David Bianculli

David Bianculli
Born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Education B.S. in Journalism, M.A. in Journalism and Communication, University of Florida
Occupation TV critic, non-fiction author, professor of TV and film history
Years active 1975-
Website tvworthwatching.com

David Bianculli is an American TV critic, columnist, radio personality, non-fiction author and university professor. Bianculli has served as the television critic for NPR’s radio show Fresh Air since the Philadelphia-based show went national in 1987,[1][2] and regularly fills in for the show’s long-time host, Terry Gross.[3] He is the founder and editor-in-chief of the website TVWorthWatching.com,[4] and an associate professor of TV and film history at Rowan University[5] in Glassboro, New Jersey.

Early life and education

Bianculli showed an early interest in television, even making notes about TV shows in his childhood diary.[4] A graduate of Nova High School[6] in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Bianculli received a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Florida in 1975 and an M.A. in Journalism and Communication from the University of Florida in 1977. In 1995, Bianculli was named an Alumnus of Distinction by UF’s College of Journalism and Communications.[7]

Career

While attending the University of Florida in Gainesville, Bianculli convinced an editor at the Gainesville Sun to let him "write a review of a brand-new TV show aimed at college kids, since I was a college kid and Gainesville was a college town."[8] That show was Saturday Night Live. Bianculli continued writing television reviews for the Sun, at $5 per review, while completing his master's degree.[4]

Bianculli worked as a TV critic for the Ft. Lauderdale News/Sun Sentinel from 1977 to 1980, which was followed by stints at the Akron Beacon Journal (1980-1983) and Philadelphia Inquirer (1983-1987).[9] In 1987, he was named TV critic for the New York Post, then jumped to the rival New York Daily News, where he remained from 1993 to 2007.[10] Bianculli also briefly served as TV critic for the TV trade magazine Broadcasting & Cable.[11]

On Nov. 5, 2007,[12] the day his farewell column[13] ran in the New York Daily News, Bianculli launched his web magazine, TVWorthWatching.com.

Bianculli is the author of three books, Teleliteracy: Taking Television Seriously; Dictionary of Teleliteracy: Television’s 500 Biggest Hits, Misses, and Events; and Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour', a history of the Smothers Brothers television variety show.[14][15] In 2011, Smokehouse Pictures, the production company owned by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, and Sony Pictures optioned the rights to Dangerously Funny.[16]

Bianculli sits on the Advisory Council for the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media[17] at Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, PA. He is a member of the Broadcast Television Journalists Association[18] and a founding member of the Television Critics Association.

In 2013, Complex.com included Bianculli in its list of "The 25 Best TV Bloggers Right Now".[19]

Books

Bianculli has also contributed articles or chapters to various publications. They include:

References

  1. ↑ NPR, “‘Fresh Air’ At 25: A Live Musical Tribute”, NPR.org, (28 December 2012)
  2. ↑ Gross, Dan, “Terry Gross talks about Fresh Air celebrating 25 years on NPR”, Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly.com, (10 May 2012)
  3. ↑ NPR’s Fresh Air website
  4. 1 2 3 Wilk, Tom, “The Watchman: Critic David Bianculli Has Made a Career Out of Taking Television Seriously”, New Jersey Monthly, (12 July 2010)
  5. ↑ Rowan University, College of Communications & Creative Arts: Radio, TV & Film
  6. ↑ Recchi, Ray, "The Hall-Hill Kids to Strut Their Stuff", Sun Sentinel, (18 June 1988)
  7. ↑ Alumni of Distinction at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications
  8. ↑ Bianculli, David, "Saturday Night Live", TVWorthWatching.com, (5 November 2007)
  9. ↑ Heldenfels, R.D., “David Bianculli Background”, The HeldenFiles Online, Akron Beacon Journal /Ohio.com, (2 November 2006)
  10. ↑ "14 Year Daily News Film (sic) Critic Gets Axed", FishbowlNY, Mediabistro.com (22 August 2007)
  11. ↑ Broadcasting & Cable
  12. ↑ Bianculli, David, “Out to Launch”, TVWorthWatching.com, (5 November 2007)
  13. ↑ “Daily News TV Critic David Bianculli Says ‘So Long and Thanks’”, New York Daily News, (5 November 2007)
  14. ↑ Windolf, Jim, "Tom, Dick and Carlin" The New York Times Sunday Book Review, (29 January 2010)
  15. ↑ Simon and Schuster
  16. ↑ Fleming Jr., Mike “George Clooney and Sony Pictures Plan Feature on TV’s the Smothers Brothers”, Deadline.com, (9 November 2011)
  17. ↑ Advisory Council at Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media
  18. ↑ Broadcast Television Journalists Association
  19. ↑ Gallagher, Brenden, “The 25 Best TV Bloggers Right Now”, Complex.com, (4 April 2013)
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