462:, who was a manager there of special research projects, and it was the book's first edition. According to Aaron Barnhart (as told to him by author Tim Brooks), the original volume "almost didn't get printed... because publishers were worried 'that it was too big.'" (with its 3,000 shows covered). Between the 6th and 9th editions, Brooks and Marsh expanded an already "hefty" paperback from 5,000 to 6,500 shows covered ("adding about half an inch to the spine"). According to Barnhart, "no listing has ever been deleted or edited for space in the 30-year history of
38:
98:
669:
401:
567:
306:
814:
Awards. They were called the ABAs until 1987, when a private foundation took over and renamed it the
National Book Awards" (see Barnhart, 2007). Hence, an original ABA award appears in the listing of the National Book Awards (see NBF Staff, 2023). In their awards premier in 1980, the ABAs introduced many new categories, including for general reference paperback, the category that
526:
265:
791:, published in 1985), a ranking that in the 9th edition includes data through the 2006–2007 season. The ranking is based on points for their audience-size ranks per season, and the number of seasons the shows were aired—thus, crediting series for their popularity and longevity. Some series that that had remained on the air between editions had moved up on the list;
813:
As
Barnhart notes, "the National Book Awards were defunded by the consortium of big publishing houses that had sponsored the competition since 1950... too many small, obscure titles were winning for their liking. So the... Association of American Publisher started up a replacement, the American Book
511:
was "immediately hailed as the best of the bunch, more comprehensive and a more enjoyable read". Barnhart's praise is uniformly high, referring to it as "one of the seven wonders of show business", and noting that the comprehensive nature of the work is "a testament to the vision of two men who
584:
539:
278:
412: with: content covering the publication history more evenly and thoroughly (e.g., with some of the historical information from the Features section based on citations moved here, allowing that section to focus on the design of the latest edition). You can help by
545:
284:
822:
presented dual awards for hardcover and paperback books in many categories (see NBF Staff, 2023). As
Barnhart notes, this would be "the first and only time a prize would be given" in the general reference paperback category (see Barnhart,
783:
winners season-by-season, and trivia quiz games. The eighth edition was published in 2003, followed by the ninth edition on 18 October 2007. The ninth edition in 2007 also includes individual listings for cable networks themselves.
323:
631:
469:
The title of later editions include the words "and cable". The ninth edition came out in 2007; in it, co-author Tim Brooks stated that the ninth edition may be the last one released of the book.
374:
603:
346:
610:
353:
756:
The series must have run for at least four weeks on the same night of the week at the same time, or at least have been planned to do so in the event that it was cancelled prior to this.
617:
360:
779:
The book includes other features such as season-by-season schedule charts from 1946 to 2006, a list of top thirty
Nielsen rated programs from October 1950 to May 2007, a list of
599:
342:
97:
718:
According to the authors, the book is an attempt to list all commercially broadcast network series ever shown in the evening or nighttime hours (defined as 6:00 p.m.
485:, as the work was published direct to paperback. (This is why the tag, "American Book Award Winner!", appears on the book cover beginning with the second edition.)
624:
367:
680: with: sourced content on the design of the latest edition, moving the historical content information into the lean History section. You can help by
1025:
482:
1045:
493:
As television reporter and critic Aaron
Barnhart notes, Brooks and Marsh's work appeared alongside existing references by the acclaimed Erik Barnouw (
1030:
787:
Also included is "The Top 100 Series of All Time" (an updated ranking of the authors' first-ever ranking of the most popular TV shows from the book
316:
860:
959:
760:
Thus, specials and miniseries presented on consecutive nights are excluded, with an exception being made for the seminal miniseries
705:
650:
553:
437:
292:
208:
77:
719:
1040:
1035:
768:
742:
240:
17:
978:
588:
331:
746:
734:
series if, at the time they were aired, the cable network carrying them was available in at least 50% of U.S. homes.
741:
The series must have been carried on a commercial network. Programs produced for and by public broadcasters such as
905:
48:
762:
577:
52:
935:
727:
451:
244:
111:
141:
894:
997:"Television and Record Industry History Resources (About My Books: The Complete Directory...—History)"
947:
819:
478:
195:
868:
797:, which ranked #9 on the 1985 list, has since risen to #1 by virtue of its continued popularity.
499:
512:
great pride in handcrafting
American TV's greatest single reference guide, online or offline".
974:
955:
215:
203:
996:
943:
731:
248:
151:
59:
668:
400:
1019:
951:
566:
305:
793:
780:
750:
723:
600:"The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present"
343:"The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present"
232:
The
Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present
91:
The
Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present
940:
The
Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present
236:
772:, which was originally presented in a nightly format but then subsequently
726:
and the two hours preceding it). It also lists programs which were widely
1012:
This citation presents a history of the book in one author's perspective.
