ABSTRACT
Cable television marked an important inflection point for the evolution of television in the United States but is rarely discussed as a unique technology. The adoption of cable through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s was propelled by the promise of individual cable channels to embrace the true potential of television by promising tailored content. Chapter 6 describes how cable television diversified the broadcast spectrum, ensuring that users could gratify their unique media needs through 24-hour hyper-targeted programming. Cable television is audiovisual communication delivered over coaxial cable that is hardwired to the home or venue. It features high-fidelity messages, as well as a wider broadcast spectrum. Basic cable includes channels and content that are purchased as a package from the provider, whereas premium cable channels and pay per view (PPV) programming are purchased for an additional fee. In this chapter, I describe the psychology impacts of guaranteeing high-fidelity 24-hour content, emotional gratification on demand, and virtual communities to reveal the long-term effects of cable television on the American psyche. By allowing and encouraging users to selectively participate in specific conversations, cable television seeded the widespread embrace of echo chambers that would come to define 21st century social media.
