Aniko Bodroghkozy

Two events fundamentally shaped life in the United States after World War II: the birth of the baby boomer generation and the introduction of television into living rooms nationwide. The simultaneous arrival of these newcomers into American homes forged an unprecedented link between them. In this excerpt from her book, Groove Tube: Sixties Television and the Youth Rebellion, Aniko Bodroghkozy analyzes the effect television had on the first generation to grow up in front of the small screen. Early advertisements for television promised a new medium that would educate young citizens, prevent juvenile delinquency, and promote family harmony. Skeptical social commentators expressed anxieties about TV competing with parental authority and schoolwork. Some even declared the end of childhood innocence and the beginning of a dangerous generational schism.

As Bodroghkozy illustrates, the burgeoning youth culture of television...