Johnson (2004), "CBS, PAX-TV, and 'Heartland' Values in a Neo-Network Era"

Johnson (2004) examines the marketing and production norms implemented by by CBS and PAX-TV. Johnson (2004) argues that these networks worked to appeal at a local level rather than a national cable level. This reflects the desire of a certain audience to "rebuild" an American understood through notions of the "heartland" including religion, small-town values, and family. By examining marketing strategies and programming choices (like "Touched by an Angel"), Johnson (2004) argues that these two channels tapped into an audience group that felt neglected. This move is particularly savvy in times of cultural threat, when many Americans feel that their culture is being neglected and disenfranchised.