591: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
222:
737:
Other criteria for inclusion from the original design of the book are:
458:, who was then head of that network's research, and Earle Marsh of
773:
124:
The
Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946–Present
749:
are excluded unless at some point in their existence they had a
481:, then known as the "American Book Awards", in the category of
18:
The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows
662:
560:
519:
459:
455:
394:
299:
258:
31:
216:
730:
in the U.S., and, effective with the sixth edition in 1995,
681:
413:
327:
214:
202:
191:
183:
175:
167:
157:
147:
137:
129:
119:
107:
895:"1980 Winners: General Reference Books—Paperback"
930:
928:
926:
924:
922:
854:
852:
850:
848:
846:
844:
842:
840:
8:
332:introducing citations to additional sources
90:
753:network or commercial cable television run.
554:Learn how and when to remove these messages
293:Learn how and when to remove these messages
96:
89:
706:Learn how and when to remove this message
651:Learn how and when to remove this message
438:Learn how and when to remove this message
78:Learn how and when to remove this message
62:so that sources are clearly identifiable.
861:"'Complete Directory': The Set-Top Book"
322:Relevant discussion may be found on the
836:
806:
722:or later) in the United States (i.e.,
477:The 1979 publication won a 1980 U.S.
7:
859:Barnhart, Aaron (October 25, 2007).
589:adding citations to reliable sources
247:and Earle Marsh, first published by
27:Book by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh
25:
1026:National Book Award-winning works
535:This section has multiple issues.
483:General Reference Books—Paperback
450:The 1979 book publication was by
274:This section has multiple issues.
1046:Publications established in 1979
898:(award winner database listings)
667:
565:
524:
497:) and by TV writer Les Brown of
399:
315:relies largely or entirely on a
304:
263:
60:add missing citation information
36:
1031:Television in the United States
743:National Educational Television
576:needs additional citations for
543:or discuss these issues on the
282:or discuss these issues on the
942:(9th ed.). New York, NY:
1:
882:– via KansasCity.com.
747:Public Broadcasting Service
1062:
505:Encyclopedia of Television
893:NBF Staff (August 2023).
95:
906:National Book Foundation
769:North and South, Book II
818:won; in that year, the
1041:Books about television
1036:1979 non-fiction books
995:Brooks (August 2023).
938:; Marsh, Earl (2007).
816:The Complete Directory
766:, and miniseries like
509:The Complete Directory
473:Awards and recognition
239:reference work by the
720:Eastern Standard Time
464:he Complete Directory
142:Broadcast programming
585:improve this article
328:improve this article
47:needs more complete
776:on a weekly basis.
479:National Book Award
241:American television
196:National Book Award
120:Original title
92:
789:TV's Greatest Hits
507:); despite these,
500:The New York Times
489:Critical reception
716:
715:
708:
698:
697:
661:
660:
653:
635:
558:
448:
447:
440:
430:
429:
393:
392:
378:
297:
228:
227:
168:Publication place
88:
87:
80:
16:(Redirected from
1053:
1011:
1009:
1007:
982:
972:
966:
965:
944:Ballantine Books
932:
917:
916:
914:
912:
904:. New York, NY:
902:NationalBook.org
899:
890:
884:
883:
881:
879:
873:
867:. Archived from
856:
824:
811:
732:cable television
711:
704:
693:
690:
671:
663:
656:
649:
645:
642:
636:
634:
593:
569:
561:
550:
528:
527:
520:
443:
436:
425:
422:
403:
395:
388:
385:
379:
377:
336:
308:
300:
289:
267:
266:
259:
249:Ballantine Books
218:
159:Publication date
152:Ballantine Books
100:
93:
83:
76:
72:
69:
63:
40:
39:
32:
21:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1051:
1050:
1016:
1015:
1005:
1003:
994:
991:
989:Further reading
986:
985:
973:
969:
962:
934:
933:
920:
910:
908:
897:
892:
891:
887:
877:
875:
874:on May 28, 2008
871:
858:
857:
838:
833:
828:
827:
820:awarding agency
812:
808:
803:
712:
701:
700:
699:
694:
688:
685:
678:needs expansion
672:
657:
646:
640:
637:
594:
592:
582:
570:
529:
525:
518:
491:
475:
444:
433:
432:
431:
426:
420:
417:
410:needs expansion
404:
389:
