The first television network, founded in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), NBC celebrates its centennial next year. As a prelude to the celebration, this course presents an overview of a century’s worth of programming. From the network's radio roots to its present-day streaming-centric portfolio, NBC has been at the forefront of many of television’s innovations. Video clips will document the launch of color TV (Bonanza), the establishment of viewing beachheads outside of prime-time (The Tonight Show, Today, NBC News Overnight), the recalibrations of both the crime drama (Police Story, Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice) and the sitcom (Seinfeld, The Office, Parks and Rec), and the introduction of the made-for-TV-movie genre (traced to the early 1960s). This fast-moving, memory-stirring, discussion-heavy course also shines a spotlight on key moments and key figures from the network's storied history (David Sarnoff, anyone? David Letterman? How about something called The Heidi Bowl?) and how it all came together to help change the country as it changed TV.

Self-confessed TV nerd, Jim McKairnes is a former longtime LA-based CBS executive who writes and teaches about television history. He has served on the faculties of DePaul, Temple, and Middle Tennessee State universities. In 2021 he was an on-air commentator for the 8-hour CNN documentary series History of the Sitcom. He lives in Knoxville and serves, quite happily, as an instructor for several OLLI programs around the country.

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