"How is it that television has come to play such an important role in our culture? What does TV tell us, and how do we make sense of its content? How does what's on telly relate to the culture of the people watching it? What is it that we find so satisfying in the format of TV crime shows, or in quiz or sports programmes, that we enjoy watching them again and again? Reading Television addresses these questions, providing a sympathetic but systematic method of analysis from which critical readings of television can be made."

"The book's overall approach - recognizable now as cultural studies - became widely influential when Reading Television was first published in 1978, and it continues to shape the field internationally. In this edition, John Hartley reflects on the development of television studies since then and provides invaluable new suggestions for further reading. His fascinating foreword both underlines and ensures the continuing relevance of this foundational text, which provides the ideal entry point for anyone wanting to understand the place of television within contemporary culture."--Jacket.