A Nation that was Rocked: How The Ed Sullivan Show Contributed to the Success of Elvis Presley

As one of the largest forms of pop culture, TV shows in Australia have had a massive impact on the things we buy, our job preferences, and hobbies that we could take up. In the 1960’s this was very much the case. It was the beginning decade for Television

The introduction of television casted a wave of change in the lives of the American public. In Gary Edgerton’s The Columbia History of American Television, he described the uprising of television, “involved the most extensive and ballyhooed series of public relations events ever staged around any mass medium in American history. “ (Edgerton, p.1) The first presentation of television played a pivotal role on how the American public adopted the new medium of technology and communication. I will explore the grand manner of how television was presented to the American public during the early years by the direction of David Sarnoff, and televised special of the 1939 World’s fair. In addition, how this presentation of television generated the acceptation

The advent of television also caused a great impact in the American society that brought huge changes in the economy. American families during the 1950s started to replace radios, newspapers, and magazines as the leading media entertainment with televisions. They became common for families to unite and watch TV shows at noon. “Television as a product itself influenced the economy, creating what quickly became an essential household item. By 1957, over 40 million TVs were in American households”. Fundamentally, television altered how Americans utilize their free time, but economically there was even a major impact. Businesses around the country started to use the TV for advertising and marketing to sell their products easier. TV commercials

As technology has developed over the years, society has become extremely reliant and addicted to the media. According to A.C. Nielsen Co., a global information and measurement firm, the average American youth watches twenty eight hours of television per week. Within a sixty-five year timeframe an individual will have spent a total of nine years watching TV (Herr). Both of these sects contribute millions of jobs providing individuals with ample opportunities, a gateway to success. It certainly provided the break for one African American woman to attain a status she could have only dreamt of as a child growing up in an unstable, emotionally debilitating, and unpromising environment. Oprah Winfrey is arguably one of the most influential women

While much of the power of television in the 1960’s can be attributed to the mainstream availability and shear increase in ownership, the delivery format also contributed to its influence. One of the biggest

“Mom, let’s watch the Ed Sullivan show.” This was one of the most common sayings on the night of February 9th, 1964 when more than 70 million people watched the Beatles debut on national television. Ed Sullivan got his start by working as a newspaper columnist, and then later getting chosen as the host of the variety show Toast of the Town. Which largely influenced popular culture and the entire music industry through its telecasts of Elvis Presley and the Beatles, and by having all forms of entertainment appear on the show.

Some of these performers were vocally ambiguous of race, but never the less, teenagers loved listening to rock and roll because it challenged their previous music and annoyed their parents.

There have been many different aspects that have come out of the “old-time” radio era that have impacted our culture today. It was not just the news that people learned about it was also entertainment. Usually, in a time when there was nothing to be happy about. In order for us to understand the difference that these people made in the lives of others. It needs to be understood why they were created and where they came from. Also, it was not just about the actors, it was the story lines and the dramas that helped people escape and either enjoy a good thriller or comedy show.

The new era of television was in full action with the introduction and production of relevancy television shows; these shows no longer hid from social problems and injustices, but rather used the world around them to create relevant and slightly more complex storylines. Shows like Chico and the Man and Mary Tyler Moore Show were examples of how television in the 1970s looked at social issues in spheres that had been previously ignored by network producers and became platforms that allowed the spread of information to the public about social, economic, and political struggles of minorities and women. Even though the 1970s demonstrated a new and different mindset when compared to the programming that had been broadcasted in the ‘50s, these progressive

The 1950s could be known as the promoter's fantasy decade. World War II was over. The after war economy had bounced back. Success appeared extraordinarily quick. Americans were prepared to purchase homes, autos, garments and items to approve their restful ways of life.

What we did to prepare for the show can barely be called a rehearsal. All we did was make sure the microphones worked and took note of where the cameras were.

In the first golden age, there was no gold. In fact, there was no color, only black and white. The first golden age of television occurred in the nineteen-fifties and the gold was quite humble on the surface. Because the shows were about local police, cowboys and housewives. However, these wholesome programs acted like an awl, digging deep into the national psyche, bringing out something truly valuable and sought after by everyone. These shows exemplified the feelings of a nation and gave everyone a model to follow and a dream to chase. There are many who say that the turn of the century marked the second golden age of television. This carries into the present day, with television drama and streaming services allowing an

According to Mitchell Stephens at NYU, the first electronic television was invented in 1927. In its infancy, television was, in the most basic sense, radio with moving pictures. However, during the “Golden Age” of television, around the mid-to-late 1950s, it become a mass medium (Stephens). During this time, television was the easiest way to shape public opinion, and politicians, advertisers, and producers took advantage of this.

In the Post-World War II era of the late 1940’s into the 1950’s, Hollywood’s motion picture industry went through a rapid unexpected transition. During this time frame, weekly motion picture attendance dropped off tremendously from 90 million immediate post-war in 1945-1948 to 46 million in 1953. Many observers tend to attribute this downturn to the rise of the television, which surged to popularity during the same time period. Opposite to the declining trend of motion picture attendance, the trend of televisions in homes skyrocketed from only 940,000 in 1949 to upwards of 52 million by the end of 1950’s.2 Although it’s easy to point the finger at television for the decrease of moviegoers, there were other economic and social trends that played a major role as well. While analyzing these various factors along with television’s impact on the shift in motion picture attendance, this paper will also carefully outline

The idea that television would become so ubiquitous most American homes would have multiple home televisions was unimaginable in 1946, but by 1951, “fifty five percent of New York theaters had closed and a new era of entertainment had overtaken Hollywood” (Annenberg, 05:12).