Batman versus The Green Hornet : The Merchandisable TV Text and the Paradox of Licensing in the Classical Network Era

Abstract

This article analyzes the shifting positions and dispositions of licensers in the mid-1960s through a case study comparing the highly successful Batman (ABC, 1965–1967) TV series merchandising campaign with the struggles encountered in producing and merchandising The Green Hornet (ABC, 1966). As licensing moved inhouse, licensers lost the managerial autonomy and creative authority they had previously enjoyed.