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The History of Television

Holly Swaldi

Television

Few inventions have had as much effect on contemporary American society as television

Before 1947 the number of U.S. homes with television sets could be measured in the thousands. By the late 1990s, 98 percent of U.S. homes had at least one television set, and those sets were on for an average of more than seven hours a day

Television’s Origin

Brief History:There was no single inventor of the television, there were many inventors working on the idea of watching pictures on a screen

Inventors from all over the world had been working on transmitting pictures or objects onto a screen since the 1830’s, but the first physical television didn’t evolve until the 1900’s.

Inventors

Five men became the most popular and prestigious inventors of what we know today as television, giving the history of TV a rich beginning

Paul NipkowJohn BairdCharles JenkinsVladimir ZworykinPhilo Farnsworth

They each contributed significantly to the development of television technology

Mechanical vs. Electronic

At the dawn of television history there were two distinct paths of technology experimented with by researchers.

Early inventors attempted to either build a mechanical television system based on the technology of Paul Nipkow's rotating disks; or they attempted to build an electronic television system using a cathode ray tube.

Electronic television systems worked better and eventual replaced mechanical systems.

Cable, Remote Controls, & Plasma

Cable television, formerly known as Community Antenna Television or CATV, was born in the mountains of Pennsylvania in the late 1940's. The first successful color television system began commercial broadcasting in 1953.

June of 1956, the TV remote controller first entered the American home. The first TV remote control called "Lazy Bones," was developed in 1950 by Zenith Electronics Corporation.

The very first prototype for a plasma display monitor was invented in 1964.

The First TV’s

Monochrome (black & white)

Sold for about fifty-five dollars, which only people of wealth could afford

You could only watch a play on a screen the size of a dollar coin.  The actors also had to take turns in front of the camera, because the screen was only big enough to see one person at a time.

Popular Shows Through the Decades

1930s- The Wizard of Oz, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, King Kong, The Three Stooges

1940s- The Looney Tunes, Popeye

1950s- I Love Lucy, Today Show, Leave it to Beaver, Tom and Jerry

1960s- Days of Our Lives, Star Trek, The Brady Bunch, The Twilight Zone

1970s- Charlie’s Angels, The Brady Bunch, Bewitched

1980s- Dallas, 60 Minutes, The Dukes of Hazard, The Cosby Show

1990s- The Simpsons, Law & Order, Friends, SpongeBob SquarePants, Full House

Today’s TV’s

Color (high definition, blue ray)

Popular TV Stations (ESPN, ABC, FOX, A&E TV, CBS)

Over the Past 10 Years the Median Size of the Average TV has increased from 34 inches to 48 inches

Average of 3 minute long commercial breaks

Advertising revenue provides a significant portion of the funding for most television networls

10 Most Popular TV Shows 2013

1. Big Bang Theory

2 .30 Rock

3. How I Met Your Mother

4. Game of Thrones

5. The Walking Dead

6. Breaking Bad

7. Castle

8. Downtown Abbey

9. The Bachelor

10. Homeland

Impact

Television has changed our lives in a number of ways. It has has some positive effects with regards to education, entertainment and providing current world events closer to the people.

However, there have been some negative effects that television has brought. This is especially evident in the social and health aspects. People who spend a lot of time watching TV also become more accustomed to a lethargic lifestyle and interact less with people.

The Future of Television

Web-Driven: Watch and record live TV over the Internet

Competition between Internet and Television

Narrow down to 3 channels

Netflix, Video on Demand – BlockBusters closed down

Will TV’s diminish?

Works Cited

Farnsworth&, this time. "The Birth of Television « VideoUniversity." VideoUniversity. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013. <http://www.videouniversity.com/articles/the-birth-of-television/>.

"History Of Television." History Of Television. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013. <http://www.historyoftelevision.net>.

"Television History - The First 75 Years." Television History - The First 75 Years. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013. <http://www.tvhistory.tv>.

"The History of Television." www.personal.psu.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013. <http://www.personal.psu.edu/jtk187/art2/television2.htm>.

"The first television." NetProLive - hardware and software firsts. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013. <http://www.netprolive.com/television.php>.

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