The Encyclopedia of Television, second edtion is the first major reference work to provide description, history, analysis, and information on more than 1100 subjects related to television in its international context. For a full list of entries, contributors, and more, visit the Encyclo pedia of Television, 2nd edition website.

This reference work, the most complete guide to aired and unaired television pilot films ever published (or made available in any way), contains 5,190 alphabetically arranged programs, each with storyline information, performer and character cast listings, producers, air dates (where applicable), genre, and network or cable association. Also included are the unaired versions of pilots that became a series (like 90 Bristol Court, Hazel, The Middle and Perfect Strangers) and the updates of aired series that were never telecast (e.g., The Robinsons: Lost in Space, the 1997 version of Hawaii Five-0, the 2011 Wonder Woman and the 2001 Electra Woman and Dyna Girl).

A recent Times-Mirror survey has shown that 65 percent of Americans prefer television over other news media for news coverage, an increase of 10 percent in just over a decade. To understand the enormous impact television news has had on American life, it is important to define the contributions made by various individuals in the field, as well as to recognize the news programs and broadcast journalism issues that have captivated, enlightened, and informed our nation. Never before have the forces and individuals of television news been so thoroughly and authoritatively examined.

This fully updated and expanded edition covers over 10,200 programs, making it the most comprehensive documentation of television programs ever published. In addition to covering the standard network and cable entertainment genres, the book also covers programs generally not covered elsewhere in print (or even online), including Internet series, aired and unaired pilot films, erotic series, gay and lesbian series, risqué cartoons and experimental programs from 1925 through 1945.

"This work represents decades of research and television's entire history. While documentation regarding cast and personnel is now often found online, descriptions of the shows from authoritative sources are still not widely available. Terrace fills that gap with this work, which covers more than 9,350 shows and constitutes the most comprehensive documentation of TV series ever published"--Provided by publisher.

Some 3,000 entries (900 new) describe programs and personalities from the birth of the industry until today. In addition, coverage encompasses technological matters, legal issues and cases, mergers and acquisitions, terms and concepts, and events in the industry's history. The scope is international. Includes some small photos, but the temptation to litter the text with portraits and stills has been resisted.

The reference will discuss mass media around the world in their varied forms—newspapers, magazines, radio, television, film, books, music, websites, and social media—and will describe the role of each in both mirroring and shaping society.