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BOOKS: PRODUCTION
Book Industry (1997, 28 minutes). This program provides a detailed look at how trade and
CABLE: TECHNOLOGY
Global Communication (1994, 23 minutes). From coaxial cables and copper wires to
satellite images and optical fibers, this video explains the way data are transmitted
CABLE: CULTURE
Dreamworlds II, directed by Sut Jhally (1995, 55 minutes). Some two hundred clips from
MTV are expertly combined with an incisive narrative about the impact of sexual
Everyone’s Channel (1990, 58 minutes). A history of community television. Distributed by
Free Speech for Sale: A Bill Moyers Special (1999, 57 minutes). Bill Moyers and other
public–interest advocates study how large corporations with the most money use their
influence and access to various forms of media to control public debate. It is a must–
have DVD. Part 1 (19 minutes) shows how the burgeoning hog industry used
unregulated money (corporate donations) to destroy a political candidate opposed to
industry practices. Part 2 (15 minutes) investigates how the tobacco lobby intimidated
senators, used “free speech” to advance and protect their interests, and distorted the
THE INTERNET: HISTORY
The Internet: Behind the Web (2000, 50 minutes). This documentary from the History
Channel ventures back to 1969 when ARPAnet, the precursor to today’s World Wide
Triumph of the Nerds (1996, 3 vols., 55 minutes each). An irreverent chronicle of the
computer industry, from the Silicon Valley pioneers of the 1970s to the growth of the
Internet in the 1990s. Includes such personalities as Steven Jobs and Bill Gates.
Available from various sources.
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THE INTERNET: TECHNOLOGY
Moyers on America: The Net at Risk (2006, 90 minutes). In this program, Bill Moyers and
THE INTERNET: CULTURE
Did You Know? (2007, 6 minutes). This quick YouTube video puts into words and music
the drama and impact of globalization, demonstrating the fast pace of technology, the
awesome potential of China, and the humbling place the United States has in our
LEGAL ISSUES AND FREE SPEECH: HISTORY
The First Amendment (1998, 21 minutes). This video presents the history and text of the
First Amendment, with a series of experts discussing and interpreting the amendment’s
LEGAL ISSUES AND FREE SPEECH: REGULATIONS
Free Speech for Sale: A Bill Moyers Special (1999, 57 minutes). Bill Moyers and several
public–interest advocates study how large corporations with the most money use their
influence and access to various forms of media to control public debate. It is a must–
have DVD. Part 1 (19 minutes) shows how the burgeoning hog industry used
unregulated money (corporate donations) to destroy a political candidate opposed to
industry practices. Part 2 (15 minutes) investigates how the tobacco lobby intimidated
senators, used “free speech” to advance and protect their interests, and distorted the
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Freedom of Expression. (2008, 60 minutes). This documentary explores the battles being
waged in courts, classrooms, museums, film studios, and the Internet over control of our
This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2005, 98 minutes). Academy Award–nominated director Kirby
Dick takes an incisive look at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA),
finds out who is on the secretive rating board, and documents the movie rating process.
Ironically, the MPAA slapped the documentary with an NC–17 rating for explicit
scenes. This Film Is Not Yet Rated was then “rating surrendered” and recut for an R
rating.
McLibel: Two Worlds Collide (1997, 53 minutes). This video is the story of how two social
activists protested McDonald’s business practices, were suppressed by the hamburger
chain through Britain’s infamous libel laws, and ended up starring in one of the most
MAGAZINES: HISTORY
Magazine Industry (1997, 28 minutes). This program examines the evolution of the
MAGAZINES: PRODUCTION
MASS MEDIA AND SOCIETY: HISTORY
The Development of Mass Communication (1989, 19 minutes). This video presents an
overview of telegraphy, radio, television, and satellite technology and traces the
beginnings and developments of each medium. Distributed by Alexander Street,
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MASS MEDIA AND SOCIETY: CULTURE
Game Over: Gender, Race and Violence in Video Games (2000, 41 minutes). This video
offers a dialogue about the complex and controversial topic of video game violence and
Modern Times (1936, 87 minutes). Charlie Chaplin’s classic movie, in which he plays a
factory worker who is driven crazy by his repetitious job, critiques efficiency measures
enforced during the height of the Industrial Revolution and modernism.
Talked to Death: Have TV Talk Shows Gone Too Far? (1997, 60 minutes). An HBO
program that investigates how far producers and hosts are willing to go to win high
ratings. Available from various sources.
MEDIA ECONOMICS: HISTORY
Everyone’s Channel (1992, 58 minutes). A history of community television. Distributed by
MEDIA ECONOMICS: CULTURE
Distress Signals: An Investigation of Global Television (1990, 51 minutes). This video
discusses the global reach of American television. It also examines American television
as both a site for shared experiences and a threat to society and democracy.
