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Television Past

Page history last edited by Ashley K. 11 years, 4 months ago

Television Page - Present - Future


The Television Industry- Past

 

To truly understand where we currently are in the television industry and predict where it is heading towards the future, we first must understand the past regarding the technology, inventors, innovations towards the develop of television, the business model in which it was built upon as well the political side of the industry and  the social impact  that it had made on not only in the United States but also the impact that it made around the world. Once we truly understand the past, we can analyze why  the television industry turned out the way it is now and be able to  project the future path of where it is headed towards.  

 

Technology:

 

Inventors:

 

Paul Nipkow (1860-1940) Born in Germany, began thinking about how to transmit visual images, since transmission of audio signals had already been achieved by Guglielmo Marconi. The transmission would require three essential components: a device to translate the visual image into an electronic impulse, a second device to reassemble that impulse into an image, and a third device by which to transmit the impulse from the first device to the second. (1) In 1884, even before completing his degree, Nipkow had developed and patented a transmissions system that achieved all three requirements. Nipkow devised the notion of dissecting the image and transmitting it sequentially. To do this he designed the first television  scanning device.  He created the rotating scanning disc (named the Nipkow disc) which was made to analyze a picture consisting of a disc that rapidly moved as it was placed between scene(s) and light sensitive selenium element. The image only had 18 lines of resolution. (2) 

 

 

 

 

 Paul Nipkow          

 

Here is an example of what Nipkow's scanning disk looked like and worked as well as a commerical promoting the RCA's color television set: 

 

 

 

Boris Rosing (1869-1933) born and lived in Russia until he was exiled in 1931. Rosing envisioned the use of the cathode-ray tube as a receiver to transmit black and white silhouettes of simple shapes. (3) He took this idea and geared it toward the potential that the cathode-ray tube could have that would later lay down the framework for Vladimir Zworykin to make very significant contbutions for the television. They (Rosing and Zworykin) used a mechanical mirror-drum scanner to transmit, in Zworykin's words, "very crude images" over wires to the electronic Braun tube (cathode ray tube) in the receiver. Moving images were not possible because, in the scanner, the sensitivity was not enough and the selenium cell was very laggy.(4)  Rosing continued his research even after Zworykin left for America in 1919 until 1931 when he was exiled to Arkhangelsk by Joesph Stalin, dying two years later. (3)

 

   

 

 

         Boris Rosing

 

Vladimir Zworykin (1889-1982) was born and raised in Russia. He was an inventor, scientist, and engineer. He came to the U.S. (1919) after his work in Russia. Before he left however, he worked under Boris Rosing, who believed that, "the future of television lay in thVladimir Zworykine direction of the cathode ray tube." (New York Times, Thomas) laying the groundwork for Zworykin. After leaving Russia, he went to work for Westinghouse to develop radio tubes and photocells.(5)  Zworykin is not only credited with the early developments of the television set with the iconoscope camera tube (which reduced the light required to capture an image in 1923(6)) but also the kinescope picture tube, which both formed the first TV system replacing an earlier mechanical system composed of discs. (7) Westinghouse was unimpressed with his work and in 1928, he went to work for RCA (Radio Corporation of America) in which in the  same year went on to receive the first patent for color television. (5) Although he is credited with the invention of the TV, he modestly said that it was not  just his work alone but the work of many scientists that led to the creation of the television.

 

 

 

 Vladimir Kosma Zworykin

  

 

 

 Philo Farnsworth (1906-1971)  In August of 1906 one of the worlds greatest innovators, Philo Farnsworth, was born in a small town in Utah. Ever since he was just a boy he found interest in working with electricity and engineering new technology. At the age of twelve, he built an electric motor and produced the first electric washing machine his family had ever owned (8) As Farnsworth got older, his ideas became more and more complex. By the age of sixteen, Philo had drawn up a design for an object he called an "image dissector" for a project in his high school chemistry class. This invention of his was a machine that could change electricity into pictures (9). Just five years later, at the age of twenty-one, Philo brought his high school ideas to life by becoming the first person in history to transmit a TV picture electronically (7). Thus, claiming his spot in history as one of the inventors of the television.

