Chapter Summary

Early experimenters in television tried two methods to obtain pictures: a mechanical scanning system and an electronic scanning system. The electronic system was eventually adopted as the standard. Although there were many inventors, the two most important to television were Vladimir K. Zworykin and Philo T. Farnsworth.

Television got off to a slow start because of World War II. Despite being authorized by the FCC in 1941, materials to create the medium did not become available until after the war. In 1948, the FCC froze the television station application process while it considered the need for more licenses, color television, and educational stations.

Television continued much of the programming and business relationships found in radio. Networks and independents fought for programming and independents usually lost. The importance of television became more evident in the 1960s as political events and important world events received extensive coverage. Congress created public broadcasting in 1967 with a mandate for non-commercial television.

Today, the television marketplace is much more complicated. Cable and satellite delivery have made many more channels available to the public. At the same time, advances in technology have given the impressive ability to present television on a global scale. Finally, the introduction of Internet and digital television opens new markets for the old industry.