This work investigates the evolving relationship between the American public and television broadcasting during the medium's formative decades. Robert T. Bower, drawing upon extensive data from the Bureau of Social Science Research, analyzes how viewers interacted with programming, advertising, and the social implications of screen time. The text provides a systematic framework for understanding the shift in cultural consumption patterns from the 1960s through the 1970s.

Researchers frequently cite this volume as a foundational empirical study for understanding mid-century media consumption. Experts highlight the text's academic density and its value as a primary source for historical media sociology.