Journal of Popular Film and Television

About

The primary purpose of the Journal of Popular Film and Television is to provide a representative cross section of critical-cultural perspectives and to broaden the existing literature to include the “public visions” of popular filmmakers and television showrunners, economic and industrial factors, and an emphasis on the complex role of audiences in the development of film and television as art forms and wide-reaching sociocultural forces. Today the Journal of Popular Film and Television remains the leading scholarly publication for sociocultural analyses of films and television programming. A sociocultural orientation to film and television has understandably matured and advanced in many diverse directions over the years, but one elemental assumption remains: The first allegiance of this genre of criticism is to the cultural context and not the media. As basic as this premise is, it powerfully asserts that film and television are cultural products and forms of social knowledge. They are never neutral technologies, but are only meaningful within their relationships to broader contexts, institutions, and discourses. Regular features of Journal of Popular Film and Television include original essays, “perspective” pieces on controversial issues, “retrospective” articles on older films and television programs, filmographies, bibliographies, and commissioned book and video reviews. Each year, the journal publishes one theme issue on such subjects as “The Western,” “Television as Text,” and “Mixed-Up Confusion: Television in the Twenty-First Century.” The Journal of Popular Film and Television delivers lively and insightful commentaries, written in accessible prose. Authors from across the arts, humanities, and social sciences are welcome and encouraged to submit their work.

Peer Review: This publication uses peer review for some or all submissions. Check for details.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States

Established in 1972

Publication Media & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Published 4 x per year
Print Publication Print Publication: Published 4 x per year

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AI use may be permitted in some circumstances (see their site for details)

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Nonfiction Open

Audience:

Scholars, Specific group.

Lengths:

Article: 5,000 - 7,500 words.

Styles:

Academic, Critical.

Topics:

Communications: Media studies, See guidelines.
Film/Television: Film, Television, Theory/Analysis/Criticism, See guidelines.
Humanities: See guidelines.
Social Sciences: See guidelines.
Society/Culture: Pop culture, See guidelines.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are NOT allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

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Journal of Popular Film and Television Submission Statistics

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We have not received any submission reports for this listing in the past 12 months.

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Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026

For scholarly publications, we check their guidelines for changes twice a year, and we audit the listing once a year.