Visual Communication Images with Messages Chapter 13: Television

Television is chewing gum for the eyes. Frank Lloyd Wright, 1867–1959 Architect, Author, Educator

“survivor” and “the tribe has spoken”

allen funt

Survivor All-Stars," Website

Mark Burnett

Mark Burnett •  Born in England, 1960 •  Paratrooper •  Came to US in 1982 •  Odd Jobs-Selling •  "Eco-Challenge," 1995 •  “Survivor,” 2000, for CBS

•  with Charlie Parsons •  "The Apprentice" for NBC •  "The Casino" for Fox •  "The Contender" for NBC •  “Gold Rush” with AOL •  “Are You Smarter than a 5th

Grader?” for Fox

Personal Perspective •  Easy to Criticize: The Boob Tube •  Chewing Gum for the Eyes •  Always a Promise of a Better

Program •  Part of our Culture and Society •  Most Important and Pervasive

Medium •  How will TV Change with the

WWW?

personal perspective

A Television Set is Just Another Furnishing

Which Came First: Cable or the Cable Box?

Paul Nipkow and his Mechanical Scanning Device

historical perspective: mechanical scanning

Phil Farnsworth

historical perspective: electrical scanning & phil farnsworth

Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover and AT&T Television

historical perspective: herbert hoover and at&t

historical perspective: felix the cat

David Sarnoff

historical perspective: david sarnoff

Television Camera Used During 1936 Olympics

historical perspective: german olympics, 1936

historical perspective: world’s fair, 1939

RCA’s Transparent Television Set on Display at 1939 World’s Fair

Historical Perspective •  1940s

•  FCC Regulation •  Networks Began •  WWII Freeze

•  1950s •  "Golden Age" •  Dominance of Medium •  Game Show Scandals •  Blacklisting

"The Honeymooners," (1955-1956)

"The Honeymooners," (1955-1956)

historical perspective: presidential debate, 1960

Historical Perspective: Video •  "I Love Lucy" and Film •  Videotape

•  Charles Ginsberg, 1956 •  Ampex System •  West Coast News •  Hand-Held Equipment •  Reality-Based Ethical

Problems •  Video Helped Movies, not TV

"The Dick Van Dyke Show," (1961-1966) The Making of “I Love Lucy”

Desi Arnez on “The Tonight Show”

historical perspective: video

First Ampex Videotape Recorder

still from george holliday’s video

historical perspective: islamabad video store

technical perspective: cameras

skycam

3D television camera

technical perspective: transmission modes

television on demand

tablet viewing

50-Inch Plasma TV

technical perspective: receivers

Ethical Perspective •  Ratings: Anything to Bring in

Viewers •  Stereotypes: All Groups Offended •  Sexual and Violent Themes

Season Promo for “The Sopranos”

ethical perspective

Ethical Perspective •  Ratings: Anything to Bring in

Viewers •  Stereotypes: All Groups Offended •  Sexual and Violent Themes

"The Dick Van Dyke Show," (1961-1966) Season Promo for “The Sopranos”

Cultural Perspective •  Television is:

•  Theatre, Radio, Motion Pictures, and Comic Books

•  Stories in Serial Form brought Home

"Beavis and Butt-Head;” Creator: Mike Judge

The Cast of the Canceled Fox series, “Arrested Development”

Cultural Perspective •  Television is a Combination of:

•  Theatre, Radio, Motion Pictures, and Comic Books in Serial Form Brought Home

cultural perspective: jerry springer

cultural perspective: arrested development

critical perspective: mad men

trends to watch: 3D TV

trends to watch: we are all tv producers (ustream & stickam)

ustream.tv and the 2010 hawaiian tsunami

Critical Perspective •  All Other Media Suffered, But Not

Out •  Television acts as Baby Sitters •  Wars and Tragedies are Diminished •  Social Problems are Exaggerated •  Finding Quality is a Viewer’s

Responsible

"The Dick Van Dyke Show," (1961-1966) Television as a Babysitter

Future Directions •  Digital Projectors in Movie Theaters •  Big-Screen Teleputers Linked to the

World Wide Web "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge," "The Simpsons"

Aired During Season Two, 1990-1991; Director: Jim Reardon