Listening in
Subtitle: radio and the American imagination : from Amos 'n' Andy and Edward R. Murrow to Wolfman Jack and Howard Stern
By: Susan J. Douglas.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Times Books
Published: 1999
Place of publication: New York, N.Y
Language: eng
Number of pages: 415
Subjects: Radio broadcasting -- United States -- History; Radio programs -- United States -- History; Radio broadcasting -- Social aspects -- United States
Description: Listening In is the first in-depth history of how radio culture and content have kneaded and expanded the American psyche.

But Listening In is more than a history. It is also a reconsideration of what listening to radio has done to American culture in the twentieth century and how it has brought a completely new auditory dimension to our lives. Susan Douglas explores how listening has altered our day-to-day experiences and our own generational identities, cultivating different modes of listening in different eras.

Douglas reveals how radio has played a pivotal role in helping us imagine ourselves in invisible communities - of sports fans, Fred Allen devotees, rock'n'rollers, ham operators, Dittoheads - creating both deep cultural niches and broad national identities. Listening In is also a penetrating look at radio as a guiding force in shaping our views of race, gender roles, ethnic barriers, family dynamics, leadership, and the generation gap.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 359-389) and index.