ABSTRACT
The Beatles and other countercultural entertainers offered their fans an irresistible alternative to the mostly well-worn traditions of establishment television. The Ed Sullivan Show had been the only prime-time venue to regularly host African American talent throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. A few new music programs were also created to capture the under-twenty-five set, such as American Broadcasting Company’s (ABC’s) Shindig and National Broadcasting Company’s (NBC’s) Hullabaloo and The Monkees, which was inspired by the Beatle’s hit movie A Hard Day’s Night. Before the 1960s ended, though, a TV spectacular of epic proportions captured the imagination of audiences worldwide, offering a brief respite from all the international conflict and domestic turmoil found in the United States and elsewhere. The Moon landing was a global television event comprising live feeds and pooled footage provided by the news divisions of Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), NBC, and ABC.
