Overview

On November 20, 1983, a three-hour made-for-TV movie, The Day After, premiered on ABC. Set in the heartland of Lawrence, Kansas, the film depicted the events before, during, and after a Soviet nuclear attack with vivid scenes of the post-apocalyptic hellscape that would follow. The film was viewed by over 100 million Americans and remains the highest rated TV movie in history. The path to primetime for The Day After proved nearly as treacherous as the film's narrative. Battles ensued behind the scenes at the network, between the network and the filmmakers. But these skirmishes pale in comparison to the culture wars triggered by the film in the press, alongside a growing Nuclear Freeze movement, and from a united, pro-nuclear Right. Once efforts to alter the script failed, the White House conducted a full-throttled propaganda campaign to hijack the film's message. Apocalypse Television features a dramatic insider's account of the making of and backlash against The Day After. No other book has told this story in similar fashion, venturing behind-the-scenes of the programming and news divisions at ABC, the backlash from the conservative movement and Religious Right, the challenges encountered by the film's production team, and the experiences of the citizens of Lawrence, Kansas, where the film was set and shot.

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"David Craig is a clinical professor in the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California. He is one of the world's leading scholars of the ""emerging creator"" industries, marked by social media entrepreneurs and influencers harnessing global platforms. Craig has been cited in major outlets including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Hollywood Reporter, Vox, CNN, Bloomberg, and NBC News. Prior to his academic career, he was a multiple-Emmy-nominated Hollywood producer and cable television executive involved in over thirty projects, from feature films to television programs, web series and stage productions. His television projects garnered critical acclaim and were nominated for over seventy Emmy, Peabody, and Golden Globe awards. Robert Iger is chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. He previously served as president and CEO, beginning in October 2005, and was president and COO from 2000 to 2005. Iger began his career at ABC in 1974, and as chairman of the ABC Group he oversaw the broadcast television network and station group, managed the cable television properties, and guided the merger between Capital Cities/ABC, Inc., and The Walt Disney Company. Iger officially joined the Disney senior management team in 1996 as chairman of the Disney-owned ABC Group and in 1999 was given the additional responsibility of president, Walt Disney International. In that role, Iger expanded Disney's presence outside of the United States, establishing the blueprint for the company's international growth today. Kim Niemi has appeared on numerous stages in the Boston area as an actor and singer/songwriter, including Theater Lobby in the North End, Chevalier Theatre, Club Cafe, Club Passim, The Lizard Lounge, and The Burren. She sang lead vocals for popular New England country bands DiggerDawg and STAMPEDE (as Kim Davidson), opening for national acts like Charlie Daniels and Rodney Atkins. Kim is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and a proud member of Actors' Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA. Her voice has been described as soothing, soulful, and powerful."

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