   

  

     Philo Farnsworth
 

 

Farnsworth and Zworykin Patent Dispute: Although most credit Zworykin for the invention of the television, not much was said if more than one person was accountable for the invention of the television, case in point, the patent dispute between Zworykin who had the patent and cables (RCA) and Farnsworth who accomplished the task of transmitting TV pictures electronically which Zworykin was unsuccessful with. (10)  RCA challenged Farnsworth in a major patents battle, in part over Zworykin’s innovations for Westinghouse and RCA. Farnsworth had to rely on his high-school science teacher to retrieve his original drawings from 1922. Finally, in 1930, Farnsworth received a patent for the first electronic television. Farnsworth  later licensed the patents to RCA and AT&T for use in the commercial development of television. (7) 

 

 

John Logie Baird (1888-1946) was an inventor and engineer. He is most importantly known for being the first person to demonstrate the first working television. Baird showed early signs of ingenuity by setting up telephone exchange to connect to his house to those of his friends near by.  (11)  Although, Vladimir is given the credit for the invention of the television, Baird is the one who actually, In 1923, applying Nipkow's idea, using string, cardboard, bicycle lamps and the help of a childhood friend, Baird developed a new way of seeing by wireless; he was able to send a silhouette of a cross two feet away. In March 1925, Baird accepted an invention to give private presentations  in stores to fund his future experiments. (12)           

John  Logie Baird       

                                                                                                                                               

By Fall 1925, JLB went on to prepare for a public demonstration of his work on the television before everyone else could. By using  the flying spot  scanning technique scanning technique was applied for film and the results of this remains the fundamental to putting film content on all television.

After protecting his invention by a patent, he demonstrated this device to the public and on 1926 he was the first person in history to demonstrate the television in black and white and with the image of a face.  On the May 24th, 1927, JLB and Ben Clap had transmitted from London to Glasgow and and in November from London to New York. He developed Phonovision, which is better known today as the video recorder. By 1944, he demonstrated the world's first all electronic, high-definition, three dimensional, color TV receiver. Throughout his years working he was plagued by poor health but he developed 178 patents that was crucial for  technology that would define the 20th century. (12)

 

 

 

 

 

Innovations Toward the Television:

 

The Cathode Ray Tube

     Invented in 1897 by the scientist J.J Thomson, the Cathode Ray Tube is essentially a vacuum tube with wires in it that emit electrons from a negatively charged electrode and produces an image onto a fluorescent screen.(13)  These were used in all electronic televisions set to create the image. Nipkow, Rosing and Zworykin all used the cathode ray tube in the earliest developments in the creation of the television.The cathode ray tube is used in analog televisions as well as computer monitors.

 

 

 

Color TV 

"Color television! Bah, I won't believe until I see it in black and white"- Samuel Goldwyn (1924) (14)

 

     The television industry had many races not just for who was going to invent and gain notoriety the first ever television, this also included who would be the first to contribute innovations towards it. A good example of this was the race was of who was going to invent color for television. The first documented patent for the idea of color TV was filed as a patent in 1904 in Germany. In 1925 while still working for Westinghouse, Zworykin filed a patent for the first all-electronic color TV after toying with the idea for awhile.(15) In 1929,  he received the patent for the color television, the same year he began to work for RCA. (5) Although, Zworykin failed in creating it, it was the first step in creating color for television. (15) After the second world war, black and white television was thought of something old and it was time to do something new.  This is when color television systems  first began to  be considered seriously. 

     Two companies in America competed in the television industry, CBS and RCA. In 1940, before RCA, CBS researchers led by Peter Goldmark invented a mechanical color television system based off on the designs of John Logie Baird.  By 1950, the FCC announced that CBS color system would be the national standard for all color television, despite the fact that the system was bulky, flickered and was not compatible with earlier black and white sets. (15) With this announcement. in 1951 CBS had started color broadcasts in the East Coast of the US. To combat this,  RCA sued CBS citing that their system was not compatible with their RCA sets. The Korean War and public television war gave RCA time to develop a better TV system than CBS.  Their system was not mechanical like CBS but electronic and more superior. (16) The first successful color television made its broadcasting commercial debut, which was authorized by the FCC on December 17th, 1953 based on the system designed by RCA(15), a year later color TV sets by RCA were made available to the buying public . (16) Although NBC began broadcasting a few shows in color in the 50s it wasn't until the 1966, when the consumer market for color sets had taken off, that the Big Three networks (CBS, NBC, and ABC) broadcast their entire evening line-ups in color. (7)

 

This video marks the first broadcast that switches from black and white television to color, this  transition occurred before the President of the United States at that time, Dwight Eisenhower took the time to speak to the nation, being the first President to appear on color television.

