Inside the Rise of HBO : A Personal History of the Company That Transformed Television

There are two ages in the history of television: before HBO and after HBO. Before the launch of Home Box Office in 1972, the industry had changed little since the birth of broadcast network television in the late 1940s. The arrival of the premium cable channel began a revolution in the business and programming of TV. For the generation that has grown up with the vast array of viewing choices available today, it is almost inconceivable that our ever-expanding media universe began with a few hours of unimpressive programming on a single cable channel. Written by an insider, this is the story of HBO's reconfiguration of television and the company's continual reinvention of itself in a competitive and dynamic industry. Part I. Empire of the air Towards Felix the Cat Baby steps In the beginning was the word: radio The numbers racket The wasteland Greener grass Part II. Wired Walson's Mountain The green channel Into the skies, junior birdmen! Part III. The company Title fights: the king of pay tv The movie duels Fallout The wall A voice all its own Hard on old eyes Expanding the brand Golden age Fall and rise Road signs Appendix A: On the HBO's front lines: film evaluator Youssef Kdiry Appendix B: Putting the puzzle together: scheduler Jeff Kagan Appendix C: HBO Home entertainment's Henry McGee. Before the launch of Home Box Office in 1972, the TV industry had changed little since the birth of broadcast network television in the late 1940s. The arrival of the premium cable channel began a revolution in the business and programming of TV. This is the story of HBO's reconfiguration of television and the company's continual reinvention of itself in a competitive and dynamic industry.