research paper on 50's tv!?

Question

i want to write a research paper on the television of the 50's...i just don't know how to narrow it down....like would it be possible to revolve it around like just "i love lucy" or "the honeymooners"...what would be a good point to make the paper on

i'm interested in this topic...i just need help with forming an actual argument

help!

Answer 1

Check this out:
TELEVISION
Perhaps the most far reaching change in communications worldwide was the advancement in the area of television broadcasting. During the 1950's, television became the dominant mass media as people brought television into their homes in greater numbers of hours per week than ever before. In the early fifties, young people watched TV more hours than they went to school, a trend which has not changed greatly since that time. What was portrayed on television became accepted as normal. The ideal family, the ideal schools and neighborhoods, the world, were all seen in a way which had only partial basis in reality. People began to accept what was heard and seen on television because they were "eye witnesses" to events as never before (live TV) . Programs such as You Are There brought historical events into the living rooms of many Americans. The affect on print news media and entertainment media was felt in lower attendance at movies and greater reliance on TV news sources for information. And then, in 1954, black and white broadcasts became color broadcasts. Shows called " sitcoms " like The Honeymooners , Lassie, Father Knows Best, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet , and I Love Lucy featured popular characters whose lives thousands of viewers watched and copied. Families enjoyed variety shows like Disneyland and The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday evenings. Daytime programs like Guiding Light, "soap operas" were popular and helped advertisers sell many products to the homemakers of America. News broadcasting changed from newsmen simply reading the news to shows which included videotaped pictures of events which had occurred anywhere in the world, and then to more and more live broadcasts of events happening at the time of viewing. This was made possible in 1951 with the development of coaxial cable and microwave relays coast to coast. When Edward R. Murrow began offering his weekly radio program (called "Hear It Now") on TV as "See It Now," the world of news broadcasting was irrevocably changed (eyewitness recounts the change)

LINKS
Television News Archive Television news history presented by Vanderbilt University.

Chronology of TV broadcasting from Jeff Miller, teacher at Gulf High School in New Port Richey, FL
The first 75 years of Television from Tom Genova, many links on development of TV including advertising. Includes a timeline.

Answer 2

TV in the fifties was primarily family shows and a few variety shows, something that is not around today. In the late 50's Walt Disney had a afternoon program called the Mickey Mouse Club.Some of the popular programs that kids liked were Sky King, The Lone Ranger, The Cisco Kid, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans show, The evening shows were My Little Margie, Lucy, The Hit Parade, The Millionare, The Life of Riley, The Milton Berle Show, Red Skelton, Jack Benny show, Ed Sullivan, Ozzie Nelson show, The Honeymooners, Father Knows Best, Edward R. Murrow and See it now, The majority of all families had black and white TV's that used a antenna to get TV reception.
One of the funny things I thought really weird was that most TV show showed the husband leaving for work always wearing a suit and a hat and that was the mid-fifties.

I think a good point was that a lot of the radio shows went to TV, and that Variety shows were a big thing at that time A variety show consisted of having different acts for and hour show. A singer, a comedian or ventriloquist, dancers, and the host would often do different comedy sketches with a guest, usually a big star for that time. Also men worked, women stayed at home during the 50's. Very few women worked unless they were single.Cars did not have seat belts, and gas was about 15 cents a gallon. By the way I lived it.
See below sites to get more info.
http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decade50.html
http://www.rateitall.com/t-12-50s-tv-shows.aspx
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/variety.htm
http://www.tvparty.com/lostkids.html

Answer 3

Try narrowing it down even further, maybe on the Woman's role on the 50's TV shows. That of homemaker, no jobs, just house work and kids. It should be more interesting. Look up shows like I love Lucy, leave it to beaver, Donna reed, father knows best, and even Dennis the menace. See what was expected of women then, how they dress, and what they did.