The Electronic Front Porch: An Oral History of the Arrival of
Modern Media in Rural
Appalachia and the Melungeon Community
By Dr. Jacob J. Podber
Assistant Professor
Southern Illinois University
Using oral histories, The Electronic Front Porch takes a
revealing look at the impact of radio, television, and the Internet on
the residents of rural
Appalachia. Eighty-six of those residents provide a human diary
documenting how early listeners and viewers chose, listened to, and
watched their programs, and perhaps most importantly, how electronic
media affected their lives. The stories tracing the adoption of the
Internet show how Melungeons, who historically have been perceived as
“other,” used electronic media to establish communities despite their
geographical isolation. These interviewees described how radio’s arrival
encouraged socializing and community in rural areas. TV’s “hillbilly”
stereotypes caused some participants shame, but others found pride in
their inclusion in TV culture. Melungeons tracing genealogy on the
Internet found a way to redefine their identity through contact with
each other on the Internet. in telling their stories, the participants
raised complex issues of community, ethnicity, gender, and identity. By
weaving together theories and methodologies from a variety of
disciplines this study creates a multi-layered context for understanding
the significance of these oral histories in the study of American
popular culture.
Comments about the book:
This is a brilliant example of how oral history can be a tool of
investigation not only about the past but also about our contemporary
technological present. An original contribution to a fresh view of minorities
and cultural pluralism.
Professor of American Literature at the University of Rome–La Sapienza
and author of The Death of Luigi Trastulli and Other Stories: Form and Meaning
in Oral History and The Text and the Voice: Speaking, Writing, and Democracy
in American Literature.
The Electronic Front Porch fills a unique niche and void in the study of the
role of electronic media in the culture of rural America. It is the successful
culmination of years of thorough and insightful research by its author. The
use of oral histories greatly enhance a work that is at once important and
valuable to scholars and accessible and revealing to the general reader.
Associate Professor, Communication Department, Boston College and
author of Signals in the Air: Native Broadcasting in America and The
Radio Station.
As with many Americans, I’ve had only limited “drive through” experience
with
Appalachia. I’d heard the stereotypes but lacked the direct
experience to get a clearer picture of the region and those who live there.
For most of us, then, Podber’s study will prove an eye-opener. He took the
time and effort to apply his training and background to learn about how such
sequentially new technologies as radio, television, and the Internet impacted
various members of the Appalachian communities. Many of his findings—and many
of his respondents—will surprise you. His is a thoughtful study of people all
too often overlooked or lumped into categories of “other.”
Professor of Media and Public Affairs at
George Washington Universityand co-author of Stay Tuned: A
History of American Broadcasting and Broadcasting in America: A Survey
of Electronic Media.
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