television broadcasting history

Company

LOGO

Television Fever in the 1930s

� NBC began experimental broadcasts in New York in 1932

�David Sarnoff announced RCA was ready to investment $1-million in TV

�In 1939 NBC began regular service, starting off with the World’s Fairstarting off with the World’s Fair

�Other Networks: CBS (1939) & DuMont (1940)

�FCC Authorized commercial TV beginning on July 1, 1941

�WNBT (NY) became 1st commercial station with 15 hours of programming a week

Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941

NBC Red Network - Sammy Kaye's Sunday Serenadewith Sammy and his Orchestra, Tommy Ryan, Alan

Foster, and the Three Kaydettes.

KDKA., Pittsburgh, PA 4:30 P.M.

Seattle Station issues emergency

instructions for the evening

Development Slowed

World War II

�Improvements in TV came to abrupt halt.

�Defense Communications Board stopped construction of

stations

�Existing TV stations used for defense related programming

�Only 6 stations on air, broadcasting a few irregular hours a �Only 6 stations on air, broadcasting a few irregular hours a day

�Fewer than 10,000 receivers.

Korean War

� At end of war, corporations ready to advertise goods

� Consumers with savings ready to spend

� AT & T constructed intercity coaxial cable links

� FCC ready to license stations after war

� 1945 - NBC network to Philadelphia, New York, & Schenectady

� 1948 -- 36 TV stations on air & 70 under construction

� Because of interference, FCC declared a freeze�

� Korean war prolonged freeze

Continuing Improvement

• 1951 – Cable across U.S.

• Magnetic videotape late ’50s (live

% of U.S Families with TV sets

80

100

’50s (live programming/reruns

• Price of sets

• falling

• b

0

20

40

60

1953 1960

The Boom is On

�FCC Lifted its freeze in 1952

�Existing VHF channels (2 – 13) supplemented with VHF (14 – 83)

�Backlog of 700 applications – 175 �Backlog of 700 applications – 175 granted

�1953 – 377 stations on air

Filling the Hours

�Transferred about 24 popular programs from radio

�The smash was Texaco Star Theater with comedian Milton Berle -19481948

�Major stimulus for purchase of sets in 1948 & 1949.

�Presidential Campaign of 52 (Eisenhower v Stevenson) was a hit also

Movies

• Studios wanted nothing to do with TV

• Eventually saw market potential

• By 1954, studios start producing showsproducing shows

• By 1956 selling rights to old feature films

• During Korean War attendance dropped 20% to 40%

• Dozens of theaters closed

News

• Like radio at first

• Ampex made first practical videotape machine in 1956

• 1963 is the year of change

Color TV

• CBS Began limited broadcasting in color in 1951

• RCAQ system approved in 1954,approved in 1954,

• Expensive ($1,000 at first)

• 1965 – 15% of stations able to broadcast in color

Living Room War

• Vietnam (’61-75)

• Could film almost anything

• Stressed success & value at firstvalue at first

• Images told another story

• Tet Offensive of ’68, a turning point

Tet Offensive 1968