 

Analog To Digital

Analog was used from the early conception of television until the FCC determined that they would switch from tradition analog (same concept of radio waves) to using digital in 2009, which encodes images and sounds into binary codes to improve aspects like picture and sound quality. Many countries adopted the signals as the United States had used it. (5)  Although the analog signals worked fine with satellite, broadcast TV, cable, and VCRs, there were problems that the analog signals had; the main problem was the resolution of the picture that is produced. Resolution is the essentially the quality of the picture displayed on  television which is made up of pixels, which for analog television displays 525 horizontal lines or resolution every 60th of a second, realistically the analog television displays half of those lines in 60th of a second and displays the other half the next 60th second. The drive toward digital TV is fueled by the desire to give TV the same crispness and quality of a computer screen. (17) Some of the benefits that digital is that has been able to free up space on broadcast spectrum for public safety communications, allowed some of the spectrum to be auctioned for companies that will be able to offer customers more advanced wireless services, expanded programming choices for viewers (multicasting), and provided interactive video and data services before not available due to analog technology. The switch caused many people in the United States and many countries throughout the world as they dropped analog signals to digital to either purchasing new televisions that came with a digital tuner or having to purchase a digital-to-analog converter box for their analog television sets. (18).

 

In this video, the person talks and demonstrates what and how an analog television works as well as our progression not only from analog to digital but also the different transitions the television has been through throughout the years.


 

 

Cable

     Also known as its abbreviation CATV (Community Access (or Antenna) Television), cable was developed in 1948 to enhance poor reception that over-the-air television brought to those who viewed television from geographically remote, mountainous locations and places where buildings would block the signals. After this problem presented itself, to resolve this issue installation of community antennas where installed on mountains and homes were connected to the towers which enabled the towers to receive the  broadcast signals. In the late 50's, cable operators began to take advantage of their ability to pick up broadcast network signals from distances that were hundreds of miles away, this gave way to new possibilities of extending programming choices to their viewers. In 1952, there were 70 cable systems serving 14,000 subscribers in the United States. By 1962, the cable industry was in full gear with not only 800 cable systems but also with over 62,000 subscribers. During this time, big names in the television industry like Westinghouse and Cox Communications began to invest in the financial gain that cable had presented in front of them. Though this did cause a rift in the between the networks and local television stations, because of this the FCC stepped in and placed restrictions on cable's capability to import distant television signals, this caused a business freeze on the cable industry that would last until the early 70's.

 

     The FCC freeze had not only restricted cable's ability to pick up signals that were distant, but it also stopped the airing of sporting events, movies, and programs that were running in syndication at the time, and making the cable industry worthless. However due to the efforts of federal, state, and local reforms loosened away from the regulations that the FCC had placed, this lead to an increase in subscribers as well as services that became available to customers. (19). In 1972, the first network that had subscribers pay for their services was a cable movie channel called HBO, which was founded by Charles Dolan and Gerald Levin and in the aftermath of this caused ripple effects as soon a nationwide satellite transmission was launched also causing more variety in programming choices for cable television subscribers. (20)  The second innovation that came out of the use of a local station that aired sports and classic movies, with the help of a satellite to cable systems which was first locally known as WTBS, then would become nationally known as the very first superstition. (19). 

 

     The cable industry went through a couple of battles itself regarding political and business issues. One of them being the 1984 Cable Act, that essentially aimed at establishing a regulatory measure to help benefit the cable industry which was aimed at not only increasing the investment of the industry but also offering a more expanded variety of programming for the subscribers more than ever. This also had a positive impact on the growth of more cable systems and the services that they were then able to provide. With the help of satellite and the government's structure regarding the cable industry, this has given the industry the ability to not only provide high quality television but also providing entertainment and information to 53 million cable subscribers homes in the United States, not only increasing cable's presence in homes but also from 28 program networks from 1980 to 79. Although the increase in subscribers would be enough for cable companies, most companies have risen their subscription rates throughout the years that has caused policy makers to be concerned over the money being spent by subscribers per month on cable. (19).

 

These statistics provided by the Nielsen Media Research Team demonstrates the growth of the cable industry from 1977 to 1999.  This is divided up by the year, the number of cable subscribers compared to the number (percent) of households that have television. 


