1. THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE 1950S
THE POSTWAR BOOM
THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE 1950S
John Naisbitt

2. Learning Objectives: Section 3 - Popular Culture
1. Explain how television programs in the 1950s reflected middle class values.
2. Explain how the beat movement and rock’n’roll music clashed with middle class values.
3. Describe ways that African-American entertainers integrated the media in the 1950s.

3. Popular Culture New Era of the Mass Media The Rise of Television 3
SECTION
Popular Culture
New Era of the Mass Media
The Rise of Television
• Mass media—means of communication that reach large audiences
• TV first widely available 1948; in almost 90% of homes in 1960
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates communications
• By 1956, FCC allows 500 stations to broadcast
• Programs: comedies, news, dramas, variety shows, children’s shows
• Lifestyle changes: TV Guide is popular magazine; TV dinners
Continued . . .
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4. SECTION 3: POPULAR CULTURE
A new era of mass media led by television emerged in the 1950s
In 1948, only 9% of homes had T.V
In 1950, 55% of homes had T.V.
By 1960, 90% of American homes had T.V.

5. THE GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION
The 1950s was known as the “Golden Age of Television”
Comedies were the main attraction as Milton Berle, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were very popular
Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball starred in I Love Lucy

6. TELEVISION EXPERIMENTS WITH VARIOUS FORMATS
Television innovations like on-the-scene-news reporting, interviews, westerns and sporting events offered the viewer a variety of shows
Kids’ shows like The Howdy Doody Show and The Mickey Mouse Club were extremely popular

7. Popular Culture GUIDED READING 1. Television TV Shows: I Love Lucy;
See It Now;
Playhouse 90
Subjects presented:
Comedy;
idealized white
America;
Western frontier
Subjects avoided:
Poverty;
diversity;
contemporary conflicts, such as racial discrimination

8. Stereotypes and Gunslingers3
SECTION
continued New Era of the Mass Media
Stereotypes and Gunslingers
Women, minorities on TV are stereotypes; few blacks, Latinos
Westerns glorify historical frontier conflicts
Raise concerns about effect of violence on children
Radio and Movies
Television cuts into radio, movie markets
Radio turns to local news, weather, music, community affairs
Movies capitalize on size, color, sound advantages; try gimmicks
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10. TV ADS, TV GUIDES AND TV DINNERS EXPAND
TV advertising soared from $170 million in 1950 to nearly $2 billion in 1960
TV Guide magazine quickly became the best selling magazine
Frozen TV dinners were introduced in 1954 – these complete ready-to-heat meals on disposable aluminum trays made it easy for people to eat without missing their favorite shows

11. MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS
A – How did the emergence of television affect Americans culture in the 1950’s
More households used television for entertainment and
People spent an increasing number of hours watching TV.
More varied shows were broadcast, and
TV dinners were invented to accommodate viewers.

12. Radio focused on local areas

13. Popular Culture GUIDED READING 2. Radio a. Radio changes:
Tuned to local programming;
began targeting specialized audiences
b. African-American culture:
Hundreds of stations focused on African-American performers, helping to sell their records.

14. B – Do you think the rise of television had a positive or negative effect on Americans? Explain.
informing and entertaining;
Reinforcing cultural values.
Negative –
Promoting stereotypes of minorities and women;
Exposing children to images of violence.

16. C – How did radio and movies maintain their appeal in the 1950’s
They concentrated on what they did best – local news, weather, and music programming on radio;
Size, color, and stereophonic sound in movies.

17. Popular Culture GUIDED READING 3. Film Film:
Introduced innovations such as stereoscopic sound
and Cinemascope to capitalize on its advantages over TV;
introduced such fads as piped-in smells
and 3-D

18. A Subculture Emerges The Beat Movement 3
SECTION
A Subculture Emerges
The Beat Movement
• Beat movement—writers, artists express social, literary nonconformity
• Poets, writers use free, open form; read works aloud in coffeehouses
• Beatnik attitudes, way of life attract media attention, students
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19. A SUBCULTURE EMERGES
Although mass media and television were wildly popular in the 1950s, dissenting voices emerged
The “Beat Movement” in literature and rock n’ roll clashed with tidy suburban views of life

20. BEATNIKS FOLLOW OWN PATH
Centered in San Francisco, L.A. and New York’s Greenwich Village, the Beat Movement expressed social nonconformity
Followers, called “beatniks”, tended to shun work and sought understanding through Zen Buddhism, music, and sometimes drugs
Beatniks often performed poetry or music in coffeehouses or bars

21. D – Why do you think many young Americans were attracted to the beat movement?
Teenagers looking for alternatives to the conformity and consumerism of the parents found a celebration of poverty, unconformity, and art that reflected immediate sensory experience.

22. Popular Culture GUIDED READING 4. The Beat Movement a. Beat movement:,
Ginsberg,
Kerouac
b. Characteristics:
Nonconformity;
anti-materialism;
interest in a higher consciousness;
the shunning of structure in life and art

23. African Americans and Rock ‘n’ Roll3
SECTION
African Americans and Rock ‘n’ Roll
Rock ‘n’ Roll
• Black musicians add electric instruments to blues—rhythm and blues
• Rock ‘n’ roll—mix of rhythm and blues, country, pop
• Has heavy rhythm, simple melodies, lyrics about teenage concerns
• Music appeals to newly affluent teens who can buy records
• Many adults concerned music will lead to delinquency, immorality
Continued . . .
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24. MUSIC IN THE 1950s
Musicians in the 1950s added electronic instruments to traditional blues music, creating rhythm and blues
Cleveland DJ Alan Freed was the first to play this music in 1951– he called it “rock and roll”
FREED

25. ROCK N’ ROLL
In the early and mid-fifties, Richard Penniman, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and the Comets, and especially Elvis Presley brought rock and roll to the forefront
The driving rhythm and lyrics featuring love, cars, and problems of being young captivated teenagers across the country

26. THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL
Presley’s rebellious style captured young audiences
Girls screamed and fainted, and boys tried to imitate him

27. E – Based on Elvis Presley’s song titles, what do you think were teenagers’ concerns in the 1950’s?
Songs were about love and heartache, and the problems of being young.

29. F – Identify your favorite singer, based his/her song titles what message or idea do you think they are trying to relate to you.
ANSWER THIS ON YOUR OWN

30. Popular Culture GUIDED READING 5. Rock ‘n’ Roll a. Rock 'n' roll:
Elvis Presley,
Chuck Berry,
Little Richard;
radio, TV
b. Characteristics:
heavy rhythm;
simple melodies and lyrics;
focus on youth

31. 3
SECTION
continued African Americans and Rock ‘n’ Roll
The Racial Gap
African-American singers like Nat “King” Cole, Lena Horne popular
Many black artists play jazz, music characterized by improvisation
African-American shows mostly broadcast on black radio stations
- content, advertising target black audiences
Important to black audiences with fewer TV sets, no presence on TV
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34. DANCE in the 1950s
American Bandstand was the first program on television to integrate black and white teens.
FREED