Entertaining, but surface level look at the inner workings of the influential cable network. It could have gone deeper and been more critical of some of HBO's systemic failings.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Group Viking for an advanced copy of this book on the channel that changed television and helped create the way people process their media choices today.

Before getting cable television, watching television could be a chore in that sometimes the antenna was perfect to get the show you wanted, sometimes you had to adjust it, sometimes a little brother had to stand there holding the rabbit ears until the show, or a little brother's legs or patience gave out. I remember the day we got cable, the stringing of wires, drilling holes, more wires, a good picture and an illegal cable box so we got all the channels imaginable. From the beginning HBO was my jam. From Cinemax I could learn about cult and European films, and softcore. Showtime was stodgy seeming, though I think they had Star Trek. HBO had movies that I wanted to see, with that big intro music which made it seem important. It's Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO by Felix Gillette and John Koblin captures all this feeling, the amazement of what could be, the tawdriness of working for and some of the presentations and the numerous near deaths the company has experienced.

HBO began as a dream to get movies, first run movies to the people, who would pay for the privilege. This went against many people who thought why would people pay for television when the networks ABC, NBC, CBS and independent channels were free. Starting in 1972 HBO began to offer "premium channels" through the burgeoning cable networks, broadcasting their signal over radar dishes all over America. Besides getting people to pay for TV their biggest problem was people stealing the signal through backyard radar dishes. Stealing cable was always a problem. Soon business began to grown, along with their own movies, specials and boxing. Lots of boxing, with a lot of specials and shows on sex and other spicy matters. AS the company grew there were many growing pains, a locker room work place, bad executives, bad mergers, corporate belt tightening at inopportune times. However creatively the channel soared, airing and supporting some of the most popular shows in television history.

A fascinating and very full account of this company which started with just a channel and an idea, made enemies in Hollywood early and still survived. Will it continue to is a question that comes up quite a few times, but the company has been down before. This is a true warts and all story with a lot of information on bad decisions and executives, with divergent sources and facts. Not gossipy, just honest. In many areas it sounded like a horrible place to be, especially for women, and again this is all touched on. The book is more of a business profile, but does examine the creative end, why certain shows were chosen to air, why some big ones were not, or were cut early. Plus there are many profiles of some of the big names, and stars who have graced HBO over the many years.

Recommended for both business and entertainment fans. The information will entertain both sides of the brain, and the history is very interesting to watch and learn how the company grew, plus some of the stupid ideas that made sense, and did not wreck the company. Readers who like books on the media will find the many merger sections very informative. A good book about a channel that used to bring me a tremendous amount of entertainment as a kid.

It's Not TV is a fascinating look at the history of HBO. We learn about the origin of the network and what it was conceived to be. Then as the network changes, we learn why and how. It's interesting to learn about why what was airing at any time was airing. This is an excellent read for any pop culture fans. Highly recommended!

I received this as an eGalley from NetGalley.

Man, I bet the author of this book wishes that the HBOMAX kerfuffle would have happened a smidge earlier so they could have included it at the end of the book.

Besides I liked learning about the development of the network and having some sort of explanation for all of the nonsense that was airing on the network in the mid-1980s.

This was a great book. Finally, somebody who understands the history of media gets busy to write a book about it.