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Early Experiments

Early Experiments. Mechanical scanning , 1884 Electronic scanning Philo T. Farnsworth – won patent battle against RCA in 1930 Vladimir Zworykin – RCA developer patented iconoscope CBS developed color TV incompatible with RCA system National Television System Committee (NTSC)

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Early Experiments

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  1. Early Experiments • Mechanical scanning, 1884 • Electronic scanning • Philo T. Farnsworth – won patent battle against RCA in 1930 • Vladimir Zworykin – RCA developer patented iconoscope • CBS developed color TV incompatible with RCA system • National Television System Committee (NTSC) • Established by FCC in 1940 • Rejected RCA’s 441-line system for 525-line system • Very high frequency (VHF) • originally 13 channels • Channel 1 eliminated to allow spectrum space for FM radio

  2. The Emergence of Television • FCC ruled against CBS color system, 1947 • 4,000% growth of industry in 1948 • NBC and CBS dominated the market – fourth station Dumont folded in 1955 • FCC imposed freeze on TV station growth from 1948 – 1952

  3. Early Programming • Emphasis shifted from sports to children’s shows, as TV moved into the home • I Love Lucy, 1951 • filmed in advance, unlike live shows • audience comprised 68.8% of American public • TV newscasts developed slowly, since filming was expensive • Interview-type news shows

  4. Lifting the Freeze • FCC lifted four-year freeze April, 1952 • FCC added 70 stations in ultra-high frequency (UHF) band • FCC reserved 242 channels for educational TV in 1952; increased to 604 in 1966 • National rush to obtain stations

  5. Blacklisting • Senator Joseph R. McCarthy • Red Channels – 215-page publication on Communism in radio and TV industries • accused 151 people of “leftist” ties, including top names in show business • Blacklisting – executives would not hire people on clandestine lists because of threatened boycotts • McCarthy’s downfall • Edward Murrow telecasts revealed false claims • Senate hearings televised in 1954 • Public resentment grew; McCarthy censured by Senate

  6. The Live Era • Kinescopes – low-quality, grainy-film reproductions of video picture • Sylvester L. “Pat” Weaver • president of NBC, 1953 – 1955 • spectaculars – shows not part of regular schedule, designed to expand creative horizons • magazine concept – advertisers bought inserts in programs, and program content produced by networks • Ford Foundation • provided money for educational facilities and programs • bicycle system of program distribution

  7. Color TV Approval • CBS color system approved in 1950, but incompatible with black-and-white sets • FCC sanctioned RCA electronic compatible system in 1953 • NBC constructed new color facilities immediately, but CBS and ABC hesitated – all networks not color until late 1960s

  8. Prerecorded Programming • Introduction of videotape, 1956 • 1953 merger of ABC and United Paramount Theaters – film studios began producing series for TV • Quiz programs • The $64,000 Question – contestants could win large cash prizes • quiz scandals, 1958

  9. The UHF Problem • UHF technically not as effective as expected • People unwilling to purchase UHF converters • Deintermixture – FCC attempted to require some markets to convert to UHF in 1957 • All-channel receiver bill, 1962 – required both UHF and VHF tuners on all TV sets • UHF helped by cable TV development in 1980s – signal same as VHF on cable system

  10. Reflections of Upheaval • Investigative documentaries easier to produce in 1960s • Civil rights movement • documentaries on integration • African Americans hired • Diahann Carroll in Julia – first black TV heroine • Great Debates – TV credited with John F. Kennedy’s 1960 defeat of Richard Nixon • Kennedy assassination • November 22-25, 1963 – 90% of Americans watching TV • first “live murder” on TV – Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald • Vietnam • Saigon correspondents in mid-1960s • Walter Cronkite – after 1968 visit, felt U.S. should accept stalemate • 1968 Democratic convention – student protesters reached wide audience

  11. A Vast Wasteland? • Newton Minow, FCC chairman • challenged broadcasters to improve programming in 1961 speech • referred to TV as “vast wasteland” • Old Hollywood movies • Saturday Night at the Movies, 1961 • supply of Hollywood films began to be depleted • Made-fors – movies made especially for TV • NBC deal with Universal, 1966 • by 1969, all three networks were showing made-fors

  12. Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 • Carnegie Commission on Educational Television • Published report on educational TV in 1967 • Coined the term “public television” • Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) • Government funded CPB, which funded local stations, to avoid government interference • Established interconnection system • Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) • schedules, promotes, and distributes programs • obtains programs from outside sources • Sesame Street, 1969 – nationwide demand helped strengthen PBS as a network

  13. Government Actions • Nixon-era controversies • PBS aired documentaries opposing Nixon policies • Nixon favored localizing PBS programs • Financial interest-domestic syndication (fin-syn), 1970 • networks could not acquire financial interest in shows produced by independent production companies • networks could produce only 3 ½ of 22 prime-time hours • rule abolished in 1995 • Prime-time access rule (PTAR) • networks must give one hour of prime-time to local affiliates • modified to 7:30 – 8:00 P.M., Monday to Saturday • rule abolished in 1995 • Family hour, 1975 • FCC and NAB attempt to curtail sex and violence in the early evening • restrictions eventually removed from NAB code

  14. Mergers and Acquisitions • ABC purchased by Capital Cities Communications in 1985; sold to Disney in 1995 • G.E. bought RCA and NBC in 1986 • CBS averted Turner Broadcasting takeover in 1985 by buying back stock and laying off employees • Westinghouse purchased CBS in 1995; merged with Viacom in 1999 • Spanish language stations • Univision acquired by Sony and American Liberty Media in 1997 • Telemundo acquired by NBC in 2001

  15. Start-ups • Fox network, 1987 • United Paramount Network (UPN), 1995 • WB Network, 1995 • FCC relaxed rule against owning more than one station in 2001, allowing CBS/Viacom to own CBS and UPN • Time-Warner bought Ted Turner’s cable networks, then was bought by AOL

  16. Technical Authorizations • FCC authorized TV stereo broadcasts, 1984 • Low-power TV (LPTV) • FCC accepted applications for 10-watt VHF and 1,000-watt UHF stations in 1980 • cover a 12- to 15-mile radius • intended to enable groups such as women and minorities to have a voice in the community

  17. Telecommunications Act of 1996 • Did not replace Communications Act of 1934, but deals with technologies such as cable and Internet • Deregulation – extended license renewal to 12 years, eliminated ownership cap, raised coverage area to 35% • V-chip – device consumers can use to block programs with violence, sex, or indecent material • TV industry required to develop ratings system

  18. Programming Changes • Reality TV • features actual events, often bizarre • draws large audiences but inexpensive to produce • Game shows • Sparse in prime time since 1950s scandals • Comeback in 1999 with Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (ABC) • Taboo subjects • Ellen – lead character revealed she was gay in 1997 • tabloid TV – sensationalistic subjects • Anti-heroes • FCC lifted restrictions on advertising – home shopping and infomercials

  19. Digital TV • Grand Alliance • consortium of companies developed DTV system based on Japanese high definition television (HDTV) • adopted by FCC in 1997 • FCC allocated UHF channel space to each station for digital transmission in 1998 • All stations are to convert to digital and turn over analog channels to FCC in 2006 • Deadline will probably not be met • only 200 of 1,600 stations broadcasting in digital at end of 2001 • only 500,000 of 100 million homes own DTV system • stations do not have to give back analog channels until 85%of homes in their market have digital reception

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