America, As Seen on TV

This insightful book delves into the influence that watching US TV shows has on the viewers preconceptions and perceptions about race, class, and gender, and to what extent they are aware of this influence[A] timely and important contribution in understanding the global dominance of US TV. * Choice *
It may be useful for undergraduate courses in research methodology, particularly for the open and honest introduction that explains Rodriguezs reason for conducting the study in the first place. Rodriguezs expertise as a sociologist comes through here and she is systematic in approach and easy and enjoyable to read in analysis. * Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly *
This is an interesting and important book, as it provides sorely lacking data on not only viewer impressions of television (rather than the content analyses more common in media studies) but also on those of two populations of viewers; it also provides insight into how foreigners see the United States. This book would be very useful in an introduction to sociology class, as well as classes related to globalization or media studies. It is accessible for an undergraduate or even high school audience. * American Journal of Sociology *
All in all, the book presents interesting empirical findings ... It would most certainly be of interest to academics interested in audience research and the role of American TV. -- European Journal of Communication
Clara Rodríguez has produced an incisive and provocative study. Through intensive interviews and a thoughtful examination of scholarly literature on the media, she has provided a revealing examination of American televisions influence on global perceptions of the life and values of the United States.This is a landmark study of televisions role in shaping popular views of our nation, particularly its racial, ethnic, class, and gender diversity. -- Carlos E. Cortés, author of The Children Are Watching: How the Media Teach about Diversity
This engaging book provides a nuanced probing of the vast and complex literature on the & soft power of television here and abroad to examine how TV shapes the views of foreign born and U.S. millennials about representations of class, race, ethnicity, and gender in America. Through grounded analysis, the findings reveal not only the influence of viewers social and cultural backgrounds on their reception of American television programs, they also transform our understanding of the cultural embeddedness of the global television industry. -- Denise Bielby, author of Global TV: Exporting Television and Culture in the World Market
This book has valuable insights for those studying American soft power but offers even more to students and scholars interested in the impact of the representation of minority groups on television, as Rodríguez emphasizes questions of race, class and gender diversity in American television. Unlike previous studies which have mainly focused on international audiences viewing in their home countries, Rodríguez focuses on how depictions of American life on television can impact immigrants’ perceptions and expectations of America before and after arrival. * Critical Studies in Television *