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BAF explores space...at least how television has approached space missions in real life as opposed to science fiction. Triggered by the space race and early orbits by Alan Shepard and John Glenn, the 1960s presented the first images in space including the highly watched moon landing of Apollo 11 in 1969. New developments filled the 1980s decade, with the introduction of women into space but also the loss of the first civilian teacher in the tragic explosion of the 1986 Challenger. BAF analyzes how these launch events evolved with time, technology, and greater exposure...

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In an all listener preview of this subscriber-based bonus coverage, BAF peeks into the television shows of the 1960s decade that centered on espionage. Inspired by the release of the early James Bond films, spy-themeed programs began their mission with The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and continued with Get Smart, I Spy, and the sustaining Mission: Impossible. Many of these shows went beyond what was seen on the television screen and BAF explores the mark they made and how many are still remembered and relaunched in recent times. 

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With the approach of the America's semiquincentennial (250 years), BAF takes a look back at the Bicentennial celebration in 1976 and the role televison played not just that on Sunday, July 4th of that year but months even years before. 

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With all the different types of programming the television brought, fund raising played a part and so entered the telethon. Addressing many charitable causes including medical research, support for arts and culture, and hunger relief, BAF explores how the televised appeal to masses began.

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In the 1950s, awards shows started being televised. Beginning with the Academy Awards (or Oscars) and continuing with the Emmys, Grammys, and ultimately Tonys these programs celebrating achievement in Cinema, Television, Music, and Stage laid the groundwork. BAF welcomes back James Lott, Jr. of JLJ Media, who has produced and hosted several podcasts of the history of awards shows in addition to great stories of the Hollywood scene, movies, and television. The discussion centers on how different awards shows emerged and how television played a part in capturing memorable, trend-changing, and sometimes...

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Revisiting bonus coverage through The Prime Time Players introduced last year, BAF presents special bonus content from last year's Super Bowl history episode that covers the evolution and emergence of America's championship game. The episode includes further details on how it came to be named the Super Bowl, some game highlights through the years, the importance of Budweiser and other significant commercialsl, early halftime show perfomers following the change in format of the early 1990s, and different versions of lead-out programming.

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The soap commercials first from the radio then television aired during daytime hours, eventually forming a genre known as soap opera and extending into Prime Time. BAF interviews podcaster James Lott, Jr. of JLJ Media, tapping into Lott's extensive knowledge of the genre and how it has shaped television drama over the decades in the way shows were presented, characters and the actors who portrayed them were received, and viewers watched them often awaiting weeks even months for plot resolution. 

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With the NFL season in full grind and approaching the playoffs, BAF looks at the Dallas Cowboys and the highly visible impact and history of their popularity on the air. He is joined by longtime Cowboys fan, Kaete, who represents a solid example of how television connects loyal followers outside of Texas. Topics of discussion center on how annual Thanksgiving appearances and active player, coach, and other personnel presence beyond the field have contributed to the brand "America's Team." 

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Parades are a longtime occasion to celebrate and honor. BAF explores how the presence of television has heightened the experience. This involves eliminating the factor of traveling the distance to see the spectacle, bringing amazing views close up through camera angles to see floats, inflatables, and performances plus hearing commentary from favorite on-air personalities. It all started in 1948 with the first national telecast of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade bringing enjoyment and pop culture to American households over a national holiday. This annual telecast led the way to others that promote recreational...

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The 1950s brought science fiction to television, but in October of 1959 a new program took elements of that genre to another level with a new anthology titled "The Twilight Zone." Created, produced, and narrated by Rod Serling this program explored different situations each episode involving space, time, the mysterious and unknown, and twists inolving humanity as well. Past guest Krysti joins BAF on an exploration of past episodes of "The Twilight Zone" and the overall show's impact over time. 

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The 1970s were a changing time for television bringing in a mix of new sitcoms and variety shows involving satire and social issues along with new trends and images in action shows and crime dramas. As the curtain closed on the era of western-based shows that were popular during the 1950s and 60s, two new historical dramas focused on the everyday lives of family in rural America - The Waltons and Little House of the Prairie. SImilar in many ways, they were also unique in how they touched American households in the...