Courtney of TV History                 

 

Satellite

     Another important innovation in technology to also talk about is the role that satellite's have played in the television industry. In fact satellite and cable television both interact with another in providing programming to millions just in United States homes alone. Some aspects of satellites that are overlooked by many is the fact that it has played a major component in transmitting images and texts faster than a magazine or a newspaper, which has helped in cutting down the distribution time in delivering, for example, the news. Before cable wires were able to be down wired from homes, cable companies had relied on satellites to distribute transmissions, on top of providing other services unrelated to television, like GPS. (21) Satellite's began being utilized by the television industry in 1976 beginning with the broadcast of HBO, TBS (Turner), and and CBN. It was requested of the SPACE (Satellite Industry Association) and COMSAT to construct a Direct Broadcast System (DBS).  Launched in 1981, the satellite industry figuratively began to take off. Although it had made strides in five years, in 1986 the project began to crumble under the pressure of negative press, anti-dish protestors and eliminating the idea of free programming, resulting in fifty percent satellite-based retailers to discontinue their businesses.

      The business was able to make a recovery by the efforts of a merger between SPACE and the Direct Broadcast Satellite Association forming SBCA. But in spite of the fact that the satellite was able to now lift its head above water, it faced a new challenge that all the mass media industries have and continue to face today  piracy, in which in terms of the television industry, is the illegal use or theft of paid television signals. From 1992 to the current present state of the television industry, satellite television is now successful in obtaining 33 million subscribers, giving it the title of one of the fastest and hottest consumer electronic product of all time. Another aspect to add to the success that satellite television is the backing of legislation that has removed many barriers in dish ownership as well as its ability to delivery TV services, but also help industries like the  internet and nurturing the satellite radio. (22) Some of the big company players in the satellite industry are DIRECTV and DISH just to name the big players that are currently around.

 

Here is a graph that outlines the big companies in the satellite business and the number of subscribers each year since 1994 until 2011.

(DTH= Direct to Home. DBS=consumer subscriptions to programming packages from satellite providers) (23)

 

Courtney of MediaBiz 

 

Business:

 

 

 

            

The Big Three

      The idea of broadcasting television started in the late 1940s when two major radio giants, NBC and CBS envisioned a future in broadcasting that was not behind a microphone but instead a camera. NBC came before CBS came along and in fact it was NBC's (being partnered with RCA) vision that there be an all electronic television and created the television we all know today. At first it was conceptualized that there would only be only a few providers of content and that it was assumed that these providers would be regulated by the government, which made this difficult for there to be any competition in the broadcasting industry, this approach made it difficult for ABC to emerge into the broadcasting arena. Although the relationship between the networks started off friendly (due to old ties fashion of broadcasting), once the costs to produce programming had began to increase and as production values increased as well, competition between the networks began to heat up and become more fierce. The Big Three networks would then turn to five.


Network's (first CBS, then NBC, and last ABC) had the money, manpower, facilities, and creative control to create their own programming with the help of Hollywood studios, creating strong relationships between these networks and production studios. This move was made so that the networks would be able to create a powerful prime time to broadcast themselves and distribute to their affiliate stations across the nation

 

Local Affiliate Stations

     Most of the local stations were at first run by families and individuals that had gotten the first licenses leading the relationship between these networks to be at first very friendly in terms that it was grown out of the old traditional fashion of broadcasting.The key in hooking affiliate stations in other cities and towns was to know the right people in the business. Other aspects that came into play was if the channel was a low number, if it was a number that people would remember, and  had a strong signal to cover the marketable area. These stations are the essence of a broadcasting network. (24).

 

Deregulation

     Under the Regan administration, many telecommunication industries were faced with deregulation. Two chairman of the FCC, Mark Fowler and Dennis Patrick who were appointed by Reagan himself, campaigned for a free-market in regards to television. Fowler simply described that the television was a business not a service. One of the many supporters against the idea of deregulation was Newton Minow, who stated, "that the government needed to play a role in serving public interest as it was originally proposed in the Communications Act of 1934." Many of those who supported the deregulation believed that there needed to be "healthy unfettered competition" between television networks. This deregulation now allowed single corporate owners to own more than 12 than the 7 that they were initially allowed to own nationally.

     During the 1980s, many industries including the television industry, faced reorganization as the result of deregulation. All of the Big Three Networks each began running under a new owner. In 1985, for example, GE (General Electronic Company) purchased RCA which is the parent company of NBC. The year after, Capital Cities Communication purchased the network ABC. A little after the purchase of ABC, A quarter of CBS stock was purchased by conglomerate Loew's Inc., becoming head of the company. In 1987, Nielsen ratings were introduced into the system, this addition not only indicated the amount of television sets that were on each channel but was also able to supply information about these viewers, information like gender, age, occupations, etc.. so that advertisers who their target audience was. Although it would be a major benefit for advertisers to know who they were advertising to to get the most bang out of their buck, all of the networks were against the use of Nielsen ratings.(25)

 

So Exactly Who Owns What?

