Only Connect

Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States, 4th Edition, examines the history of American broadcasting from the origins of radio through television to digital media and the internet. Written by Michele Hilmes, the textbook presents broadcasting as a vital component of national cultural identity.

The volume contextualizes electronic media within wider social and cultural transformations, tracing how radio, television, and new media developed over time. Readers explore media policy, the expansion of communication industries, and the history of broadcast programming across distinct historical eras.

Chapters close with an analysis of how radio and television have been understood and debated across American history. Through this approach, students examine broader United States history and culture alongside the development of broadcasting.