Home and Garden Television (HGTV) is a top cable network and has become

synonymous with Do-It-Yourself home renovation. Distributed to over 90 million

households in the United States, it cannot be denied that HGTV has a substantial impact

on how Americans view the home and home renovation. A few of their primetime

programs specifically address historic home renovations, claiming to perform some kind

of preservation. This thesis examines three of those programs: Rehab Addict, Home

Town, and Restored by the Fords, and analyzes whether or not they accurately present

preservation practices to viewers according to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for

the Treatment of Historic Properties. The conclusion then addresses whether or not these

Standards are still a good judge of historic renovations and their ability to empower

preservation to best serve communities.