 


              

Courtney of Neatorama

 

 

Out of this deregulation, the five big companies in the television industry were GE who in fact owned NBC (who is now partnered with Comcast) and other channels, to name a few: MSNBC, CNBC, History Channel, A&E, Bravo, etc... Disney buying both ABC, ESPN, and over 200 other television networks (affecting 100% of the U.S. television market). Time Warner owning CNN, TBS, the CW along with other stations. Rupert Murdoch being the head of New's Corp owns FOX and FOX affiliated stations including sports. CBS owning Showtime, CBS Sports, and the CW. Last but least, Viacom which owns stations such as MTV, CMT, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon among other programming stations.  (26)

 

 

Business Model

Advertising

Here is a video on the very first television commercial. It aired in 1941.

 

      The business model that was used by the television broadcasting networks had been the borrowed model of that of the radio industry, which included finding financial support from commercial sponsors who were anxious entering the new wave of mass media that the television was bringing along. It was not until the 1950s that commercials on television became an advertiser's main choice in streaming  ads. This did not just include advertisements though, it also included companies purchasing airtime, the creative control and messages of programming was mandated by sponsors. As networks began to gain more of a board audience the cost of broadcasting had increased due to this increased demand advertisers could and no longer wanted sponsor a single show alone, wanting them to split the costs with others, thus enabling networks to gain more control of the shows that they were broadcasting.

The demand component of the indirect payment aspect is that there is limited amount for commercials during a program, factoring in another cornerstone to this is the source of the programming-- either produced locally, syndicated meaning that it is bought through the syndicator  or given by the networks limiting time for local advertisements. The supply element  that component out of the demand and supply cycle, includes how many to sell, the ratings for certain programming determines the cost of the advertisement in commercial time slot. If programs tend to have lower audiences the cost of the commercial would decrease, if a program has a stable growing audience, the cost of the commercial would increase as well. This  process of labeling the cost of advertising is done through the help of Nielsen Ratings.(7) Affiliate stations are able to gain money from the network thru advertising and thru local advertising whether they are airing syndicated shows or having a company sponsor a newscast.(24) The predominant method of producing a television show at this time was through deficit financing, which entailed that studios would face the the financial dip in creating a series in the hopes it would be able to recoup their loses through syndication and international rights. (27)

 

Licensing/Sales

     As stated above, television is heavily financed by advertising agencies in the forms of indirect payments. Other dynamics that come into play in the terms of financing is licensing and merchandising sales, and network distribution sales. Ads are traditionally sold in 30 second blocks; rates for advertising airtime differ according to the time of day and viewership rather that is aimed at a large audience or highly desirable target demographic. Merchandising and licensing sales rely on books, DVDs, toys and other multimedia devices establishing a relationship with retailers. Television networks sometimes loan brands, characters and show formats for a fee of course to other production companies to produce in new formats.  Networks distribution sales refers to the subscription rates that cable/satellite providers charge their customers in order to supply the network and its programming content.

 

 

Costs

Costs that networks incur are programming, original production, programming staff, creative service; play out, transmission, marketing, and administrative costs.

  • Programming costs deal with the cost of third party programing licensing
  • Original production costs consist of paying actors, production managers, assistants, producers, writers, editors, cameramen, coordinators, etc. Other costs include props, equipment, make up, wardrobe, traveling costs, and other expenses that can accumulate while a television show is in its production phase.  
  • Programming staff consists of scheduling the program for the television channel and the sale of programming to other parties. Programming costs also include duplication of tapes and storage of the tapes.
  • Creative service costs include hiring people to produce graphics for on-air play and other visual graphics. 
  • Play out costs involves preparing promotions for programming and advertisement insertions.
  • Transmission in regards to cover costs of renting satellite and broadband connectivity required to transmit the channel from the studio to the satellite and into the homes of subscribers.
  •  Another component that networks invest in is administrative costs which are composed of employing lawyers, paralegals, and accountants that represent the network. (28)

 

    

 

Politics:

 

Prime Time Access Rule (PTAR)

