TV+G+Courteney+Jennifer

TELEVISION  FRQ:HOW DOES TELEVISION REFLECT AMERICAN SOCIETY IN THE 50S AND 60S? ARE THERE ANY NOTABLE CHANGES THAT CAN BE INFERRED OVER THE TIME SPECIFIED?

 THE 50S media type="youtube" key="nXN5s8fQvHY" width="425" height="350" LUCY IS A HOUSEWIFE WHO HAS RIDICULOUS ADVENTURES, BUT THE SHOW IS GENERALLY CONSERVATIVE.
 * I LOVE LUCY**

media type="youtube" key="mkeGOH5vy7I" width="425" height="350" "AMERICAN FAMILY" ON TV.
 * THE BRADY BUNCH**

THERE WERE MANY TABOOS AND SHOWS WERE "PG" IN GENERAL.

WOMEN IN TV SHOWS ARE USUALLY HOUSEWIVES, IN LUCY'S CASE, AN ADVENTUROUS HOUSEWIFE. THINK ABOUT ROSY THE RIVETER IN THE WAR YEARS AND HOW WOMEN WERE ENCOURAGED TO GET BACK TO THE HOME AFTER THE WAR HAD ENDED. **THE 60S** media type="youtube" key="GX-KhCxFqmQ" width="425" height="350"
 * BEWITCHED**

media type="youtube" key="cTWB_ByQD4w" width="425" height="350"
 * BONANZA**

SHOWS GET LESS CONSERVATIVE AND MORE ADVENTUROUS.

media type="youtube" key="Ur92R4Gvcj4" width="425" height="350"
 * NIXON AND KENNEDY DEBATE**

media type="youtube" key="RMINSD7MmT4" width="425" height="350"
 * MOON LANDING**


 * STUDY GUIDE**
 * FOR THE FRQ, TAKE A LOOK AT THE VIDEOS, ABOUT 20~30 SECONDS EACH SHOULD RING A BELL :)
 * FOR THE KENNEDY AND NIXON VIDEO, WATCH FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES.
 * FOCUS ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE 50S AND 60S BASED ON TELEVISION SHOWS AND BROADCASTS
 * THINK ABOUT DIFFERENT POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE MATERIALS POSTED ON THE WIKI
 * REMEMBER THAT THE 50S HAD THE EFFECTS OF MCCARTHEISM AND THE COLD WAR, HINT, HINT, AND MAYBE THAT INFLUENCED TELEVISION SHOWS TO STAY SO CONSERVATIVE AND PG RATED
 * YOU CAN INCLUDE ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE QUESTION TOO, LIKE THE EFFECTS OF TV INDUSTRY ON THE AMERICAN ECONOMY (ADVERTISEMENTS, MANUFACTURE OF TELEVISIONS, ETC.)
 * REMEMBER THAT THE NUMBER OF TV OWNERS ROSE THROUGHOUT THE 5OS AND 60S WITH TIME.

The United States during this time was facing many drastic changes, and television was one of them. The 1950s and 1960s proved to be very different then times before. Television was a way to portray the family life and lifestyles in general of different families, and this was broadcast nationwide. Along with the rising number of television owners, television was a convenient way to reflect American society in the 1950s and 1960s.

The 1950s and 1960s regarding television was highly contrasting. Television of the 1950s reflected American society, particularly women. Shows such as I love Lucy and The Brady Bunch usually depicted women as housewives. However, Lucy was shown as an adventurous woman, similar to Rosie the Riveter. In the clip, Lucy is seen working in a factory. The show was comedic regarding Lucy’s words and actions, but the show itself was conservative. The Brady Bunch was a family TV show which also showed different aspects of family life. It was the story of an average family in the 1950s. Television in the 1960s began to become more radical and differed from the conservativeness of the 1950s. It started to include some more violence and sexuality in the scenes. Also, it can be seen that Blacks started to appear on TV as well, which actors such as Bill Cosby.

Television shows were not the only way to reflect American society during the time. With the advance technology, footage of debates and speeches were able to be broadcast nation wide into people’s homes. The footage of debates brought people together as they gathered to watch. It was a way to ensure people of what the government was doing at that crucial time of war. It also was a way to convince people and it was used as a form of campaign. Conversations among the Presidents influenced who the citizens chose their Presidents. Real footage of the moon landing and the process that took place in order to make that happen was also available for citizens to watch. This was definitely different from the television in the 1950s, which mainly showed comedy shows.

The American society during this time was highly frightened by the communist threats. The television during this time was, to an extent, trying to alleviate this level of tension. However, this can all be tied in with McCarthyism, which was when reckless accusations were constantly being made. Television was a mass media which was also seen as an advance in economy. All in all, television was successful in reflecting the American society of the 1950s and 1960s.

Hi, Susan! :-)

THESIS: Great thesis, but the frq was asking how it reflected American Society, your thesis talks about how television functioned in society which is also good. 6/7

Facts: Great use of facts about race, women, politics, and the Cold War! Be more specific, like for the speeches and debates mention Nixon and Kennedy. 8/9

Analysis: There could have been more analysis in the conclusion or intro, but you use many facts and information in your essay. 6

Overall, good Essay!

ANNIE PARK

During the 1950s and 1960s, television was a popular trend. American society began to revolve around television, and many existing real-life situations were broadcasted through sitcoms and other short programs. Although the continually growing popularity of the television was a correspondence between these two decades, that was really the only similarity. The changes in the entertainment industry that occurred between the 1950s and 1960s significantly reflected what society was like during that time period.

During the 1950s, television shows such as “I Love Lucy” and “The Brady Bunch” were popular. In both sitcoms, women characters were always housewives, or something lower in status than the men. Though they occasionally were adventurous, their segments of the programs generally followed the conventional image of women built at the time.

While McCarthyism was in effect in the 1950s, the value of goodwill and human morality continued to rise. People were very strict in differentiating between right and wrong. During this era, society encouraged random, unwarranted accusations of all sorts; people could be punished for disloyalty and treason without proper evidence. Many primary targets of these accusations happened to be people working in the entertainment industry. Because McCarthyism posed such a threat to the careers and futures of these entertainers, it was important that media such as television shows were kept conservative.

The 1960s, however, was the start of a brighter era. This decade introduced new ideas of counterculture, anti-war movements, civil rights and the rise of feminism. Unlike during the 1950s, in the 1960s, people began to stand up against the social norm. This sudden uprising sparked the beginning of a social revolution. The old ideas of McCarthyism were no longer taken into consideration; liberalism and materialism overpowered goodwill and human morality.

The television shows of the sixties made this counterculture ideology even more clear. Programs such as “Bewitched” and “Bonanza” brought in a more rebellious spirit and established a sense of freedom within the entertainment industry. Television programs during this era was an accurate depiction of society at the time. The evolution of television during the 1950s and the 1960s clearly portrayed the development of liberalism and spread of materialism in America.

Thesis: Good thesis, it focuses on the schism between the 50s' and 60s' television. 7

Facts: Accurate facts, but organize them to support your topic sentences more. 7

Analysis: Good ideas but again need more analysis to support your thesis. There should be more analysis in your conclusion. 6