The Confetti Generation: How the New Communications Technology Is Fragmenting America

By William J. Donnelly

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080500095X
• ISBN13: 9780805000955
• Release Date: January 1986
• Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
• Length: 239 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Shows its age, but surprisingly accurate predictions

William Donnelly isn't like many people who write books critiquing television and technology - he's an insider who has worked for major organizations in the field. As such, he is uniquely qualified to discuss the role and impact television has had on America. One very useful concept he has is that television came about without a formal agreement between the public and the providers as to what the "public interest" was. Thus, many complain today about what is on television (the supply) without ever addressing the fact that only shows that attract audiences (the demand) stick around. Although he spends a great deal of time discussing Videotex (made up of Teletext and Videotext) as the next big thing, most of his points regarding the impact of the technology apply to the WWW, something no one had thought of in 1986. In some cases, his predictions are way off, such as suggesting that 36 channels is all cable (or DBS) would be likely to carry, as any further fragmenting of the market would make it impossible to cover production costs. In this, he failed to anticipate technology making production cheaper over time. In others, he was spot on, such as his prediction that cable would have 85% of the market in 2000 (which, when you consider satellite to be another cable company, is exactly where we are.) He provides a survival guide for how to keep the newer technologies from driving society apart. Sadly, few have read the book, and fewer still would consider his suggestions. This book does not duplicate Neil Postman's excellent "Amusing Ourselves to Death" and would serve as a great complement to that book for those seeking to understand television as it exists in America.