Book excerpt: This textbook describes the field of radio and television in the United States, presents the material in a manner the reader can grasp and enjoy, and makes the book useful for the classroom teacher. Written for adaptation to individual teaching situations, the book is divided by subject matter into logical chapter divisions that can be assigned in the order appropriate for specific course students. Each chapter stands by itself, but the book is also an integrated whole. It is easy to understand at first reading, by beginning radio-television majors or nonmajor elective students alike. To give readers a complete picture of the field, subjects such as ethics, careers, and rivals to U.S. commercial radio and television are included.