A Tower in Babel (History of Broadcasting in the United States)

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Summary: The definitive study of broadcasting.
Review: "Tower of Babel," along with its companion volumes, "The Golden Web" and "The Image Empire," are the most thorough accounting of the evolution of broadcasting. For the layman, it may be a bit too thorough, but for anyone who has a serious interest in broadcasting, it is a must-read. (I suggest that anyone who works in the industry read it as well, to get a perspective on what radio and television were designed to be.)

Rating:
Summary: A Tower in Babel
Review: I first read this book when I was a student in TV back in the mid '70's. The stories behind the birth of modern media remain fascinating. I literally could not put the book down and went on to read the other two in Barnouw's trilogy. It was an incredible insight into the sometimes crazy world I was about to enter and I have never forgotten how riveted I was to every word!

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Summary: If it ain't broke, don't fix it...necessarily
Review: With the corporate takeovers and conglamirates flying wild, it's refreshing to be able to sit back and view what it was REALLY like in the 'pioneer' days. I was fortunate enough to get into radio while it was still fun and had a bit of a mystique to it. This book portrays how it started off as a science and caught on like wildfire. Unfortunately, today alot of the 'humanity' has been taken out and replaced by computers and satellites, but like Nickolodeon and TV Land, this book allows readers to see things as they WERE. Alot of good history for today's broadcasters and the curious.