Good Golly Miss Molly! : the media's reaction to the emergence of rock 'n' roll

Abstract

The following thesis is a theoretical project which examines the media's relationship with rock 'n' roll, in particular during the early stages of its emergence. It will discuss the media's reaction to this new phenomenon and its role in the moral panic created. This includes a discussion on the action taken by the media and authority as a result of the moral panic caused by rock 'n' roll, that is censorship. The birth of youth culture and the civil rights movement is the background against which this scene will be set, a continuing thread which will be considered throughout all the chapters since, youth and racial relations are two of the main factors for instigating the media's reaction to the appearance of this new musical genre.