     The Prime Time Access Rule or PTAR was used to restrict the amount of network programming that local television stations ,4owned by or affiliated with a network, may air during an evening (29). Evening is the prime time hours of television which spans from 7:00 p.m.  to 11:00 p.m. in the eastern and pacific time zones. The FCC began investigating this new monopoly in 1965, and issued its first initial PTAR in 1970. PTAR originally was set up so that locally made shows and small independent production companies would have the opportunity to produce their own content and be able to sell it to affiliate stations. This was due in part because the big three,  ABC, NBC and CBS  had dominated the market in terms of prime-time programming. Racking in about 85-90% of the viewers in prime time, while the rest of the 10-15% watched either independent stations or public television. (30) FCC set up the PTAR in order for there to be more competition in all industries in the telecommunication field rather than a virtual monopoly.(29).

 

The Financial Interest and Syndication Rules (Fin Syn)

      In 1970, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) tried to diversify and limit the control of the big three by materializing rules that prohibited network participation in two related arenas: the financial interest of the television programs they aired beyond first-run exhibition, and the creation of in-house syndication arms as it would unfairly increased power of the networks.(31) In other words, it pushed networks out of the distribution process, and restricted them from having any financial interest in a programming unless they owned the entire thing. This also limited airing of their own programming to three hours a week.(24) The hope behind fin-syn was that it would have benefited television producers by providing them with more independence from networks and the benefits going not to just the producer but also the production company.  Critics who were against fin-syn stated that small production companies could not afford to engage in deficit financing (which networks can afford to do)  which would lead small independent production companies investing money towards talk and shows since they did not cost very much to produce compared to innovative programming and also factoring in that Hollywood studios were benefiting more of fin-syn than independent productions studios were. The FCC in 1991, lessened the rules that fin-syn upheld due the companies that were for the producers (pro fin-syn) and distributors (against fin-syn). The court of appeals relaxed fin-syn rules even more by eliminating the rules in November 1995.(31)

 

Must Carry Rules

     Passed in 1972, This rule instated by the government, mandated that cable and satellite companies had to carry local and public television within their a sixty mile (later changed to fifty) broadcasting radius area. This rule was put into place so that local stations did not lose marketability appeal within the competition of cable networks who were vying for limited cable channels. In the 1980s, however, cable companies and superstation owner Tim Turner, brought to the FCC's attention that this ruling was unconstitutional stating the matter as a violation of the First Amendment. In accordance to this issue, the U.S. Court of Appeals sided with the cable companies stating that the must-carry rules were unconstitutional. From 1987 until 1992, stations then were only required to carry public television signals but still enable their customers/subscribers to choose for an A/B switch that would allow them to watch television on local broadcasting signals.

     With the Communications Act of 1992, still required that local commercials and public stations be carried be cable companies, allowing them to drop carriage signals that ran duplicated programming. The concept of must carry rules became confusing for stations when the FCC gave them a choice in 1994 if they wanted to continue running under must carry rules or under new regulation that would require the cable companies to obtain retransmission consent before they were to carry a broadcasting signal. The new regulation would have given local stations more power to negotiate the terms of the must-carry rules with cable companies. Even when the telecommunications Act of 1996, must carry rules were still in effect and even today instills challenges brought on by cable companies and still undergo major changes. (32)

 

Telecommunications Act of 1996

     The purpose of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was signed by president Bill Clinton, was to ensure that all citizens would benefit from the information superhighway and beyond.(33) This act was the first successful overwrite of the Communications Act that was signed back in 1934. It promoted the regulation of the telecommunications industry and relies on competition that services would be extended in broadcasting and cable. After signing the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Clinton stated that this legislation would, "stimulate investments, and provide open access for everyone". The act also allows more room for  broadcast ownership extended to what they previously were, meaning that group owners could now purchase television stations with a maximum service area cap of 35% of the U.S population rather than 25% which had previously occurred before the act was signed in 1996. The act also included several other provisions, one of them being in terms of dealing with censorship, it prohibits indecent and obscene material when material is likely to be viewed or read by a minor. Another provision in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 is that  broadcasters are required  to formulate a ratings scheme for their programming. (34).