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No, it's not an Olympic year and half a year away from one. But the purpose of having an Olympic Games sustains through time. BAF admits that in starting the podcast in 2024 he neglected last year's summer games in lieu of prepping introductory epsiodes. But better late than never and months ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, the importance of their televised exposure ranges across a variety of competitions, ceremonies, news, and features. Television coverage has brought all international parties together. 

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BAF explores a nostalgic subject for many when it comes to television programs - the opening theme. The early programs focused on the announcement of the show and its primary sponsor(s) but over time has helped introduce the setting and characters using music and visuals in different ways to set American audiences up to watch the program at hand. BAF addresses the question later in the episode if the presence of memorable themes are just that - memories?

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With this year's Wimbledon Grand Slam Tournament in the books and looking ahead to this year's U.S. Open , BAF explores the history and impact of tennis on television from its roots in the 20th Century. Loc, a well-received guest from last season, joins the show again to serve up his tennis experiences and knowledge wiith some of BAF's facts and perspectives on the early years. Topics include "Battle of the Sexes" between Bobby Riggs and BIllie Jean King and its Prime Time coverage, Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe contributing to the...

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The evolution of television programming was greatly influenced by the structure of the television season. BAF explores how it started out in experimental forms with early programming before eventually developing a fall through spring-summer model with reruns filling in. Certain programs defined the idea of the season finale through plot twists, cast and character changes, and the cliffhanger (Because soap operas are a future topic none specifically are mentioned in this episode just their role in general). Tune in to hear more on this season finale and engage in summer reruns before...

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Commerical breaks that is! BAF explores televison advertising from its earliest days and how it has evolved and changed. From its earliest days of sponsors promoting cigarette smoking to anti-drug public service announcements. From the earlier upbeat Presidential campagin ads to those that attacked political opponents. How something as simple as a Folgers coffee products can define household roles and approaches depending on the decade in which the commercial is released. Plus the characters and jingles that kept us buying food. The commercials that told us as viewers how we could be...

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BAF continues his exploration of changing comedy-variety shows with a look back at Saturday Night Live. Now in its 50th Season, the legendary sketch based program followed the a new wave of parody and issue-oriented comedy shows that came about in the late 1960s and 70s. Many of these represented a change with the times from traditional rural settings to larger cities. Being live from New York City, SNL as it has become known, has laughed at everything while presenting a new crop of comedy stars with the latest and greatest. As...

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As Saturday Night Live celebrates 50 years, BAF explores comedy-variety sketch shows that aired in the 10 years before it premiered. Such programs themeed their content around current events of the day, popular culture, and parodies of the past, present, and future. Programs such as The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Carol Burnett Show, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, and Hee Haw were all different in their own way but laid the foundations in comedy and music for a long running show such as Saturday Night Live to position itself in the television viewing marketplace when...

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A value to members of The Prime Time Players: Hear bonus content of the latest released episode that covers the evolution and emergence of America's championship game with further details on how it came to be named the Super Bowl, some game highlights through the years, the importance of Budweiser, further impact details regarding the 1984 Apple Macinstosh commercial, early halftime show perfomers following the change in format of the early 1990s, and different versions of lead-out programming.

Subscriber-only episode

After taking a look through the lens of the "Law & Order" setup (police investigators and prosecuting attorneys, BAF looks at the private investigation component. Some notable examples occured between the 1960s-80s decades with Mannix, Cannon, Barnaby Jones, The Rockford Files, and Magnum P.I.  These area THEIR stories.

Subscriber-only episode

As additional testimony to what was presented in the episode On the Job, On the Air: In the Criminal Justice System, BAF investigates more law enforcement officials outside the positions of police detective and prosecuting attorneys. In this bonus coverage, the role of defense attorney is further explored beyond the success of Perry Mason and into The Defenders and the more liberal, social-oriented themes it explored around the same time period of the early 1960s. Then a fast forward into the contrasting 1980s and 90s law dramas of the southern-based Matlock to the highbrow west...

