Rerun Nation

Long before TV Land, the Game Show Network, and Cartoon Network cornered the market, reruns were a staple of American television. This book examines this window into the popular past. The long tradition of reruns has come to determine television’s place in American history and culture, and framed our understanding of what defines “American television.” The economics of broadcasting made recycling programs a standard practice as early as the 1950s, but it was not until the mid 1970s that reruns were singled out as a significant contribution to American culture in general. This is a fascinating approach to television history and theory through the ubiquitous yet overlooked phenomenon of reruns. It covers both historical and conceptual ground, weaving together a refresher course in the history of television with a critical analysis of how reruns have shaped the cultural, economic, and legal terrains of American television. Given the expanding use of past media texts not only in the United States, but also in virtually every media-rich society, this book addresses a critical facet of everyday life.

Author Biography

Derek Kompare is Assistant Professor of Cinema-Television at Southern Methodist University. He has published several articles on television history and genre, including his work on Nick at Nite, The Osbournes, and the “television heritage” of the 1970s.