Study Questions

  • What impact did I Love Lucy have on the television industry? Study the innovations and business structure behind the show. Are network shows still following the same template today?

  • How did Ted Turner take more traditional media platforms, like a local UHF station, and expand or change them?

  • Why were movie and television producers upset with the invention of the VCR? How did they initially respond?

  • What impact did the creation of the Fox network have on the broadcast television industry? Explain.

  • VCRs were eventually replaced by newer technology in the form of DVRs. What are some newer technologies that provide content to consumers? Have you used a VCR or DVR in recent years?

  • What changes did Univision bring to the American television landscape?

  • What are some of the elements of the “earthquake in slow motion” discussed in the text? How have those changes affected the industry? The content on broadcast networks?