A recent Times-Mirror survey has shown that 65 percent of Americans prefer television over other news media for news coverage, an increase of 10 percent in just over a decade. To understand the enormous impact television news has had on American life, it is important to define the contributions made by various individuals in the field, as well as to recognize the news programs and broadcast journalism issues that have captivated, enlightened, and informed our nation. Never before have the forces and individuals of television news been so thoroughly and authoritatively examined.