RTV 3007 • Intro to Television

THE BIRTH OF TELEVISION

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE RADIO AMATEUR1920-1923

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE RADIO AMATEUR

• After World War 1, ham radio exploded, as “amateurs” sent and received broadcasts all over the US.

• In 1920 an enthusiast in Pittsburgh regularly broadcast phonographic recordings under the call letters 8XK. A Pittsburgh department store picked up the broadcast for its customers, and sold radio kits for $10.

• The Westinghouse Corp. learned of this and set up the first radio station, KDKA. It debuted on November 2 to broadcast the 1920 presidential election returns from 8pm-12am.

• Success of KDKA led to Westinghouse stations in Newark, NJ; Springfield, MA; and Chicago. General Electric started radio stations in Schenectady, San Francisco and Denver. RCA started stations in Jersey City and Washington, DC.

THE BEGINNINGS OF PROFESSIONALIZATION1923-1927

BROADCASTING & COPYRIGHT

• In the earliest days of radio, actors, singers and other entertainers performed for free to test out the new medium.

• For several years, broadcasters played phonographic recordings free of charge.

• In 1923 ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) demanded payment for broadcasts of protected works.

• Courts upheld ASCAP’s claim. Stations paid $250 per year for rights to broadcast copyrighted material.

• Today radio stations and Webcasting stations pay annual fees to ASCAP, BMI and SESAC (collectively called Performance Rights Organizations).

THE MONETIZATION PROBLEM

• Early radio pioneers had to find a way to make radio sustainable. To make enough money to keep the stations going. Several schemes were proposed:

• Government financing (similar to roads and schools).

• A tax on radio receivers. Taxes would be used to support ongoing radio operations. (TV in the UK uses this model.)

• Patronage by wealthy individuals who would sponsor radio programming.

• Toll broadcasting, where anyone could air any content, provided they paid for the privilege.

THE RADIO ACT OF 1927

• The Radio Act enabled the creation of a national radio broadcasting network

• Of stations on temporary licenses

• Linked by telephone lines

• Supported by advertising

• Managed by a regulatory system based on “the public interest”

• The Radio Act of 1927 was written in such a way to include television.

• The Radio Act helped propel the development of television.

THE ROAD TO TELEVISION1927-1939

THE ROAD TO TELEVISION

• In 1927, the Radio Act enabled the creation of a national radio broadcasting network

• In 1927, The Jazz Singer debuted as the first “talkie,” or talking movie

• In 1927, the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) was born, the first competitor to NBC.

• Radio, “talkie” movies and TV experiments boomed.

• NBC stock prices rose 600% between 1927 and 1929.

THE GREAT DEPRESSION

• In November 1929, the Great Depression hit the US, led by a meltdown in the stock market.

• RCA stock fell to 1/10th of its previous value.

• Average Americans stopped buying radio sets.

• Money for TV development slowed.

RADIO SAVES TELEVISION

• People who had radio sets before the Depression kept them.

• Quality of radio programming increased.

• President Roosevelt broadcast his Fireside Chats.

• Vaudeville theater actors turned to radio as live theaters closed down.

• Radio advertising increased.

• RCA’s David Sarnoff used radio ad revenue to fund the development of television.

• Beginning 1938, CBS radio becomes a competitive force by offering better content than NBC: more news, experimental drama, more entertainment.

THE COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1934

• Established the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate both broadcasting and telephony.

• FCC became responsible for allocating spectrum for wireless communication.

• FCC set technical standards for telephony, radio and the emerging television industry.

• In 1940 FCC forced the TV industry to use FM radio technology for sound.

THE WORLDS FAIR OF 1939

• RCA president David Sarnoff decided to introduce television to the world at the World’s Fair in 1939.

• RCA made a film of Sarnoff’s announcement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4hPX_PLC-o

• NBC began regular TV broadcasts on April 30, 1939.