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With the entrance of March comes the excitiement and anticipation of the annual NCAA College Basketball Tournament, Teams qualify, brackets are formed, and eventually a national champion is declared. But of all those who compete on the court, television has been the player to bring the many shining moments to fans and viewers across the nation. Joined by a longtime sporstfan and multi-athlete Loc, BAF explores the early tournament telecasts on NBC with the UCLA dynasty, the 1979 Championship Game that defined an NBA Finals matchup in the decade to follow, the growth...

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During the late 1980s, segments of a new television network started budding then blossoming into the regular lineup of shows. Before FOX television became a larger enterprise it worked its way into antenna television with some unique programs. BAF starts with its attempt at late night TV through hosts Joan RIvers and Arsenio Hall, the original Sunday programs including Married...with Children, The Tracey Ullmann Show, and 21 Jump Street, the early reality of America's Most Wanted and COPS, the socially experimental In Living Color, and new kind of animated series The Simpsons...

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One of television longest running and most popular crime dramas is Law & Order, and it has given the genre a whole new meaning not to mention to concept of branding off into other series. Before it came to be though, the television airwaves were filled for decades with crime dramas featuring both police detectives and prosecuting attorneys in the shadow of defense lawyers starting in the 1950s with Dragnet and Perry Mason. BAF touches on some of the early shorter-lived dramas featuring prosecuting attorneys such as Public Prosecutor and Arrest and Trial...

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It's more than just a championship game and BAF explores why. It doesn't need a seven-game series, home field advantage, or a dominating superstar athlete. With a blend of exciting play, diverse commercials, and engaging performance, the Super Bowl has transformed a sports championship into an event, borderline national holiday. From the early years on forward, the story is told through development of the game, advertising presence, and halftime entertainment. 

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The game show has been a major player in television history throughout the many decades not just in terms of longetivity of the genre but the shows themselves. Even the most early ones starting with Truth or Consequences and You Bet Your Life left some legacy leading to other shows that from the originals have also been reinvented including The Price is Right, Let's Make a Deal, Hollywood Squares, and Family Feud. The shows that didn't sustain through scandal led to a dark period but created a opening through innovation for shows s...

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Reality TV is more popular than ever but it is nothing new. It was there from the beginning of full TV schedules, and BAF explores the precursor shows such as Candid Camera and People are Funny that introduced the comedy of practical jokes on real people. Then the real stories of women during the 50s and 60s decades to become Queen for a Day and the beginning of relationship shows with The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game.  An American Family took a look at the everyday lives of a real American fa...

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The changing of the calendar year - While an occurrence ages old, the presence of television heightened it by bringing many in different locations together for the annual celebration. Without the early music brought into househoulds by Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians, Auld Lang Syne would not have the pop culture meaning it does today. Then the legendary Dick Clark took the festivities into another generation with Rockin' New Year's Eve and the other networks and late night hosts involved participated in their own inclusive way. Krysti and Tori from the...

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The spirit of Chirstmas has arrived in many forms but none have been so dynamic and influentual into the households of American families as the programming of television. The holiday episodes of regularly occuring shows showcased the many moods of the season. Specials mixed star-studded entertainment with tradition. Finally, the colorful commercials pushed a variety of products fit for the gift-giving and consuming audience. 

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Whether it is those who teach or those who learn, the school setting represented a signficant television community of characters. Schools have been shown in various shows but specific ones used the setting as a centerpiece. BAF welcomes back Early Childhood Teacher Krysti to review some of these programs through the decades starting with the 1950s sitcoms Mister Peepers and Our Miss Brooks. During the changing years of the 1960, 70s, and 80s decades, more urban settings came on the scenes with dramas such as Room 222, The White Shadow, and Fame, plus sitcoms...

