Television in the Multichannel Age is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to the history of multichannel television in all its forms - from cable to direct-to-home satellite and beyond. Chapter by chapter, the book traces the evolution of cable television from its pre-historical origins in the late 1940s to the communications satellites and DBS distribution systems of the modern digital age, both in the U.S. and internationally. * Guides the reader through the history of multichannel television from its origins in the '40s to the modern age * Discusses factors that influence today's television landscape including government policy-making, emerging technologies, and the public's programming tastes * Concentrates on domestic multichannel technologies while considering global impacts of these technologies * Includes newly discovered oral history transcripts, personal interviews, government documents, and never before seen photographs * Presents a fascinating history of media that have come to play critical roles in today's society, and in doing so invites the reader to speculate on the future of multichannel television