The House That Roone Built

The House That Roone Built chronicles the rise of ABC News and Sports under the leadership of Roone Arledge from 1977 to 1998. Through interviews and behind-the-scenes accounts, authors Marc Gunther and Bill Carter document how Arledge transformed television journalism and sports broadcasting. The book tracks ABC's development of influential programs like "Nightline," "20/20," and "World News Tonight," along with the network's coverage of major sporting events. It details the careers and relationships of key ABC personalities including Peter Jennings, Barbara Walters, and Ted Koppel. Beyond individual stories, the narrative examines the business decisions, management strategies, and industry dynamics that shaped ABC during this period. The authors cover both successes and setbacks as ABC competed against rival networks CBS and NBC. The House That Roone Built serves as both a media history and a study of leadership during a transformative period in television. Through Arledge's story, the book illustrates how vision and innovation can reshape an entire industry.

Readers found this book offers insight into ABC's transformation under Roone Arledge's leadership in the 1970s-90s. Multiple reviews note the detailed coverage of major ABC initiatives like Monday Night Football, Wide World of Sports, and Nightline. What readers liked: - Behind-the-scenes accounts of network decision-making - Coverage of both successes and failures at ABC - Clear explanation of how ABC went from last place to first What readers disliked: - Too focused on Arledge himself rather than broader ABC history - Some sections drag with excessive detail - Limited coverage of ABC's entertainment programming Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (27 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (11 reviews) Reader quote: "Fascinating look at the business of television news and sports, though it reads more like a biography of Roone Arledge than a history of ABC." - Amazon reviewer The book earned praise for its research but criticism for its narrow scope focused primarily on news and sports divisions.

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🎥 Roone Arledge, the subject of the book, revolutionized sports broadcasting by creating both ABC's Wide World of Sports and Monday Night Football. He introduced techniques like instant replay and slow motion that became industry standards. 📺 Under Arledge's leadership, ABC News rose from last place to first in the ratings, launching iconic programs like "Nightline" and turning anchors like Peter Jennings and Barbara Walters into household names. 🏆 The book's co-author Bill Carter has been covering television for over 30 years, writing for The New York Times and serving as CNN's media analyst. He's authored several other notable books about television, including "The Late Shift." 🌟 Arledge won 37 Emmy Awards and was the first person inducted into both the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the Television Academy Hall of Fame. 🎯 The title "The House That Roone Built" is a play on "The House That Ruth Built" (Yankee Stadium's nickname), acknowledging Arledge's similar legendary status in transforming ABC from an underdog network into a media powerhouse.