Teens, TV and tunes : the manufacturing of American adolescent culture

This political analysis of teen culture examines the historical and ideological development of American youth society, the economic and ideological relationship between television and popular music, and the industry and ideological rivalry between Nickelodeon and Disney. More than mere entertainment, teen sitcoms and pop music portray a complex and often contradictory set of cultural discourses engaged in an ongoing process of ideology marketing and ""hip versus square"" politics. Case studies include Saved by the Bell, Britney Spears, the movie School of Rock, early ""pop music sitcoms"" like The Monkees and The Partridge Family, and recent staples of teen culture such as iCarly and Hannah Montana. What is occurring in teen culture, this study reveals, not only remains significant as cultural and political discourse, but has a crucial bearing as today's teens become adults and the dominant generation in the impending decades.