When Women Invented Television

The Untold Story of the Female Powerhouses Who Pioneered the Way We Watch Today

By: Jennifer Keishin Armstrong

Narrated by: Nan McNamara

“Leaps at the throat of television history and takes down the patriarchy with its fervent, inspired prose. When Women Invented Television offers proof that what we watch is a reflection of who we are as a people.” —Nathalia Holt, New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls

New York Times bestselling author of Seinfeldia Jennifer Keishin Armstrong tells the little-known story of four trailblazing women in the early days of television who laid the foundation of the industry we know today.

It was the Golden Age of Radio and powerful men were making millions in advertising dollars reaching thousands of listeners every day. When television arrived, few radio moguls were interested in the upstart industry and its tiny production budgets, and expensive television sets were out of reach for most families. But four women—each an independent visionary— saw an opportunity and carved their own paths, and in so doing invented the way we watch tv today.

Irna Phillips turned real-life tragedy into daytime serials featuring female dominated casts. Gertrude Berg turned her radio show into a Jewish family comedy that spawned a play, a musical, an advice column, a line of house dresses, and other products. Hazel Scott, already a renowned musician, was the first African American to host a national evening variety program. Betty White became a daytime talk show fan favorite and one of the first women to produce, write, and star in her own show.

Together, their stories chronicle a forgotten chapter in the history of television and popular culture.

But as the medium became more popular—and lucrative—in the wake of World War II, the House Un-American Activities Committee arose to threaten entertainers, blacklisting many as communist sympathizers. As politics, sexism, racism, anti-Semitism, and money collided, the women who invented television found themselves fighting from the margins, as men took control. But these women were true survivors who never gave up—and thus their legacies remain with us in our television-dominated era. It's time we reclaimed their forgotten histories and the work they did to pioneer the medium that now rules our lives.

This amazing and heartbreaking history tells it all for the first time.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Hidden histories told beautifully

Absolutely stunning book for any pop culture enthusiast or anyone who knows a woman or owns a television

Must Read T.V.

Such a FABULOUS book. Covering MORE than just the early days of television history, this book covers Jim Crow’s South & racism, anti semitism & Judaism , feminism & the equal rights movement, communism & McCarthyism, US History and World history. Told through the careers of four amazing women; Gertrude Berg, Irna Phillips, Hazel Scott and Betty White this book was unbelievably entertaining and informative.
Audio narration was wonderful.

thanks for finding these lost stories

I loved this. thanks for researching these wonderful women. they should not be lost to history.

Love old radio shows, love history

I really enjoy the topic, how the writer covered it and I admire the contribution women made. Female Powerhouses indeed and they were just using their talent (immense) doing what they loved.

so good, so disappointing

I loved everything about this book, the profiles on these amazing women and hearing more about their journey's has me wrapped, Until..... Chapter 11 when the author went on a rant about Trump and the mis-characterization of anyone who supports the administration. You can be a feminist and a Conservative at the same time.