Television sometimes shortened to TV or telly the electronic delivery of moving images and sound from a source to a receiver.
By extending the senses of vision and hearing beyond the limits of physical distance, television has had a considerable influence on society.
Over the years, television has become a world-changing media. Television has brought worldwide events to the homes of all people. These events included music performance, sporting events such as the Olympics and special events such as Presidential elections and one of the most memorable moments on television – the first steps man had on the Moon.
The word “television” comes from Ancient Greek τῆλε (tele) ‘far’, and Latin visio ‘sight’.
The first documented usage of the term dates back to 1900, when the Russian scientist Constantin Perskyi used it in a paper that he presented in French at the 1st International Congress of Electricity, which ran from 18 to 25 August 1900 during the International World Fair in Paris.
The Anglicised version of the term is first attested in 1907, when it was still “…a theoretical system to transmit moving images over telegraph or telephone wires”. It was “…formed in English or borrowed from French télévision.” In the 19th century and early 20th century, other “…proposals for the name of a then-hypothetical technology for sending pictures over distance were telephote (1880) and televista (1904).”
The abbreviation TV is from 1948. The use of the term to mean “a television set” dates from 1941. The use of the term to mean “television as a medium” dates from 1927.
The slang term telly is more common in the UK. The slang term the tube or the boob tube derives from the bulky cathode ray tube used on most TVs until the advent of flat-screen TVs. Another slang term for the TV is “idiot box”.
Television was not invented by a single inventor. Instead, many people working together and alone over the years contributed to the evolution of the device.
The concept of television began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots initially starting from back even in the 18th century.
The first practical transmissions of moving images over a radio system used mechanical rotating perforated disks to scan a scene into a time-varying signal that could be reconstructed at a receiver back into an approximation of the original image.
Television became available in crude experimental forms in the late 1920s, but it would still be several years before the new technology would be marketed to consumers.
Stereoscopic 3D television was demonstrated for the first time on August 10, 1928, by John Logie Baird in his company’s premises at 133 Long Acre, London. Baird pioneered a variety of 3D television systems using electro-mechanical and cathode-ray tube techniques. The first 3D TV was produced in 1935.
Development of television was interrupted by the Second World War. After the end of the war, all-electronic methods of scanning and displaying images became standard. Several different standards for addition of color to transmitted images were developed with different regions using technically incompatible signal standards.
After World War II, an improved form of black-and-white television broadcasting became popular in the United Kingdom and United States, and television sets became commonplace in homes, businesses, and institutions.
The world’s first television remote control was called the Tele Zoom, and it can barely even be categorized as a remote control. The Tele Zoom was only used to “zoom in” to the picture on the television. You could not use it to change any channels or turn the TV on or off. The Tele Zoom was released in 1948.
The first “true” remote control was produced by Zenith and released in 1955. This remote control could turn the television on or off and change the channel. It was also completely wireless.
The concept of morning television was revolutionized with the debut of NBC’s “Today” Show in 1952.
Political discourse and global ambitions were elevated to a new level this decade. The 1960s began with Richard M. Nixon and John F. Kennedy going against each other in a split-screen televised debate, and three years later, breaking news coverage forever changed with Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas.
In 1963 for the first time in history, television surpasses newspapers as an information source. In a poll this year, 36% of Americans found TV to be a more reliable source than print, which was favored by 24%.
In 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong walks on the moon for the first time as millions of American viewers watch live on network TV.
In 1971, advertisements transition from 60 seconds in average length to 30 seconds.
In 1980, Music Television (MTV) makes its debut in August of 1980.
At the start of 1993, 98% of American households owned at least one TV, with 64% owning two or more sets.
At the end of the first decade of the 2000s, digital television transmissions greatly increased in popularity.
Since 2010, with the invention of smart television, Internet television has increased the availability of television programs and movies via the Internet through streaming video services such as Netflix, Amazon Video, iPlayer and Hulu.