British television studies in the 1980s have been wide- ranging, yet in the 1990s there is a need for a new body of general theory. In this consideration of contemporary issues concerning television, Collins combines original research with provocative analysis and argument. He focuses on the impact of new technologies and national policies for television in North America and Europe. He considers television news, documentaries, and the history and likely development of media studies. In tackling these issues he considers questions of general theory challenging the dominant assumptions of scholars and forcing a reconsideration of likely future studies.