The author argues the valueof a historical approach to televi sion
genre research and the need to reconsider
lhe terms in which COntemporary
genre theory addresses television
in its nascent stage. Primary analytical
emphasis is placed on emergent rechnical
practices and industrial discourses
that preceded the estab lishment
of consistent or regu huly deployed
television genre categories. By
specifically analyzing early popular
Illusic programmjng. the author seeks
to illuminate the processes through
which genre conventions were conceived
and formalized in what was
then, and remains. an essen tial facet
of television production.