Television
A telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound.
Television is a telecommunication medium that transmits moving images and sound, and the term also commonly refers to the physical television set itself. As a mass medium, it serves advertising, entertainment, news, and sports, going beyond audio-only radio broadcasting. The technology first appeared in crude experimental forms during the 1920s, but it took years of further development before being marketed to consumers. Following World War II, improved black-and-white television broadcasting gained popularity in the United Kingdom and the United States, making television sets common in homes, businesses, and institutions. By the 1950s, television had become the primary medium for shaping public opinion. Color broadcasting was introduced in the mid-1960s in the U.S. and most other developed nations. The word "television" was first documented in 1900 by Russian scientist Constantin Perskyi in a French-language paper presented at the International Congress of Electricity in Paris. The anglicized version appeared in 1907, describing a theoretical system for transmitting moving images over telegraph or telephone wires. The abbreviation "TV" dates from 1948, while the use of the term to mean a television set began in 1941, and its use as a medium dates to 1927. The slang term "telly" is more common in the UK, while "the tube" derives from the bulky cathode-ray tube used in most sets before flat-screen displays. Another slang term is "idiot box." Initially, television signals were distributed only as terrestrial broadcasts via high-powered radio-frequency transmitters. Later, distribution expanded to coaxial cable, optical fiber, satellite systems, and, since the 2000s, the Internet. Until the early 2000s, these signals were analog, but a worldwide transition to digital television was expected to be completed by the late 2010s. A standard television set contains internal circuits including a tuner for decoding broadcast signals; a display device without a tuner is correctly called a video monitor. Television broadcasts are primarily simplex, meaning the transmitter cannot receive and the receiver cannot transmit.
- First use of term to mean 'television as
- 1927
- Percentage of world households with TV i
- 79%
- Transition to digital television expecte
- late 2010s
Lore & Background
The word television comes from Ancient Greek τῆλε (tele) 'far' and Latin visio 'sight'. Television became available in crude experimental forms in the 1920s. After World War II, improved black-and-white broadcasting became popular in the UK and US. During the 1950s, television was the primary medium for influencing public opinion. In the mid-1960s, color broadcasting was introduced in the U.S. and most other developed countries. The replacement of cathode-ray tube displays with flat-panel technologies such as LCDs, OLEDs, and plasma began with computer monitors in the late 1990s, but most sets sold in the 2000s were still CRT; flat-screen TVs decisively overtook CRT in the early 2010s. Television signals were initially distributed as terrestrial broadcasting using high-powered radio-frequency transmitters. Later, distribution via coaxial cable, optical fiber, satellite systems, and since the 2000s, the Internet became common. Until the early 2000s, signals were analog, but a transition to digital television was expected to be completed worldwide by the late 2010s. A standard television set includes a tuner; a visual display without a tuner is a video monitor.
Reader's Guide
Television's significance lies in its role as a mass medium for advertising, entertainment, news, and sports, capable of more than radio broadcasting. It became the primary medium for influencing public opinion in the 1950s. The development of archival storage media such as Betamax, VHS, LaserDiscs, DVDs, and digital video recorders allowed viewers to watch pre-recorded material at home. By the early 2010s, digital television transmissions greatly increased, and the move from standard-definition to high-definition television provided substantially higher resolution. Since 2010, smart television and Internet television have increased availability of programs via streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, iPlayer, and Hulu. The hardware revolution from CRT to flat-panel displays (LCDs, OLEDs, plasma) began in the late 1990s, with flat-screen TVs overtaking CRT by the early 2010s. Major manufacturers discontinued CRT, DLP, plasma, and fluorescent-backlit LCDs by the mid-2010s, and smart TVs became dominant by the late 2010s. Television broadcasts are mainly simplex, meaning the transmitter cannot transmit and the receiver cannot transmit.
Did You Know?
- The word television comes from Ancient Greek τῆλε (tele) 'far' and Latin visio 'sight'.
- In 2013, 79% of the world's households owned a television set.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Television?
Television is a telecommunication medium designed to transmit moving images and sound, and the word also refers to the physical receiving set itself.
When did Television first appear?
Experimental prototypes of Television showed up in the 1920s, and the term entered common usage in 1927. Following World War II, black-and-white broadcasting became mainstream in the UK and US, putting sets into ordinary homes.
What role does Television play in society?
By the 1950s, Television had become the dominant medium for influencing public opinion. It continues to serve as a central channel for news, entertainment, and cultural discourse.
How widespread is Television?
Roughly 79% of households around the world own a television, making it one of the most universally adopted media technologies.
When did color Television become standard?
Color broadcasting launched in the mid-1960s in the United States and most other developed nations, gradually replacing the earlier black-and-white signal.
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