ODU's Edgerton and Jones Talk TV at Book Signing Today

Media scholars Gary R. Edgerton and Jeffrey P. Jones will appear at the University Village Bookstore Tuesday, April 15, from noon to 1:15 p.m. to talk about their recent publications, "The Essential HBO Reader" and "The Columbia History of American Television."

Edgerton's publication, "The Columbia History of American Television" (Columbia University Press, Sept. 2007) traces the technological developments of television and its growing cultural relevance in our society from the 1930s and '40s through present day. The book concludes with a look at the new forms of instantaneous communication and the ways in which they shape our social, political and economic landscape. Edgerton, professor and chair of the Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, was recently awarded first place in the 2008 John G. Cawelti Award of the American Culture Association for the Best Textbook in American Cultural Studies for this book.

Jones, associate professor in the Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, co-edited "The Essential HBO Reader" (University Press of Kentucky, Jan. 2008) with Edgerton, a comprehensive look at one of cable television's most innovative and popular networks. The book examines HBO's development as a corporation, a creative voice and a brand, analyzing its nearly 40-year history and profound influence on the entertainment industry.

The University Village Bookstore is located at 45th Street and Monarch Way in the University Village at Old Dominion University.