Free Speech for Sale: A Bill Moyers Special (1999, 57 minutes). Bill Moyers and several
public–interest advocates study how large corporations with the most money use their
influence and access to various forms of media to influence the news and control public
debate. See full description under Legal Issues and Free Speech: Regulations.
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Rich Media, Poor Democracy (2003, 30 minutes). Adapted from Robert McChesney’s book
of the same title, this video demonstrates how journalism has been compromised by the
corporate bosses of conglomerates, such as Disney, Sony, Viacom, News Corp., and
MEDIA EFFECTS: HISTORY
The Question of Television Violence (1972, 56 minutes). An important look back at the
intense U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Communications hearings that investigated the
effects of television violence. ABC, CBS, and NBC all made presentations, along with
the surgeon general of the United States, scientists, and parent–group representatives.
MEDIA EFFECTS: RESEARCH METHODS
Audience and Feedback (1997, 28 minutes). This program explores the characteristics that
Representation and the Media (1996, 55 minutes). This video features a discussion with
Stuart Hall on representation, one of the key concepts of cultural studies. Hall relates
how reality is understood through the lens of culture. Distributed by the Media
800–233–9910.
TV Violence and You (1995, 30 minutes). Media–violence expert George Gerbner analyzes
one week’s worth of television content and discusses the effects of violence on viewers.
MEDIA EFFECTS: CULTURE
Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class (2006, 62 minutes). This film
navigates the steady stream of narrow working–class representations from American
television’s beginnings to today’s sitcoms, reality shows, police dramas, and daytime
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Dream Deceivers (1991, 60 minutes). The documentary’s producers interviewed members
of Judas Priest; the parents of the teenagers who shot themselves after listening to Judas
Priest music; and James Vance, one of the teens disfigured from a self–inflicted gunshot
wound to the face. Distributed by Icarus Films; available on iTunes and Amazon.
Dreamworlds 3 (2006, 55 minutes). An update to Sut Jhally’s Dreamworlds II, this video
examines the stories contemporary music videos tell about girls and women. Distributed
Off the Straight and Narrow (1998, 63 minutes). This program casts a critical eye over the
increase of gay images on TV. Distributed by the Media Education Foundation,
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MOVIES: HISTORY
American Experience: Mary Pickford (2005, 55 minutes). A biography about the golden age
of silent film and the world’s most celebrated actress. Available from various sources.
Before the Nickelodeon: The Early Cinema of Edwin S. Porter (2008, 105 minutes). Film
historian Charles Musser’s tribute to early filmmaker Edwin S. Porter. Includes sixteen
complete Porter films such as The Life of an American Fireman and The Sunken
Battleship Maine. Available from various sources.
Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow (1987, run time not available). A biography of
Keaton, including interviews with the silent–film star and clips from his best films. The
documentary comes in three volumes: From Vaudeville to Movies, A Genius
Recognized, and Star without a Studio. Available from various sources.
The Celluloid Closet (1995, 102 minutes). Drawing on 120 film clips, this documentary is a
sexy and witty overview of a hundred years of depictions of gay men and lesbians in
Hollywood movies. Distributed by New Yorker Films, can be rented on Amazon or
Netflix.
Film before Film (1986, 83 minutes). A documentary that explores the technological
advances in the nineteenth century that led to the development of the moving image. In
German with English subtitles. Available from various sources.
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MOVIES: DEMOCRACY
The Monster That Ate Hollywood (2001, 60 minutes). A Frontline coproduction with Riot
Pictures. PBS’s Frontline takes a look at America’s changing movie capital,
Hollywood, and how once fiercely independent Hollywood filmmakers and film studios
must answer to megacorporations that now own the Hollywood movie industry.
Available from various sources.
NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALISM: HISTORY
The Black Press: Soldiers without Swords (1998, 86 minutes). The first film to chronicle the
NEWSPAPERS: PRODUCTION
The Making of a Newspaper (1988, 28 minutes). This video follows the process of
newspaper production from the reporting phase to the final printing. It also explains the
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NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALISM: VALUES
Constructing Public Opinion: How Politicians and the Media Misrepresent the Public
(2001, 32 minutes). This documentary—an interview with Professor Justin Lewis—
discusses how the media regularly use public opinion polls in their reporting of
important news stories and investigates the way polling data is used by the media not
just to reflect what Americans think but instead to construct public opinion itself.
PUBLIC RELATIONS: HISTORY
The Image Makers (1984, 60 minutes). Part of the A Walk through the Twentieth Century
with Bill Moyers series. We recommend the first twenty minutes. It is the best history of
public relations available and an essential video resource for understanding the roles of
Ivy Lee, the Ludlow massacre, and Edward Bernays. The video is out of print and
available only in VHS, but check your university or college library. The entire series
PUBLIC RELATIONS: PRODUCTION
PUBLIC RELATIONS: DEMOCRACY
Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear, and the Selling of American Empire (2006, 76 minutes).
