Technology On TV Interview With John Rennie, Editor-In-Chief Of Scientific American Magazine, Podcast On TV Time Machine.Com

TV Time Machine presents a one-hour podcast interview with John Rennie, editor-in-chief of Scientific American magazine, about the impact of technology on TV—covering topics ranging from the Internet to immortality.

With a vast knowledge of science and a background in improvisational comedy, John Rennie offers both amusing and insightful commentary while covering a wide variety of TV technology topics—including how shows such as The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, The X-Files, Star Trek, and even Mr. Ed have introduced revolutionary technologies such as microwave ovens, nuclear energy, computer chips, and cell phones to millions of television viewers over the past five decades.

"I think the rise of the cell phone has been one of the most influential forces on TV plots to come along in a long, long time," says Rennie. "In the past, characters in jeopardy could not easily call for help. These days, writers are faced with having to explain the reason why cell phones aren't working—which is why you often find in TV so many cases of people"s cell phones running out of juice at the worst possible moment."

Responding to questions from host Jim Benson and reacting to audio highlights from classic TV shows ranging from My Favorite Martian to Columbo, John Rennie demonstrates that within the context of mass entertainment, television technology has proven to be both accurate and prescient, reflecting our ever-changing present while guiding a light toward an exciting technological road to the future.

A Yale University graduate, John Rennie worked for several years at Harvard Medical School and as a science writer before joining the staff of Scientific American in 1989 and in 1994 became only the seventh editor-in-chief in the 161-year history of the magazine. As a young man, John Rennie worked as a successful sketch and improvisational comedian, performing in New York and Boston. An expert in karate, he currently holds the rank of Nidan, (second degree black belt).

TV Time Machine's Technology on TV interview with John Rennie will be available via podcast in a one-hour full-length format, or nineteen individual category segments, each approximately two to three minutes in length.

In this fast-paced interview, John Rennie dispenses with his princess phone, 8-track tape player, and his collection of licorice pizza, while probing the tantalizing topic of technology on TV—its representation in the past and its promise for the future. Again, for those of you intrepid enough to fire up your crystal set, feel free to bask in the glow of your cathode ray tube, as we slip from the restraints of the present, and enter a technological world of the past—and future!

To download and listen to the John Rennie interview now, click on the link below:

Download Now

Click on either of the following podcast links to subscribe to the Technology on TV Interview with John Rennie:

Note: Right click (or Ctrl-click on a Mac) and copy the link location, then paste it into your podcatcher as a new feed.)