Radio and television broadcasting were as important to the growth and popularity of boxing as it was to the reshaping of our very culture. In The Golden Age of Boxing on Radio and Television, Frederick V. Romano explores the many roles that each medium played in both the development and the depiction of the sport. Principal among the topics covered are the ever-changing role of technology during the four-decade-plus period, how it impacted the manner in which the sport was presented to its public audience, the exponential growth of those audiences, and the influence radio and television had on the financial aspects of the sport, including the selective use of radio and television and the financial boom that the mediums created. The Golden Age of Boxing on Radio and Television also assays radio and boxing during World War II, the role of organized crime, and the monopolistic practices during the television era. Romano also presents a detailed account of announcers such as Don Dunphy and Ted Husing who brought the action to the listeners and viewers, the many appearances that boxers including Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, and Rocky Marciano made on radio and television when they were not in the ring, and the mediums’ portrayal of the sport in an array of programming from drama to comedy. This is a must-have for all serious boxing fans.

The author's recollections of his fifty-year career in sports broadcasting also offers a definitive yet personal account of boxing's "golden age" and a chronicle of the evolution of radio and television broadcasting

Friday Night Fighter relives a lost moment in American postwar history, when boxing ruled as one of the nation's most widely televised sports. During the 1950s and 1960s, viewers tuned in weekly, sometimes even daily, to watch widely recognized fighters engage in primordial battle; the Gillette Cavalcade of Sports Friday Night Fights was the most popular fight show. Troy Rondinone follows the dual narratives of the Friday Night Fights show and the individual story of Gaspar "Indio" Ortega, a boxer who appeared on prime-time network television more than almost any other boxer in history. From humble beginnings growing up poor in Tijuana, Mexico, Ortega personified the phenomenon of postwar boxing at its greatest, appearing before audiences of millions to battle the biggest names of the time, such as Carmen Basilio, Tony DeMarco, Chico Vejar, Benny "Kid" Paret, Emile Griffith, Kid Gavilan, Florentino Fernández, and Luis Manuel Rodriguez. Rondinone explores the factors contributing to the success of televised boxing, including the rise of television entertainment, the role of a "reality" blood sport, Cold War masculinity, changing attitudes toward race in America, and the influence of organized crime. At times evoking the drama and spectacle of the Friday Night Fights themselves, this volume is a lively examination of a time in history when Americans crowded around their sets to watch the main event.

A sweep of radio history from its birth as Marconi's "wireless telegraph" through its status under deregulation, this book analyzes the changing medium's social, political, and cultural impact. It casts light on many topics, including the roles of women and African Americans, programming sources outside the Hollywood-Broadway nexus, and more.

This book contains my personal written and photographic account of the last golden era of professional boxing, which began when six Americans who won medals at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal turned pro and ended in 1983 when Marvin Hagler knocked out Thomas Hearns in three thrilling rounds. The real boxing enthusiast will vividly recall that bright shining period in the history of our favorite sport and remember nothing at all about me. That is exactly as it should be because this book is about the fighters and not the writer, who started to memorialize their exploits with a manual typewriter, nondigital camera, and miniature tape recorder over a quarter of a century ago.

The Broadcast Century and Beyond is a popular history of the most influential and innovative industry of the century. The story of broadcasting is told in a direct and informal style, blending personal insight and authoritative scholarship to fully capture the many facets of this dynamic industry. The book vividly depicts the events, people, programs, and companies that made television and radio dominant forms of communication. The latest edition includes coverage of all the technologies that have emerged over the past decade and discusses the profound impact they have had on the broadcasting industry in political, social, and economic spheres. "Broadcasting as a whole has been completely revolutionized with the advent of YouTube, podcasting, iphones, etc, and the authors show how this closing of world-wide broadcasting channels affects the industry.

This distinctive Handbook covers the breadth of sports and media scholarship. Organized into historical, institutional, spectator, and critical studies perspectives, this volume brings together the work of many researchers, defining the full scope of the subject area, including the development of sports media; production, coverage, and economics of sports media; sports media audiences; sports promotion; and race and gender issues in sports and media.