This video places the George W. Bush administration’s original justifications for war in
Iraq within the larger context of a two–decade struggle by neoconservatives to
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Toxic Sludge Is Good for You (2003, 45 minutes). A critical look at the public relations
industry with PR Watch founder John Stauber and cultural scholars Mark Crispin Miller
War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death (2006, 45
RADIO: HISTORY
Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (1991, 120 minutes). A documentary by Ken
RADIO: CULTURE
Radio Industry (1997, 29 minutes). Hosted by NPR’s Ray Suarez, this program explores the
business side of public and commercial radio broadcasting (part of the Film, TV, and
Media Today ten–part series). Distributed by Films for the Humanities & Sciences,
SOUND RECORDING: HISTORY
The History of Audio Recordings (1997, 30 minutes). A history of the sound recording
industry and a look at the connections among technology, business, artistry, and social
dynamics when producing an audio recording. Distributed by RMI Media,
La Bamba (1987, 108 minutes). A romantic biography of Ritchie Valens, including his
tragic death in an airplane crash that also took the lives of Buddy Holly and the Big
SOUND RECORDING: PRODUCTION
Recording Industry (1997, 29 minutes). Top industry executives and other experts discuss
such issues as how a new artist attracts the attention of a recording company and how
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SOUND RECORDING: CULTURE
Hip–Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes (2006, 60 minutes). This video examines manhood,
sexism, and homophobia in hip–hop culture. The documentary pays tribute to hip–hop
while challenging the rap music industry to take responsibility for glamorizing
destructive, deeply conservative stereotypes of manhood. An abridged version is
TELEVISION: HISTORY
Big Dream Small Screen: The Story behind the Television (1997, 60 minutes). This story of
Philo Farnsworth begins in 1921 when he is fourteen and tracks the inventor’s life as an
optimistic and creative man who is ultimately undermined by RCA President David
Sarnoff and his “pet” inventor, Vladimir Zworkin. Available from various sources.
Comedy and Kid Stuff I and II (1951–1955, 115 minutes and 60 minutes). Video
compilations that include features The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1951–
Current Events, 1950s (and 60s) Style, Vol. 2 (1952–1961, 110 minutes). Historical
television programs, including Plymouth News Caravan (1955), with John Cameron
Swayze from New York and David Brinkley from Washington; You Can Change the
World (1952), a morning show; and The White House Story (1961), a White House tour
Current Events, 1950s Style, Vol. 1 (120 minutes). Historical television programs, including
Richard Nixon’s “Checkers Speech” (1952) and See It Now (from 1951 and 1952). The
See It Now show features coaxial cable hookups for holiday greetings from cities coast–
The Ed Wynn Show (1949, 120 minutes). Featuring a very young Mel Tormé along with
Dinah Shore, Virginia O’Brien, and Buster Keaton; a monologue (by Wynn) about the
new TV medium; and sketches, including the goings–on at a record store. In another
sketch, Keaton re–creates his first silent–movie routine. As a bonus, Shokus Video will
Game Show Program V (1956–1963, 90 minutes). A game–show compilation including Beat
the Clock (1956); The $64,000 Question (1956), one of the highest–rated game shows,
complete with the nervous contestants, isolation booth, and famous “think” music; and
Queen for a Day (1963), a rare kinescope of this classic daytime show. Distributed by
Game Show Program VIII (1955–1958, 115 minutes). A video compilation of game shows
featuring Chance of a Lifetime (1955), a star–search program where the audience
decides; Bingo at Home (1955); Tic Tac Dough (1957), a rare kinescope (Shokus Video
writes, “Were the contestants briefed? You be the judge; they’re unusually smart”); and
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The History and Future of Television (1996, 50 minutes). This BBC program recaptures the
spirit of the early days of television and asks where the medium will be in the twenty–
Just Kid Stuff III (1949–1951, 120 minutes). A video compilation that includes Captain
Video (1949), one of the first science–fiction shows; The Magic Clown (1951), featuring
a clown who does magic tricks for an audience full of unruly kids, with candy
commercials; Andy’s Gang (1955); and Captain Video (1950), an episode featuring the
typical mistakes of early television: bad acting, bad movie cutaways, and an
The Television: Window to the World (1996, 50 minutes). In explaining the history of
television, this video details how radio set the stage for television, considers early
television models, and explores color and satellite innovations. The program also looks
TELEVISION: PRODUCTION
Hollywood Inside Out: The TV Industry (1998, 40 minutes). A comprehensive look at how
sitcoms and dramas are made, including all phases of the production process.
TELEVISION: CULTURE
Color Adjustment, directed by Marlon Riggs (1991, 88 minutes). This film traces the
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On Television: Teach the Children (1992, 56 minutes). What does television teach children