TEXT B Television—the most
pervasive and persuasive of modern technologies, marked by rapid change and
growth—is moving into a new era, an era of extraordinary sophistication and
versatility, which promises to reshape our lives and our world. It is an
electronic revolution of sorts, made possible by the marriage of television and
computer technologies. The word "television", derived from its
Greek (tele : distant)and Latin (vision. sight) roots, can literally be
interpreted as sight from distance. Very simply put, it works in this way:
through a sophisticated system of electronics, television provides the
capability of converting an image (focused on a special photo-conductive plate
within a camera) into electronic impulses, which can be sent through a wire of
cable. These impulses, when fed into a receiver (television set), can then be
electronically reconstituted into that same image. Television is
more than just an electronic system, however. It is a means of expression, as
well as a vehicle for communication, and as such becomes a powerful tool for
reaching other human beings. The field of television can be
divided into two categories determined by its means of transmission. First,
there is broadcast television, which reaches the masses through broadbased
airwave transmission of television signals. Second, there is non-broadcast
television, which provides for the needs of individuals or specific interest
groups through controlled transmission techniques.
Traditionally, television has been a medium of the masses. We are most
familiar with broadcast television because it has been with us for about
thirty-seven years in a form similar to what exists today. During those years,
it has been controlled, for the most part, by the broadcast networks, ABC, NBC
and CBS, who have been the major purveyors of news, information, and
entertainment. These giants of broadcasting have actually shaped not only
television but our perception of it as well. We have come to look upon the
picture tube as a source of entertainment, placing our role in this dynamic
medium as the passive viewer. What field of television is intended for specific interest groups