The Rise of National Television

1948 was a big year for television. Milton Berle and Ed Sullivan (#1 and #2 for first full year of TV ratings) debut their TV shows. The first Emmy award season concluded with the awards presentation taking place in January of 1949. Also, the first cable operation began which cracked the door for the many possibilities that would take television to new heights. Also during this time, the TV Guide debuted. It's crazy to think how such a new idea such as cable television would influence the world so quickly to make the TV Guide the most read magazine in the entire world!

January 1949 issue of TeleVision Guide. Courtesy of http://www.tvhistory.tv/1949_Jan_22_TV_Guide2.jpg

Whether they know it or not, every couch potato is thankful for the year 1950. This year was legen...wait for it...dary. It was the year of the first remote. I personally believe this was the increase of our nations obesity problem.  A few years later, the first wireless remote was developed by Zenith. To me, this was THE most influential year in all of television.

One of the first remotes by Zenith. Courtesy of http://www.electronichouse.com/article/print/a_history_of_tv_remote_controls/

The Beginning of the "Golden Era"

Film has had an incredible history that continues to write itself. Out of all these years, what made 1939 the beginning of the "Golden Era?" This year marks what most consider the peak achievement of the American studio system. Some films that Hollywood released were classics like Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and many other films that I failed to mention. The American Film Institute composed a "100 Greatest American Films" list, and were five films from 1939 that made the list.


Courtesy of imbd.com

The main reason for these films to earn a spot on the list was because they attracted a large audience. They generated a lot of revenue. Not just from the ticket prices, but from the concessions that the audience bought while at the movie. They were labeled as "popcorn films." They really shaped how we know the movie industry today. The movie industry took this concept and ran with it. Obviously, it is a business first, and this was generating a great deal of revenue. 

The Movies Learn to Talk

The motion picture business was a big success in the early 1900's. Up until 1927, the movies were silent. The producers had to tell a story using nothing but the actions of actors. It was still a big hit with the people. However, after a while, the need for advancement was imminent. Warner Brothers were the first produce a full-length feature film that used synchronized sound as a means of telling the story. The first method used was the Vitaphone which was a sound-on-disk process.

Vitaphone Projector. Courtesy of Guido Diero 1886-1950 Vitaphone Sound Film. http://www.guidodeiro.com/vitaphone.html

Another method of recording sound was the Fox Movietone which was sound on film. The third method was a photophone system that used a variable area optical track. These advancements helped aid the movie business to new heights. Stories could be told with words rather than just actions alone. This adds to the creativity and how powerful the message could be. It made it a lot easier for producers to convey a particular message to the audience which could have easily have been misunderstood in a silent movie. This not only shaped the movie business, but it also shaped the methods of ministry throughout the world. Because of these very advancements, gospel tracks are able to be spread throughout the world giving the message of what Jesus has done for us to every tongue imaginable.