 

Social:

 

Vietnam War

     By the 1950s, a majority of homes in the United States now had television sets in their living room and by the 1960s television was considered to be the most important news source in the United States and was considered the most powerful influence for public opinion. These two components would play a vital role in the United States involvement in the Vietnam War. Before the Vietnam War, most Americans had relied on newspapers and radio broadcasts to get information about what was going on the world. The newspaper had allowed people to see the images of the war and the radio had allowed people to hear it, but when news networks began covering the war it brought a realistic image to Americans; not only did Americans see the pictures coming out of Vietnam, they with the aid of the television had sounds to match the gory pictures. The Vietnam War was dubbed the first war to be captured by television. With the television business where profit is above a public service, there was not much coverage of the war until 1965. when 175,000 troops were sent over to Vietnam. Coverage of the Vietnam War included interviews with American soldiers and helicopter scenes. The media however was for the war until 1967 when the public began to see the more graphic side of the war during the evening news, which at the time each network would rake in 50 million people watching 90% of the evening news covering the war. The optimism that the United States would win the war as the media early on called it a defeat thus influencing the public to believe that the war in Vietnam was now a lost cause. The negative coverage of the war not influenced the public in their perception of the war but also that of politicians which geared new coverage for the opposition of the war at home by covering protests and demonstrations causing a public outcry to politicians for a mass withdrawal from Vietnam thus shifting the coverage off of combat to the political process. During 1965-1969, the number of stories covering combat had gone down 48% and from 1970 to the end of the United States involvement in Vietnam only 13% of news stories involved combat. (35)

 

Here is an example of the elements that news coverage would air to millions of homes during the 1960s. These images and journalistic views aided in changing the opinions of many American's view of the Vietnam War.   

 

 

 

 

 

The Civil Rights Movement

     Also during the time of the Vietnam War, there was another social/political issue that took place in our nation and that was the Civil Rights Movement. Much like the Vietnam War, television helped in the redefinition social and political reform. The images of seeing police hosing down African Americans with fire fighter houses, beating them and police dogs attacking African Americans were broadcasted to millions of homes in the United States. And it was through the television that Martin Luther King Jr. famously gave his "I Have a Dream Speech" that not only impacted the hundreds of thousands that were there that day in Washington D.C. but it also aired in many television sets in the South where most of the tension of the Civil Rights Movement inhabited. The Civil Rights Movement was a precursor to more social and political events that would also catch the eyes of news networks, these event included Black Power, Anti-War, Free Speech, and Feminist Movements. IN 1968, it was clear how much the television had impacted the reality of many American's in both social and political forms. Images that were being broadcasted helped gain support of liberal legislation as the 1964 Voting Rights Act and Lyndon B. Johnson" "Great Society" and "War on Poverty" all being apart of the Civil Rights Movement. Later in television programming instead of covering church bombings, African Americans being beat by white police officers and massive protests, television programming began featuring black figures as heroes and intelligent in television shows. Although many shows were criticized for holding the status quo, these shows began the transformation in television history. The Civil Right Movement had opened the doors for African Americans in regards of obtaining their rights but also breaking the color barrier by being featured on television programming. (36)

 

This video features the images and sounds that were recorded in the 1960s during Civil Rights protests. Here one can see the horrifying images that defined the inequality in America in that time period as police would beat and drag African Americans in the streets.

 

Television Impact on Family Life

     For multiple decades and a couple of generations, television has been one of things that have brought many families together. Reports indicate that 65% to 85% of when a child watches television is with another family member, more than half being with a parent. In regards to family, television has been used to bring families close together or drive them apart. It also served and still does serve a role in how we connect with other people, whether that be friends or co-workers, one of the most common element we talk about is television programming or news events covered on television. Television can be used to stimulate conversations amongst family member, friends and others or drive them to not interact at all. Because families spend time together in a place where there are television sets creates the context in which families interact as well as defines the meaning of interactions amongst family members. From this family values, roles, themes, or issues have been readily available for one to view on television and enable the viewer to compare their family to that on the television. Because of television, families have shaped their role expectations (gender roles as well), defined the nature of relationships in families and displayed relational currencies in negotiation of intimacy and power. (37)

 

 

 

 

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Pictures Cited:

Boris Lvovich Rosing. N.d. Photograph. N.p.
Paul Nipkow. 1884. Photograph. N.p.
Philo Farnswoth. 1935. Photograph. GuideLines, SF History Center, SF Public Library.
Vladimir Kozmich Zworykin. N.d. Photograph. N.p.
John Logie Baird. 1926. Photograph. N.p.
NBC Red Network Logo. 1930. Photograph. NBC, n.p.
Pharis, Chuck. CBS Logo. 1940. Photograph. N.p.
ABC Logo. 1946. Photograph. N.p.

