24/7 Politics

""A New Yorker Best Book We've Read This Year"" ""A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year"" ""Winner of the PROSE Award in Media and Cultural Studies, Association of American Publishers"" ""Winner of the Eugenia M. Palmegiano Prize, American Historical Association"" ""Brownell is an excellent historian, and her account of cable's evolution from the period right after World War II to the period right after the Cold War is among the best I have read.""---Jesse Walker, Reason ""Brownell, a historian, details how the opponents of network broadcasting successfully cast the industry as ‘elitist’ and peddled cable as a democratizing force that would ‘empower people, politicians, and perspectives.’ Her persuasive account argues that cable’s advocates were, in fact, motivated primarily by profit, and that cable television’s Sisyphean pursuit of ratings and revenue ultimately served to cultivate a toxic media—and political—environment."" * New Yorker * ""The book’s clear argument is conveyed through meticulous research blended with captivating stories, and the cast of characters ranges from franchise owners and lobbyists to policy wonks and presidents. This book provides a new way of looking at the familiar histories of both cable television and American electoral politics due to its impressive deep dives into pivotal moments where those two histories were tied together."" * Choice * ""Brownell is a great writer, the subject is decidedly relevant, and the timing of the book’s publication is beyond prescient. . . . The consequence of cable television will be felt long after subscriptions fade to black. This makes 24/7 Politics a must read for those who are concerned about the crumbling of American unity and disintegration of agreed upon fact.""---Alison Dagnes, Bucks County Beacon