Reviews for The Forgotten Network: Dumont and the Birth of American Television

The average rating for The Forgotten Network: Dumont and the Birth of American Television based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-04-16 00:00:00 Michael Berry A look at one of the original national television networks. DuMont was the broadcasting arm of a television manufacturer and was run on a shoestring budget, however many early innovations were created by DuMont because they were willing to try anything. It was the original home of Jackie Gleason and most of DuMont's shows were done live (at Wanamaker's department store) and broadcast out of New York on WABD-TV (now WNYW - Fox 5 in New York). Unfortunately when channel 5 was sold in the mid-1970s their library of old kinescopes and videotapes was carted off in trucks and dumped in New York harbor, so very little exists. Many of the few existing copies of old DuMont shows can be found on YouTube, so it was fun to read about them and then take a look at them on YouTube. Very interesting (if a bit dry and scholarly at the outset) if you have an interest in early television.

Review # 2 was written on 2009-08-04 00:00:00 avit watchman This is for lunchtime reading. I'm a little obsessed with old-time TV. This will feed my obsession nicely, with some cool photos.