Electronic Media: Then, Now, and Later Norman J. Medoff and Barbara K. Kaye Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Television: From Radio With Pictures to Video Screens Everywhere Chapter 3 Television: From Radio With Pictures to Video Screens Everywhere Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: The Experimental Years (1 of 3) Early innovations Mechanical scanning Electronic scanning John Logie Baird Primitive system; used by BBC in 1936 Compare to NTSC and ATSC Vladimir K. Zworykin Iconoscope Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: The Experimental Years (2 of 3) Philo T. Farnsworth Licensed patents to RCA 1930: RCA, GE, Westinghouse join forces 1939: TV debuts at New York World’s Fair 1941: A busy year NTSC standard adopted Commercial TV broadcasting began Technological improvements Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: The Experimental Years (3 of 3) Broadcast television and WWII TV development halted; manufacturing diverted to war effort Off to a slow start After the war, few stations, technological challenges, expensive, little public support Early TV broadcasters were radio broadcasters, newspapers Television stations were networked; live shows had to be reperformed for western time zones until videotape was developed Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: The Big Freeze (1948-1952) (1 of 2) Postwar TV growth led to license freeze (FCC) Sixth Report and Order Additional UHF channels Before freeze: VHF (Very high frequency), 2–13 After freeze: FCC adds UHF (Ultra high frequency), 14-83 Disadvantages relative to VHF All-Channel Receiver Act (1962) Sets must receive both UHF and VHF signals Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: The Big Freeze (1948-1952) (2 of 2) Educational channels 242 channels reserved for educational television Color television Competing systems available FCC selected CBS system initially, then RCA system Favored by NTSC Remained in place in U.S. until 2009 digital broadcasting conversion Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: Domination of the Networks Networks exerted control over affiliates Controlled TV programming, as with radio Funded with profits from radio networks Relationships with affiliates The freeze helped solidify TV networks CBS, NBC, ABC, Du Mont Advantages of network affiliation Network–affiliate relationship Affiliations renewable annually Clearance Station compensation (uncommon now) Network programming Radio with pictures; live productions; technological limitations; Golden Age (1950s) Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: Blacklisting and Broadcasting After WWII, U.S. became fearful of communism “Communist sympathizers” barred from broadcasting; placed on blacklist Senator Joseph McCarthy fueled these feelings Edward R. Murrow’s See It Now exposed McCarthy’s inconsistencies Blacklist became graylist, lasting into 1960s Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: Cable Television: Television by Wire (1 of 2) TV stations primarily served large cities Broadcast signals didn’t reach rural areas Community antenna television (CATV) Place antenna on high point; wires bring signal to viewing locations Similar to master antenna system (NYC apartments) Microwave transmission Imports signals from distant markets CATV becomes Cable TV Grew out of demand for entertainment Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: Cable Television: Television by Wire (2 of 2) Cable system picks up signals from antennae at its head end and sends them through wires to homes in the community. Reining in cable FCC “must carry” rule (1965) Nonduplication (syndicated exclusivity) rules Additional technical requirements HBO (1972) Specialized in sports, films, and content not offered by networks First pay-cable channel; premium channel Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: Upheaval and Education The tumultuous 1960s The “Vast Wasteland” (Newton Minow, FCC) Many pivotal events televised Violent content causes concern Educational television goes public Sixth Report and Order Late 1950s “bicycle network” 1960s: CPB and PBS (Corporation for Public Broadcasting; Public Broadcasting System) Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: Increased Choice and Competition 1970s: VCRs, satellite distribution, national cable channels Time-shifting, decreased costs; innovative programming. Increased revenue. 1980s: Networks start losing share Cable, video rentals, time-shifting. Decreased revenue. Network power over affiliates weakened Networks failed to respond Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: Satellite Delivery (1 of 2) Cable systems and satellites Geosynchronous satellites (cable companies, broadcast stations, direct broadcast satellite) Middle-earth satellites (voice, data, GPS) Low-orbit satellites (personal communication services) Cable industry expands offerings; more original content Content uplinked to satellite; downlinked to cable service for distribution to homes Satellites and superstations Independent stations uploaded signals to satellite (WGN, WTBS, WOR) Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Then: Satellite Delivery (2 of 2) Satellite master antenna television SMATV; Private cable Housing complexes, large hotels, hospitals Head end receives signals, delivers to units in system Multichannel multipoint distribution systems MMDS similar to cable but uses microwave signal to distribute channels to homes Consumers get their own satellite dishes TVROs (television receive only) intercepted signals Expensive, large dishes, alternative to cable DirecTV (1994) and Dish Network: direct broadcast satellite (DBS) Small dishes; allowed to provide local stations in 1999 Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Now: Digital Television Telecommunications Act of 1996 Conversion to digital by 2009 High definition (HDTV) More lines of information; wider aspect ratio Standard definition (SDTV) Expensive, but opportunities for TV broadcasters Allows multiple signals on channel Government provided coupons toward purchase of set-top converter boxes Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Now: TV Sets and Viewing Habits Change TV sets becoming more similar to computers Computers are often entertainment centers Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Samsung market equipment for both computing and entertainment needs TV-on-DVD changed TV viewing, but sales have declined since peak in 2004. Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Now: Internet Delivery of TV Programs TV stations can’t yet deliver live programs online or to smartphones. Only option now is streaming from Web sites Networks provide program streaming Stations use Internet to connect with viewers: online video, social networking, blogs, etc. Cable and multichannel delivery systems allow subscribers to access content via Internet-connected devices Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Now: Contemporary Cable Cable and satellite delivery systems losing subscribers Switching to other delivery methods Cutting the cord Cable remains profitable, but is: Offering more video-on-demand (VOD) and “a la carte” services Consolidating Raising prices Providing internet service to homes (ISP) Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Later: Television and the Internet The TV industry is transforming Audience is shifting to a la carte model Over-the-top (OTT) models Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Cord cutting Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Later: New Television Sets Changing television set technologies Early 3D sets required glasses Curved screens UHD (ultra high definition) 4K–8K Organic sets OLED (organic light-emitting diodes) Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Later: Broadcast Television Broadcast networks will continue to decrease Network profitability may depend on delivering content that others can’t provide Vertical integration New programming services on other systems User-generated content will be challenge Local broadcasters producing content for online streaming Competition with streaming services The future may be live local news and big sporting events. Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Later: Cable Television Cable channels and networks are considering streaming, DVD, and videogames Experimenting with time of airing programs Fighting “cutting the cord” trend Dealing with “cable nevers” Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3

Later: Satellite Television (DBS) Challenge of providing unique service and being user friendly Offer many channels, but not broadband Clumsy user interface, remotes can be hard to use Costs can be high Customers prefer a la carte options Lack of interactivity Medoff & Kaye Electronic Media 3/e Chapter 3