Kevin Bemel ·
Does It Matter that Far More People Loved Lucy than Raymond?
Do you remember when prime time was family viewing time? Most people watched one of the three networks’ shows. Before that, the Mutual Broadcasting System, CBS, and NBC’s red and blue networks controlled most radio programming.Movies were dominated by the Big Five: MGM, 20
Movies were dominated by the Big Five: MGM, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Warner Bros., and RKO. Men such as David Sarnoff, William S. Paley, Louis B. Meyer, and Jack Warner had tremendous influence on what Americans heard or watched. Whatever the merits or faults of this system, the one thing it created was a cohesive popular culture.
I Love Lucy was the most-watched show on television for four of its six seasons from 1951 to 1957. On Tuesday mornings (it aired on Monday nights its entire run) undoubtedly most people talking about television were talking about the comic antics of Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. Differences in socio-economic status, country of origin, and ethnicity were bridged by common popular culture references.
Today, the sources of popular culture are much more fragmented. No longer do five studio heads or a handful of senior programming executives determine what we see and hear. While we may consume the same media as family and friends, increasingly we cannot share popular cultural references with others beyond this group. What heretofore was a common ground on which a large percentage of Americans could converse no longer unifies us.
Social media exacerbates this trend by providing the means to self-segment by micro likes and interests.
Popular culture in the 20th century replaced the 19th century struggle to get established in America as societal glue in the face of polarizing forces like ruralists vs. industrialists, pro vs. antislavery advocates, the Civil War, Reconstruction, unions vs. businesses, and isolationists vs. internationalists. It is unlikely that popular culture will regain its ability to connect Americans. Does it matter? Do we need a unifying force in society? If so, is there some force in the offing?
Question – How does feeling more or less connected to your fellow Americans impact your daily life?
You can leave a comment on this question or ask another question below ↓
