The Rhetoric of Project Apollo

On July 20, 1969, Americans not only landed on the Moon, but the televised spectacle forever changed the ways in which news and commentary about historical events would be presented to audiences. In The Rhetoric of Project Apollo, Kathy Previs provides a comprehensive analysis of the rhetorical strategies that CBS News employed in covering the Apollo missions from 19681972 and documents the role that NASAs public relations office had in televising the exciting moonshots. She illustrates how CBSs and NASAs symbolic representations followed a ritual view of communication, enabling viewers to make sense of complex technological feats and scientific discoveries, while garnering public support for the costly missions. Based on four rhetorical categories nationalism, romanticism, pragmatism, and technology Previs also provides an in-depth analysis of which narratives have withstood the test of time in how Apollo is remembered on CBS News, and across a variety of televised platforms including CNN, the History Channel, and PBS, from 19732022, marking the 50th anniversary of Apollo's last mission. From Cold War metaphors to now recognizing the role women had in Apollos successes, its story continues to resonate with and inspire audiences around the world.