Suburbanization and the Social Use of Television

Suburbanization and the Social Use of Television

The 1950s can be seen as a time of unprecedented family values, in which young, white, middle-income nuclear families arrived en masse in the pre-planned community living areas of suburbia. In the article "Joyride", Kunstler identifies the reasons for, and attraction of, a grand public relocation to previously uninhabited areas outside main city centres. Kunstler argues that it was, in part, the replacement of the streetcar (or trolley), and later the automobile, from the horse-powered transit of earlier 20th century life, that ignited weekend traffic to expand outside urban centres.

"Joyriding" on weekends, as Kunstler explains, made suburban areas more accessible and attractive. Suburban areas often hosted various family attractions (such as amusement parks) in which families could experience safe, clean entertainment while being removed from the chaos of the city. Two factors encouraged this "weekending" family behaviour: (1) with the introduction of the electric trolley, passengers could travel any distance at a flat rate cheaper than old horse-drawn methods; and (2) automobiles were greatly subsidized after their initial introduction, thus promoting the number of middle-class car owners. Both these factors brought large-scale transit outside of the city, making the suburbs more accessible and demanding the development of suburban communities.

This major development, as described in Lynn Spiegel's article "The Suburban Home Companion", was largely driven by the concept of suburbia as a safe, clean environment (free from "undesirables" such as blacks and lower-income families) in which families could experience both an increased private and community life. This separation, Spiegel says, is what opened the opportunity for TV success. As nuclear suburban families desired to experience the "outside" world (including travel, unusual voyages etc.), they were also trapped in a homogenous communities where life was mundane, and immense pressure was put on each family in these "fair tale" towns to keep up with, and out-do, next door neighbours, and produce a consistently stable and satisfied appearance.

As this suburban sprawl of the fifties took America by storm, Spiegel discusses how television provided a necessary means of escapism for frustrated families. The first television show, broadcast in 1949, was a very simple program in which a man and woman sit watching and discussing the TV. Although by today's standards this would be seen as unsurpassingly boring to audiences, this simple show provided a stress relief and easy entertainment; it seemed as though audiences enjoyed watching programs which, similar to their own situation, seemed more rewarding.