383:
380:
337:
335:
321:
313:This section
309:
268:
264:
257:
237:trade paperback
176:Media type
160:
114:
103:
84:
73:
67:
64:
57:
41:
37:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1059:
1057:
1049:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1018:
1017:
1014:
1013:
990:
987:
984:
983:
967:
960:
918:
885:
835:
834:
832:
829:
826:
825:
805:
804:
802:
799:
758:
757:
754:
714:
713:
696:
695:
675:
673:
666:
659:
658:
573:
571:
564:
559:
533:
532:
530:
523:
517:
514:
495:Tube of Plenty
490:
487:
474:
471:
446:
445:
428:
427:
407:
405:
398:
391:
390:
326:. Please help
312:
310:
303:
298:
272:
271:
269:
262:
256:
253:
226:
225:
220:
212:
211:
206:
200:
199:
193:
189:
188:
185:
181:
180:
177:
173:
172:
169:
165:
164:
161:
158:
155:
154:
149:
145:
144:
139:
135:
134:
131:
127:
126:
121:
117:
116:
109:
105:
104:
101:
86:
85:
44:
42:
35:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1058:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1023:
1021:
1002:
1001:TimBrooks.net
998:
993:
992:
988:
980:
976:
971:
968:
963:
961:9780345497734
957:
953:
949:
945:
941:
937:
931:
929:
927:
925:
923:
919:
907:
903:
896:
889:
886:
870:
866:
862:
855:
853:
851:
849:
847:
845:
843:
841:
837:
830:
821:
817:
810:
807:
800:
798:
796:
795:
790:
785:
782:
777:
775:
771:
770:
765:
764:
755:
752:
748:
744:
740:
739:
738:
735:
733:
729:
725:
721:
710:
707:
692:
683:
679:
676:This section
674:
670:
665:
664:
655:
652:
644:
633:
630:
626:
623:
619:
616:
612:
609:
605:
602: –
601:
597:
596:Find sources:
590:
586:
580:
579:
574:This section
572:
568:
563:
562:
557:
555:
548:
547:
542:
541:
536:
531:
522:
521:
515:
513:
510:
506:
502:
501:
496:
488:
486:
484:
480:
472:
470:
467:
465:
461:
457:
453:
442:
439:
424:
415:
411:
408:This section
406:
402:
397:
396:
387:
376:
373:
369:
366:
362:
359:
355:
352:
348:
345: –
344:
340:
339:Find sources:
333:
329:
325:
319:
318:
317:single source
311:
307:
302:
301:
296:
294:
287:
286:
281:
280:
275:
270:
261:
260:
254:
252:
250:
246:
242:
238:
234:
233:
224:
221:
219:
213:
210:
209:9780345282484
207:
205:
201:
197:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
171:United States
170:
166:
162:
156:
153:
150:
146:
143:
140:
136:
132:
128:
125:
122:
118:
113:
110:
106:
102:First edition
99:
94:
82:
79:
71:
61:
55:
54:
50:
45:This article
43:
34:
33:
30:
19:
1004:. Retrieved
1000:
970:
939:
909:. Retrieved
901:
888:
876:. Retrieved
869:the original
864:
815:
809:
792:
788:
786:
778:
767:
761:
759:
736:
717:
702:
686:
682:adding to it
677:
647:
638:
628:
621:
614:
607:
595:
583:Please help
578:verification
575:
551:
544:
538:
537:Please help
534:
508:
504:
498:
494:
492:
476:
468:
463:
449:
434:
418:
414:adding to it
409:
381:
371:
364:
357:
350:
338:
314:
290:
283:
277:
276:Please help
273:
231:
230:
229:
123:
74:
65:
58:Please help
53:verification
46:
29:
952:Bertelsmann
936:Brooks, Tim
689:August 2023
641:August 2023
421:August 2023
384:August 2023
243:historians
115:Earle Marsh
68:August 2023
1020:Categories
1006:August 16,
979:0345455428
911:August 16,
878:August 16,
831:References
794:60 Minutes
781:Emmy Award
751:prime time
728:syndicated
724:prime time
611:newspapers
540:improve it
452:Tim Brooks
354:newspapers
279:improve it
245:Tim Brooks
112:Tim Brooks
546:talk page
324:talk page
285:talk page
251:in 1979.
148:Publisher
49:citations
745:and the
516:Features
130:Language
865:TV Barn
625:scholar
368:scholar
255:History
223:4496779
138:Subject
133:English
977:
958:
872:(blog)
823:2007).
627:
620:
613:
606:
598:
370:
363:
356:
349:
341:
198:(1980)
192:Awards
108:Author
801:Notes
774:rerun
763:Roots
632:JSTOR
618:books
375:JSTOR
361:books
235:is a
184:Pages
179:Print
1008:2023
975:ISBN
956:ISBN
913:2023
880:2023
604:news
347:news
217:OCLC
204:ISBN
163:1979
51:for
954:).
948:PRH
684:.
587:by
466:".
460:CBS
456:NBC
454:at
416:.
330:by
187:848
1022::
999:.
921:^
900:.
863:.
839:^
549:.
288:.
1010:.
981:.
964:.
950:-
946:(
915:.
709:)
703:(
691:)
687:(
654:)
648:(
643:)
639:(
629:·
622:·
615:·
608:·
581:.
556:)
552:(
503:(
441:)
435:(
423:)
419:(
386:)
382:(
372:·
365:·
358:·
351:·
334:.
320:.
295:)
291:(
81:)
75:(
70:)
66:(
56:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
