1. Electronic Media: Then, Now, and Later
Norman J. Medoff and Barbara K. Kaye
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2. 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

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
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4. 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
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5. 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
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6. 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),
Disadvantages relative to VHF
All-Channel Receiver Act (1962)
Sets must receive both UHF and VHF signals
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7. 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
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8. 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)
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9. 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
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10. 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
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11. 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
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12. 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)
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13. 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
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14. 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)
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15. 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
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16. 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
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17. 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.
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18. 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
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19. 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)
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20. 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
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21. 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)
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22. 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.
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23. 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”
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24. 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
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