The Civil War has received little attention on television ,with the exception of the 1955 - 1965 period when Western drama was the leading source of television programing. Most Westerns skipped the actual war and avoided controversy by focusing on Civil War veterans. One notable exception was "The Gray Ghost," first syndicated by CBS Television Sales Inc. during the 1957 -1958 season. Although national sponsors avoided the program, it did surprisingly well in local markets around the country. However, under pressure from civil rights groups, CBS discontinued production of the series after the Little Rock school desegragation controversy captured national attention. The study argues that while "The Gray Ghost" avoided the underlying issues of the Civil War and focused on stories of individual heroism and personal morality, the program nevertheless was inherently ideological . Despite protests from newspapers and political leaders, primarily in the South, CBS was unwilling to risk controversy. Although no futher Civil War weekly series were attempted on television, the medium has presented successful miniseries and documentaries with Civil War themes.
Last updated: November 24, 1997
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