In the 1940s, a group of often-unsung women helped lay the foundations for the field of media research. Working at Columbia U's Bureau of Applied Social Research and government agencies like the Voice of America and the Office of War Information, these women investigated wartime propaganda and the emerging media cultures of American life, helped establish new research methods like the focused interview, and carved out careers in climates that strongly favored the men they worked with. This documentary, directed by award-winning filmmaker Naomi McCormack, charts the experiences and careers of five of these women—-Thelma Anderson, Joan Doris Goldhammer, Gladys Lang, Thelma McCormack, and Yole Sills—who together did pioneering work on media and politics, social influence, and celebrity during a formative period for the field.

"Out of the Question" was directed and produced by Naomi McCormack (Penn State U). Executive Producer and Research Director for "Out of the Question": Peter Simonson (U of Colorado).

The organizers of this reception wish to acknowledge the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.  The Annenberg School for Communication is the sponsor and distributor of "Out of the Question."