Videos used:

32 Line Mechanical Television III. Youtube. TeslaMaster, 22 Dec. 2006. Web. 03 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osF5gg6RKL4>.
The First Color Broadcast. YouTube. YouTube, 15 June 2012. Web. 07 Oct. 2012. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4vAhJQxj_A>.
The World's First Ever TV Ad. YouTube, 20 Oct. 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsjc2uDi1OI>.

Vietnam War with Walter Cronkite - Tet Offensive Part 1. YouTube, 11 Jan. 2011. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3mfXnFtwQc>.

The Civil Rights Era From BBC Motion Gallery. YouTube, 8 June 2009. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBPeCQzHu5w>.

 

Graphs Used:

 

"Cable Facts-Stats." Television History - The First 75 Years. TV History, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.tvhistory.tv/facts-stats.htm>.

"Facts & Figures of the Satellie Industry." SBCA. Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Association, n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sbca.com/receiver-network/industry-satellite-facts.htm>.

 

Works Cited:
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(2) Bellis, Mary. "Television History - Paul Nipkow." About.com Inventors. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2012. <http://inventors.about.com/od/germaninventors/a/Nipkow.htm>.

(3) "Boris Lvovich Rosing, 1869-1933." Boris Lvovich Rosing, 1869-1933. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2012. <http://www.bairdtelevision.com/rosing.html>.

(4)  Mars. "History of Television." History of Television. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2012. <http://www.thehistoricalarchive.com/articles/history-of-television.html>.

(5) Thomas, Robert Mcg, Jr. "VLADIMIR ZWORYKIN, TELEVISION PIONEER, DIES AT 92." The New York Times. The New York Times, 01 Aug. 1982. Web. 06 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/01/obituaries/vladimir-zworykin-television-pioneer-dies-at-92.html>.

(6) Zworykin, Vladimir K. Television System. Patent 1691324. 13 Nov. 1925. Print. (6)

(7) Campbell, Richard, Christopher R. Martin, and Bettina Fabos. "Television."Media & Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. Print
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(9) Bradley, Martha S. "Philo T. Farnsworth's Invention." Philo T. Farnsworths Invention. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. <http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/from_war_to_war/philotfarnsworthsinvention.html>.
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(11) "John Logie Baird (1888-1946)." John Logie Baird Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2012. <http://digital.nls.uk/scientists/biographies/john-logie-baird/index.html>.
(12) JLB - The Man Who Saw The Future. Dir. Jan Leman. 2002.

(13) Thomson, J.J. "Cathode Ray Experiment." By J. J. Thomson. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://explorable.com/cathode-ray-experiment.html>.
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(21)"How Satellites Work." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://www.howstuffworks.com/satellite.htm>.
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(24) Broadcast Television. Films Media Group, 1997. Films On Demand. Web. 20 October 2012. <http://digital.films.com.cenproxy.mnpals.net/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=4504&xtid=8514>.

(25) "Television in the United States : Reorganization and Deregulation." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1513870/Television-in-the-United-States/283644/Reorganization-and-deregulation>.

(26) "Who Owns What on Television?" Neatorama. N.p., 7 July 2008. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://m.neatorama.com/2008/07/07/who-owns-what-on-television/>.

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(28) "Building A Financial Model For A Television Network." Building A Financial Model For A Television Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. <http://www.financialmodelingguide.com/financial-modeling-tips/tips/television-network-financial-model/>.

(29) Finney, Robert G. "Prime Time Access Rule." The Museum of Broadcast Communications. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=primetimeac>.
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(31) McAllister, Matthew. "The Finanical Interest and Syndication Rules." The Museum of Broadcasting Communications. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=financialint>
(32) Kassel, Michael B. "Must Carry Rules." The Museum of Broadcast Communications. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. <http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=mustcarryru>
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(34) Messere, Fritz J. "U.S. Telecommunications Act Of 1996." The Museum of Broadcasting Communications. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. <http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=uspolicyt>.

(35) McLaughlin, Erin. "The Media and the Vietnam War." The Media and the Vietnam War. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.warbirdforum.com/media.htm>.

(36) Everet, Anna. "The Civil Rights Movement and Television." The Museum of Broadcast Communications. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=civilrights>.

(37) Alexander, Alison. "The Social Uses And Influence Of Television On Families." N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://family.jrank.org/pages/1681/Television-Family-Social-Uses-Influence-Television-on-Families.html>.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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