A look at buttons, couch potatoes, and the rise of the remote control

The Colin McEnroe Show

Remote controls date all the way back to the 1800s, but they only entered most households in the 1950s or later. What impact did this have on how we watch television, and how we use other devices in our homes? This hour we look at the history and the impact of the remote control, and discuss what the remote control of the future will look like. And we'll take a look at buttons, and how they shape our interactions with the technology in our lives.

GUESTS:

• Caetlin Benson-Allott: Professor of English, Director of Film and Media Studies at Georgetown University, and a member of the Program in American Studies. She is the author of Remote Control, among other books

• Rachel Plotnick: Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies in The Media School at Indiana University Bloomington, and author of Power Button: A History of Pleasure, Panic and the Politics of Pushing

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Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on November 7, 2023.

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Chapters

1. A look at buttons, couch potatoes, and the rise of the remote control (00:00:00)

2. Marker 02 (00:16:55)

3. Marker 03 (00:34:20)