they watching? In this insightful new book, media critic Philip Green explores the true nature of television and the effect this TV addiction has on American democracy. He argues that mainstream shows are little more than extended commercials, dominated by advertising interests and designed to be as habit-forming as possible. Programming is controlled by conglomerates afraid of losing market share or upsetting advertisers, leading to television news, dramas, and sitcoms that uphold conservative values at the expense of controversial opinions. The result is a system that stifles debate, isolates viewers, and favors right-wing agendas. To make the system serve a true democracy, Green proposes ending the private monopoly of public airspace and making the television market a true free market. With its hard-hitting critiques and innovative solutions, Primetime Politics is essential reading for everyone who asks "What's on the tube tonight?"

Philip Green is Sophia Smith Professor of Government, Emeritus at Smith College. He is the author and editor of numerous books including Equality and Democracy, Cracks in the Pedestal: Ideology and Gender in Hollywood, and Retrieving Democracy: In Search of Civil Equality.