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In the continuing series On the Job, On the Air BAF explores shows that centered on the ficitious media and how some interacted with reality and issues of the day. Specifically noted is Mary Tyler Moore's portrayal of the more independent professional woman through her own series The Mary Tyler Moore Show and how that character lineup in an American televison newsroom and her development of MTM led to further shows including the spinoff of a west coast newspaper in Lou Grant. Another MTM series was WKRP In Cincinnati and its behind...

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We interrupt this podcast to bring you a recap and some special updates. This episode presents a brief yet informative review for current, new, and prospective listeners alike as BAF summarizes past episodes with a couple of new annoucements. So take 10 to tune in! 

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BAF continues his exploration into workplace settings on television through the decades. This episode travels to hosptality venues such as the 1970s Phoenix diner in Alice and the 1980s Boston bar Cheers. It hits the high seas with The Love Boat crew and docks in San Francisco at the St. Gregory for Hotel. It flies the friendly skies and lands at Tom Nevers Field for Wings and captures small town life at the Shady Rest on Petticoat Junction and The Stratford Inn on Newhart. Take the journey on how these shows explored...

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BAF begins a series covering workplace settings, as shown on television programs. With that exploration are the characters and their occupations, how they interact on the program, and how these characters and occupations have been perceived over time by viewers with commentary. It starts out with medical dramas during the 1950s and 1960s set in hospitals such as Medic and Dr. Kildare and how doctor-based programs have changed settings and explored medical approach as seen through Marcus Welby M.D. in the late 60s and early 70s. Diversity as seen through medical...

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This episode is released near November 11th to align with the observance of Veterans Day and pay tribute to how the U.S. Armed Forces have been portrayed on television through the decades. BAF begins with early documentaries and anthologies such as Victory at Sea and Navy Log then recalls the early sitcoms of the army with The Phil Silvers Show (originally You'll Never Get Rich), the navy (McHale's Navy) and the Marines (Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.). He then explores television with the backdrop of war through sitcoms such as...

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BAF welcomes the show's first guest, an early education professional, Krysti, to discuss television programs designed for children. The shows discussed start with those in the early days during the 1940s with puppet-based programs such as Puppet Televison Theater with Howdy Doody and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie. Early educational programs are also explored as well as the impacts of shows distributed by Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, and Hanna-Barbara. Finally, the timeless specials that have been watched by many generations, including a look at how Charlie Brown features focused on Halloween and even...

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In this episode BAF explores how television took a different turn with more cultural, educational, and informative programs. The programming started as early as the 1950s but became part of a more formalized network that was funded and operated differently and officially classified as public television. The emergence of PBS brought Julia Child and Bob Ross, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and Sesame Street, Masterpiece Theatre and Great Performances, and other programs and specials that expanded viewers' horizons and experiences while watching television over the decades. 

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Starting with the early talk shows of Joe Franklin, Merv Griffin, and Phil Donohue, it was beyond the news: it was interviews and feature stories and news magazine shows such as 60 Minutes, 20/20, and Dateline NBC, and hosts such as Sally Jessy Raphael and Oprah Winfrey expanded those boundaries. More programs pushed the limits!

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BAF follows up a past episode The People Next Door with a further look into the changing household beyond just the nuclear family. Social roles played a key part over time in defining what households in sitcoms were portrayed to audiences from the late 1940s all the way into the early 1990s. It starts out with those of servants in the early sitcoms The Laytons, Beulah, My Three Sons, and Hazel into the 1980s with Who's the Boss? and how these servants depending on race, gender, or relation interacted with the family...

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With movies already being shown on television, especially those made exclusively for the small screen, the miniseries soon evolved with a limited number of episodes airiing consecutive evenings or weeks. BAF explores the very first telecast of one in the United States in 1973 titled The Blue Knight based on a book of that title. The formula of converting memorable books to miniseries continued with RIch Man, Poor Man then Roots showing historical realities. Holocaust, Shogun, The Thorn Birds, and Lonesome Dove each in their own format and tone provided insight into periods...