Abstract

This thesis offers a history of Scopitones, a largely overlooked element in the history of popular music promotion. Though these music video jukeboxes were expected to change the face of the popular music industry in the 1960s, they remain mostly forgotten today. By examining some of the reasons for the defeat of this location-based technology, insights on the links between space, gender and technology can be gained. These observations lead to a better understanding of how the combination of these very factors led directly to the bankruptcy of the Scopitone company. The analysis reveals how the gendered dimensions of space were indeed a factor in the operation of this short-lived technology.