Tuesday, January 27, 2009
No one is neutral about television. We either love it or hate it. Many of us do both. The reason is that it is our most ubiquitous and socially and culturally powerful mass media medium.
A Short History of Television
Monday, January 5, 2009
After the printing press, the most important invention in communication technology to date has been the television. Television has changed the way teachers teach, government govern, and religious leaders preach and the way we organize the furniture in our homes.
Mechanical and Electronic Scanning
In 1884 paul Nipkow, a Russian scientist living inBerlin, developed the fiorst workable device for generating electrical signals suitable for the transmitting os a scene that people could see. His Nipkow disc consisted of a roating scanning disc spinning in front of a photoelectric cell.
The 1950s
In 1952, 108 stations were broadcasting to 17 million television homes. In the 1950s more television sets were sold in the United States than there were children born. The content and character of the medium were set in this decade as well:
• Carried over from the radio networks, television genres included variety shows, situation comedies, dramas, soap operas, and quiz shows.
• Two new formats appeared: feature films and talk shows. Talk shows were instrumental in introducing radio personalities to the television audience, which could see it favorites for the first time.
• Television news and documentary remade broadcast journalism as a powerful force in its own right, led by CBS’s Edward R. Murrow and NBC’s David Brinkley and Chet Huntly.
• AT&T completed its national coaxial cable and microwave relay network for the distribution of television programming in the summer of 1951.
Mechanical and Electronic Scanning
In 1884 paul Nipkow, a Russian scientist living inBerlin, developed the fiorst workable device for generating electrical signals suitable for the transmitting os a scene that people could see. His Nipkow disc consisted of a roating scanning disc spinning in front of a photoelectric cell.
The 1950s
In 1952, 108 stations were broadcasting to 17 million television homes. In the 1950s more television sets were sold in the United States than there were children born. The content and character of the medium were set in this decade as well:
• Carried over from the radio networks, television genres included variety shows, situation comedies, dramas, soap operas, and quiz shows.
• Two new formats appeared: feature films and talk shows. Talk shows were instrumental in introducing radio personalities to the television audience, which could see it favorites for the first time.
• Television news and documentary remade broadcast journalism as a powerful force in its own right, led by CBS’s Edward R. Murrow and NBC’s David Brinkley and Chet Huntly.
• AT&T completed its national coaxial cable and microwave relay network for the distribution of television programming in the summer of 1951.
Television and Its Audiences
Saturday, January 3, 2009
The 1960s saw some refinement in the technical structure of television, which influenced its organization and audience. In 1962 Congress passed all channel legislation which required that all sets imported into a manufactured in the Unites States be equipped with both VHF and UHF receivers.
The 1960s also gave rise to a descriptive expression often used today when television is discussed. Speaking to the 1961 convention of the National association of Broadcasters, John F. Kennedy’s new FCC chair, Newton Minow, invited broadcasters to
sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, profit and loss sheet, or rating book to distract you, and keep your eyes glued to that set until the stations signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland.
The 1960s also gave rise to a descriptive expression often used today when television is discussed. Speaking to the 1961 convention of the National association of Broadcasters, John F. Kennedy’s new FCC chair, Newton Minow, invited broadcasters to
sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, profit and loss sheet, or rating book to distract you, and keep your eyes glued to that set until the stations signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland.
Scope and Nature of Television Industry
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Networks and Program Content
Why do network and network-type content dominate television? Availability is one factor. There is 60 years worth of already successful network content available for airing on local stations. A second factor is that the production and distribution mechanism that have long served the broadcast networks are well established and serve the newer outlets. The final reason is us, the audience. The formats we are most comfortable with – our television tastes and expectations – have been and continue to be developed on the networks.
Why do network and network-type content dominate television? Availability is one factor. There is 60 years worth of already successful network content available for airing on local stations. A second factor is that the production and distribution mechanism that have long served the broadcast networks are well established and serve the newer outlets. The final reason is us, the audience. The formats we are most comfortable with – our television tastes and expectations – have been and continue to be developed on the networks.
Trends and Convergence in Television
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Cable
Cable television has reshaped the face of modern television. Within 2 years there were 14 such companies in the united stated, all designed to improve reception through the importation of distant signal (delivering stations from distant locales)
Empowering the Independents
Cable has had another, more subtle but every bit as powerful impact on the networks. Cable has helped equalized the size of the audience for independent and affiliated stations
Fist-Run Syndication
Syndicated programming is coming into viewer’s home in several new and important ways. In the era of network domination, first-run syndication was rarely attempted, except for game and talk shows.
VCR
Introduced commercially in 1976, videocassettes recorders now sit in more than 91 ofU.S. homes. In some places, Flagstaff, Arizona, they are in more than 97%.. The good news for the television industry, however, is that VCRs allow time-shifting, or taping a show for later viewing.
DVD
With DVD, viewers can stop images with no loss of fidelity; can subtitle a movie in a number of languages.etc. Innovations such as these have made DVD the fastest growing consumer electronic product of all time.
Interactive Television
It is not only the internet that permits interactivity. Cable and satellite also allow viewers to talk back to content providers. Interactive television, already here for some will eventually be a part of every viewers/user’s media environment, providing a number of services:
• Video-on-demand (VOD)
• Web and Internet access
• One-click shopping
• Local information on demand
• Program interactivity
• Interactive program guide
Cable television has reshaped the face of modern television. Within 2 years there were 14 such companies in the united stated, all designed to improve reception through the importation of distant signal (delivering stations from distant locales)
Empowering the Independents
Cable has had another, more subtle but every bit as powerful impact on the networks. Cable has helped equalized the size of the audience for independent and affiliated stations
Fist-Run Syndication
Syndicated programming is coming into viewer’s home in several new and important ways. In the era of network domination, first-run syndication was rarely attempted, except for game and talk shows.
VCR
Introduced commercially in 1976, videocassettes recorders now sit in more than 91 ofU.S. homes. In some places, Flagstaff, Arizona, they are in more than 97%.. The good news for the television industry, however, is that VCRs allow time-shifting, or taping a show for later viewing.
DVD
With DVD, viewers can stop images with no loss of fidelity; can subtitle a movie in a number of languages.etc. Innovations such as these have made DVD the fastest growing consumer electronic product of all time.
Interactive Television
It is not only the internet that permits interactivity. Cable and satellite also allow viewers to talk back to content providers. Interactive television, already here for some will eventually be a part of every viewers/user’s media environment, providing a number of services:
• Video-on-demand (VOD)
• Web and Internet access
• One-click shopping
• Local information on demand
• Program interactivity
• Interactive program guide
