Conway (journalism, Indiana U.) notes that when television made its commercial debut in 1941, most journalists dismissed or ignored the concept of a television newscast. However, without the pressure of ratings, sponsors, oversight, or much of an audience, a core group of committed CBS journalists established a format that exploited the strengths of television. The author recounts the process and challenges numerous myths that grew around the medium. He bases his book on not only archival material, trade journals, and historical documents, but also draws from interviews he conducted with the people who created the television newscast. It's an interesting and entertaining book about the origins and development of what is now a fixture of daily life. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)