scte long read
What next for TV? Television is 100! By Melissa Cogavin, Broadband Journal
Attempting to grasp the technical and cultural achievements of television is like trying to comprehend the size of the universe; nobody is exempt from the impact of TV, nobody can realistically say they don’t know what it is and have no need for it, in the way you might dismiss the Internet, or electric vehicles, for example. Television is so ubiquitous and has played such an integral role in our lives it is a challenge (especially with this wordcount) to step back and assess its origins, its impact and its future. For you, reader, I will give it a go. Frequently blamed for dumbing us down, making our eyes square and dulling our senses, TV has been responsible for recording the biggest moments in recent history (coronations, royal weddings, the moon landing, the World Cup, assassinations, war, Diana’s funeral, Michael Jackson’s interview with Martin Bashir, Scott and Charlene’s wedding) to peppering our vernacular with references you’d only get if you watched
“For people of my background, very poor East End people, television was a phenomenon. I mean, we couldn’t afford a motor car - out of the question. Refrigerator was an unnecessary luxury. But television! Oh, it was like the eighth wonder of the world!” The Viewer’s View, 1977 (BBC Archives)
16
SEPTEMBER 2025 Volume 47 No.3
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker