About This Site

 

     Welcome to The Pop History Dig.

     In today’s world, busy people often miss or by-pass important historic and cultural events when they first occur.  Others have completely forgotten older events or know little of their significance.  The Pop History Dig is offered as a place to revisit some of that cultural history, whether decades old or occurring just last week.  It is also a place to consider the importance and meaning of these events as they’ve occurred in history and their impact on society.

     What you will find here is a collection of stories that probe the history and power of popular culture – its people, its businesses, and its politics.  Everything from Thomas Edison’s inventions to Oprah Winfrey’s political endorsements will be fair game –  and more.  Music, sports, film, and television will all be part of the mix.  Media and entertainment, quite obviously, figure prominently in the making of popular culture, and these will be a primary focus.  History is covered, yes, but it’s history with a difference; political, cultural, and business history; history that helps explain, for example, how media and entertainment have become such a pervasive part of our culture. 

     All of this will be served up in a short- to medium-length story format – stories that are somewhat longer than a typical blog, but in-depth enough to provide, hopefully, some useful information or new insight.  Each story will include photos, sidebars and other graphics.  Some will contain music, and some will link to videos.  There will be biography, business history, and a share of nostalgia.  Some pieces will be serious, others less so.

     Jack Kennedy’s politics will be considered, as well as Mickey Mantle’s home runs and Madonna’s music.  Warner Brothers’ film history will be included, along with John Steinbeck’s novels and the power of 1930s’ radio.  And Walt Disney’s empire and how Ted Turner built CNN are also covered. Everything from Edison’s inventions to Oprah’s political endorsements will be fair game at this site –  and more. Still other stories might focus on the product endorsements of basketball phenom LeBron James, the history of MTV, or a Ray Charles song.

     These are all stories of a kind, related in their total effect, sometimes called “popular culture.”  But they are more than that.  They are also the stories of mainstream culture; stories of money, politics, and power.  They tell us something about who we are and what we value.  Some are significant in business or the arts; others have become historic milestones and landmarks; and still others have woven themselves into the social fabric over time.  Some are embedded in our personal lives and emotional memories – from music and film, to books and sporting events.  And whether personal marker or cultural milestone, many of these events have come to us by way of the media and entertainment industries.

 

Media & Society

     A century ago, media and entertainment were minor players in society and the economy.  Today they are much more prominent, from Main Street to Wall Street and well beyond.  The media and entertainment industries now contribute well north of $500 billion annually to the global economy. The media and entertain- ment industries now contribute well north of $500 billion annually to the global economy. In fact, some journalists, media analysts, and academics have written about a more power- ful ‘entertainment economy’ emerging globally, pervading ever-more areas of modern life.  Media and entertain- ment today are obviously major forces of social and cultural change, for good or ill, permeating national and family values.  The Pop History Dig will include stories on these changes and the rising influence of Big Media, as well as others exploring its historic rise.  Whether publishing or the news business, Hollywood or the video game industry, there is important history here, some of which has been neglected or is well worth a second look.  The ownership and marketing of books, music, film, news, sports, TV, radio, video games and more is also of interest here.  The economic interplay of media and cultural products will be considered here, too – i.e., books-to-film, music & television, sports & video games, rock music & advertising, internet integration, etc.  These subjects will not be covered ad nauseam dissertation style, but rather as parts of other stories woven into biographies and other storylines.

 

Novel Cuts

     In fact, most of the stories found at this web site will consist of biographical profiles, period pieces, and vignettes not likely found elsewhere.  Each will take a unique slice of pop culture history or some media and entertainment event that focuses on a singular topic, time period, or personality.  Profiles of rock musicians will be found alongside more in-depth pieces on media mergers.  Some stories will simply celebrate a good piece of music or an exceptional athletic career.  Others may probe censorship or explore the politics of the Hollywood-Washington connection.  And still others will laud and highlight personal and business achievement in the arts and culture.  There will also be plenty of nostalgia here; stories that appeal to that memory and meaning often attached to particular books, songs, movies, and cultural events.  This is history, too – personal history; part and parcel to the larger story.

     The aim of all this is simply to offer some fresh perspective on the emergence of popular culture as a real and powerful force in today’s world.  The goal, in part, is to help illuminate how we got to where we are now with today’s media and entertainment industries.  There is no hidden agenda; only a genuine interest in sharing selected pieces of this cultural history to show how our world has changed, what it means today, and where it’s heading for the future.

 

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A Second Look

     This site is also offered to provide its readers with a “second look” at historic and cultural events that have receded with time.  Even well-known events often have hidden facets and new revelations to offer.  And both older and more recent events can look quite different with the passage of time, offering new perspective and/or new appreciation – a primary reason why this web site is offered.

     Some stories posted at this web site, may with time, develop spin-offs or sequels; others may become parts of ongoing series.  All will have periodic updates.  The total site package, too – with a building archive of stories, photos, and links – will hopefully provide those who come here a useful and continuing resource.  And whether the subject is Bob Dylan or Rupert Murdoch, Willie Mays or Vanity Fair magazine, each story will also include a “sources, selected links & additional information” section at its conclusion.

     At its core, The Pop History Dig is dedicated to public education and reader enjoyment.  Each story will attempt to bring you something new; something you did not know before you came here.  And whether you are a rock music fan or a film historian, a stay-at-home mom or Wall Street broker, there should be something here that interests you.  Teachers, students, and journalists should find value in these pages too, as well as political junkies and media and entertainment analysts.

 

Editor & Publisher

     Jack Doyle, editor and publisher of this website, is a writer and consultant who has also worked in Washington, D.C. as a public policy analyst and lobbyist.  He has written several books of nonfiction and his writing has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe and other publications.  Much of his work has been investigative, typically focusing on energy and environmental issues, business history, and public policy.  He has served as a consultant to public agencies and private-sector clients, spoken before university and trade group audiences, and has occasionally appeared on radio and TV.  In recent years, his research and writing interests have expanded to the media and entertainment industries and the impact of these industries on culture, marketing, and politics.  In addition to his work at this site, he is also a consultant, research analyst, and writer available for selected projects.  Interested parties can contact him directly at: jdoyle@pophistorydig.com.

Publisher’s Note      As the author and publisher of this web site, I will endeavor to provide you with the best available and most credible information I can find. I will offer stories and profiles in a journalistic style and will work to keep my personal views and opinions at a minimum. Still, the tone and tenor of this site, like any other, is obviously set by the person selecting the stories and framing their presentation.      In building this site, I am working to produce “unique slices” of popular culture and its history.  I am generally trying to offer stories that haven’t appeared in quite the same form anywhere else. That won’t happen in every case certainly, but I will be working hard to provide novel takes on the people, business, and politics of the changing cul- tural milieu out there, past and present.      I come to this site with the experiences and biases of a baby boomer, but also with family and friends in older and younger generations who will let me know when I’m missing the mark or have not got things quite right.  And I trust that readers of these pages will do that as well, and I encourage all readers to submit e-mail comments on the stories that appear – and to make suggestions for others that should appear.      Navigating within this site is possible by scrolling down to the “Recent Stories” list on the left sidebar; scrolling through the story links and thumbnails on the Home Page and its continuation pages; or exploring the “Categories” options on the upper left navigation bar.  Any of these entry points should provide an adequate opening to story choices.  An “Archive” of all stories (peri- odically updated) can be accessed from the upper left navigation bar.  Additionally, the “Period Archive” on the right sidebar will eventually include short descriptive sum- maries or opening sentences to all completed stories by decade.  A site map is also planned and will be added at the bottom of the site in the future.  All posted stories will include sourcing, links, and additional resources at the end, and many will be updated as appropriate.      I hope to offer quality information at this website and also to learn from your comments and suggestions.  Please visit often, pass along this website address to your friends and colleagues, and return frequently to check out the latest offerings.  Thanks for stopping by.                                Yours in good reading,                                                  - Jack Doyle

 

Financial Support

     Donations from individuals and institutional funding support for The Pop History Dig are absolutely essential and critical to the survival and improvement of this website.  All donations and funding support are especially needed during the current start-up phase.  They are used to sustain and support the site’s operations and to help pay for the research and writing of all stories.  To make a donation please go to the “Donate” option via the upper left navigation bar or use the small “Donate” box that appears at the end of most stories.

Custom Research

     The author of this site is also available for selected custom research projects which can be arranged through consulting contract. For other funding arrangements, or to inquire about custom research projects, please contact jdoyle@pophistorydig.com.

Advertising

     Currently, The Pop History Dig also uses Google’s AdSense advertising program on its pages in an effort to financially support the site’s operations.  No outside pop-up advertising is accepted.  Businesses and individuals interested in sponsorship, funding, research contracting, and/or advertising should contact: jdoyle@pophistorydig.com.  Thank you.

 

Fair Use & Disclaimer

     The primary purpose of this web site is public education.  Short stories on the history of popular culture and related subjects in the media and entertainment industries are presented at this site to inform interested readers and the general public.  These stories are also offered to further public understanding of history and culture. 

     In order to fully describe and present the central point, argument, and/or criticism in each story, various literary, artistic, photo- graphic, and/or electronic works under copy- right may be cited, referenced, quoted, and/or shown in part.  It is believed that the use of these and other similar materials in the posted stories constitutes “fair use” under U.S. copy- right law, as it is the intention of this web site only to use such materials for general identi- fication, public education, critical commentary, and other purposes associated with a journalistic and public education undertaking. 

     The images of events, products, and individuals shown at this web site are the property of the artists or other entities shown, cited, and/or mentioned in the posted stories.  The Pop History Dig disclaims any ownership or other interest in these images, names, brands, or products.  Full citations are offered at the end of each posted story for all materials and works relied upon, as well as additional bibliographic referrals and appropriate internet links.  All sources cited throughout this web site are believed to be reliable and accurate.  Links to targeted topics and/or videos related to story subjects are included for the convenience of the reader and will take the reader to external websites.  These links are intended to focus only on the targeted subject matter related to the story at hand and not other material or videos that may appear on linked websites.

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- The Pop History Dig, LLC.

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Date Posted:  27 April 2008
Last Update:  26 October 2009
Comments to:  jdoyle@pophistorydig.com