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Television: the earliest days. RTV 3007 • Intro to Television. THE BOOM. After World War 2, people saved money to buy TV sets. Improvements in picture quality Taverns rushed to acquire TV sets to show sports 1947 – Meet the Press
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Television: the earliest days RTV 3007 • Intro to Television
THE BOOM • After World War 2, people saved money to buy TV sets. • Improvements in picture quality • Taverns rushed to acquire TV sets to show sports • 1947 – Meet the Press • 1948 - Democratic and GOP National Conventions televised
RADIO IS STILL IN CHARGE • Stations still used radio to pay for TV programmin • In 1947 ABC allowed pre-recorded material on radio. First disk jockeys by major network.
The cold war • 1947 House Committee on Un-American Activities began investigating film industry workers with suspected ties to Communism. • Public hearings underscored the propaganda potential of film. • Studios fired suspected writers and actors ties. Beginning of Hollywood Blacklist. • J. Edgar Hoover warns FCC not to issue broadcast licenses to parties with ties to Communism. • FCC asked for proof. FBI said no, confidential sources. • Birth of industry marked by “caution and cowardice.”
The blacklist • Red Channels named dozens of TV and radio writers, actors, producers, directors, executives as Communist sympathizers. • Shows began disappearing from TV and radio. • Actors and actresses were suddenly dismissed from series. • Blacklist management became part of the industry.
US VS. PARAMOUNT PICTURES 1948 • Movie studios could no longer own movie theaters • The US would no longer restrict imports of foreign films • US movie industry reinvented itself • Hollywood laid off hundreds of writers, directors, producers, actors • These Hollywood expats migrated to New York to try their hand at television
Hit tv shows In 1949 • Texaco Star Theater with Milton Berle(Uncle Miltie) • Toast of the Town with Ed Sullivan • “Law and order” television was popular • Law and order series were produced as formulaic episodes. • Because of Cold War, bankers and businessmen could not be portrayed as bad guys on TV • TV shows were live • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYAi3zA8p2A
follow that man 1949-1956 • Top-ranked TV show. Produced live. • Could not gauge length of show. At the end of each episode a “search” scene where the star looked for clues. He would time this scene based on how much time was left • Sponsored by Camel cigarettes. • The bad guys could not smoke cigarettes. • The show could not cover arson because fires might tie to cigarettes. • No one could cough • Doctors had to be shown in a positive manner • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZl5QV4pl9k
Birth of public broadcasting - 1950 • 1950 – Council on Educational Television is creted • President Eisenhower appoints FreidaHennock, first woman to the FCC, who heads this commission. • 1951 – Ford Foundation report showed that Americans witness more than 2970 acts or threats of violence on TV in one week • In 1952 the FCC reserves some TV channels (both VHF and UHF) for educational TV
America loves lucy1951-today • First scripted TV show filmed instead of broadcast live. • Filmed before a studio audience (no laugh track). • Pioneered multi-camera technique. • Produced in Hollywood. (Ended NYC’s hold on TV) • Lucy & Desi were TV’s first “interracial couple” • Top-rated TV show after 1 year • January 19, 1953 – Lucy character has her baby on TV. Nearly 70% of all TV sets were tuned in to watch.
America loves lucy1951-today • Because Lucy & Desi owned the rights to the show, they became the first multi-millionaire TV stars. • Since its initial broadcast in 1951, I Love Lucy has never stopped airing on TV. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0Kcq1K-51M
TV IN 1952 • TV moves to pre-recorded content rather than live broadasts • Political parties focus on TV over radio • TV expands internationally – Europe, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Cuba • Eisenhower wins TV through scripted presentations: arrival of hero, speech, departure of hero • Nixon’s Checkers speech. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqjwBDH-vhY • Radio changes its format to compete with TV