No medium in history can match the power of television. No product has spread so far and so fast. Nothing has had so much influence. Nothing has impacted how the world sees itself like television.

Television: Volume 1 brings together seven decades of stories on how this happened into one epic narrative.

• How did an impoverished immigrant become the king of all media, creating the first radio network and the first TV network?
• What caused the inventor of FM radio to jump out of a window to his death?
• How did NBC, CBS and ABC innovate to build their media monopolies?
• How did Star Trek create the first fan culture movement?
• What made The Mary Tyler Moore Show the first great feminist show, and number one hit?
• What made Norman Lear the most influential TV comedy producer ever?
• How did Lucille Ball go from a washed-up B movie actress to a multi-millionaire Hollywood studio mogul?
• What makes Louis C.K. the Jackie Gleason of the digital age?

With unparalleled insider insight, it shares critical, practical, behind the scenes lessons from the business of TV. The Television series is a must for media executives, students, entrepreneurs, and fans.

Two-time Emmy Award winner, author Seth Shapiro is a leading advisor in business innovation, media and technology. He is an Adjunct Professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, a Governor of the Television Academy, and Principal of New Amsterdam Media LLC.