This comprehensive textbook, now substantially updated for its fourth edition, provides students with a framework for understanding the key concepts and main approaches to Television Studies, including audiences, representation, industry and global television, as well as the analytical study of individual programmes.
This new edition reflects the significant changes the television industry is undergoing in the streaming era with an explosion of new content and providers, whilst also identifying how many existing practices have endured. The book includes a glossary of key terms, with each chapter suggesting further reading.
New and updated material includes:
Chapters on style and form, narrative, industry, and representation and identity
Case studies on Bon Appétit’s YouTube channel, Insecure, British youth television, ABC and Disney+, fixed-rig observational documentary, streaming platforms' use of data to shape audience experience, Chewing Gum, Korean drama and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Sections on medical drama, YouTube creators, Skam and scripted format sales, the global spread of streaming platforms, prestige TV and period drama
With individual chapters addressing television style and form, narrative, histories, industries, genres and formats, realities, production, audiences, representation and identity, and quality, this book is essential reading for both students and scholars of Television Studies.
Author Biography:
Jonathan Bignell is Professor of Television and Film at the University of Reading, UK. He authored three previous editions of An Introduction to Television Studies and was co-author of The Television Handbook, second edition. His many other publications include co-editing the book A European Television History.
Faye Woods is Associate Professor of Film and Television at the University of Reading, UK. She is the author of the books Period Drama and British Youth Television.
