New Books Network Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy, "Videotape" (Bloomsbury, 2025)
Nov 22, 2025
Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy, an associate professor with a focus on media and political systems, dives into her book, Videotape. She examines how VHS transformed privacy and entertainment, influencing both Eastern and Western cultures. Oana discusses factors like the Betamax lawsuit and its impact on fair use. She explores the paradox of videotape as a tool for socialization in the Eastern Bloc and its role in undermining communist regimes. Insightful connections to today’s streaming habits and right-to-repair debates round out an engaging conversation.
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Personal Roots In 1980s Romania
- Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy grew up in 1980s Romania where videotapes were rare and illicit.
- That personal history motivated her research into how Western media circulated under authoritarian conditions.
Format And Slow Technological Change
- Videotape used magnetic recording, not light-readable film, requiring playback machines to access content.
- Its consumer form (videocassette) stabilized from 1975 to the 2010s while surrounding legal and social systems changed.
From Time-Shifting To Tangible Media
- VCRs were marketed as "time-shifters" to let viewers watch shows on their schedule.
- The cassette turned entertainment into tangible goods people could own, trade, rent, or collect.
