3601 - (OSHEROnline) The History of American Television (Jim McKairnes)
Course Description
This is an Osher Online course, created and offered through the Osher National Resource Center. These courses are different from our regular OLLI at Emory program. These are six-week courses and live attendance required. You must also have an active OLLI at Emory membership and to register. Currently all classes are limited with 13 seats.
This class is supported by the NRC and participation details can be found on our website.
The History of American Television (Lecture)
This engaging, video-rich course tells the story of American television—from its 1920s origins to today’s streaming era. We will explore decades of iconic shows, genres, and cultural moments that shaped the medium and its audiences. From sitcoms and dramas to news and sports, we will rediscover how TV evolved, adapted, and transformed American culture—one broadcast, cable channel, and streaming service at a time.
Your instructor: Jim (James) McKairnes
Jim McKairnes is a former CBS Television executive who writes and teaches about television history. He has taught at DePaul, Temple, and Middle Tennessee State universities, and is the author of All in the Decade, a book on 1970s television. Since 2020, he has taught regularly for OLLI programs across the country and currently lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Class Dates and Time: Mondays, January 26 through March 2
11am Alaska | 12pm Pacific | 1pm Mountain | 2pm Central | 3pm Eastern
Each session is 90 minutes.
Class schedule: Live lectures will take place on Mondays via ZOOM
Monday, January 26
Monday, February 2
Monday, February 9
Monday, February 16
Monday, February 23
Monday, March 2