You sit placidly in front of your 50 - inch HD screen , clicking on whatever tv set show strikes your fancy . It was n’t always wish this . Televisionhas gone through howling transformations during its comparatively forgetful life . The medium started off small : in 1948 , only 0.4 percent of home in the U.S. had TVs . Butradiolisteners began to switch on television , and , in seven years , TV possession had increase to 55 percentage [ source : Johnson ] . By 2014 , televisions had expand to 116 million household [ author : Nielsen ] . And remember when there was n’t even color ? ( No , you belike do n’t . )
Those changes only cut across screen , tubes and boxes . Techniques , equipment , financing , writing , monitoring and produce have fall a prospicient way of life since the other days . If you retain reading , you ’ll see : television set today is not your father ’s television .
10: The Emmy Awards
And the winner is … well , the achiever . In 2009 , anEmmy Awardstatuette cost between $ 300 and $ 400 to make , but the prize has much greater note value than just its golden plating . Emmyscan have a big impact on the individual , web or series that meet them . The influence start early on in television system ’s account . Though earlier limited to entrants from California , by 1950 the Emmys were open to shows grow outside Los Angeles .
A show that fight in theratingsbut gets love from the Academy can receive a second look from the internet . For representative , when " 30 Rock " acquire an Emmy for outstanding comedy series on its first effort in 2007 , NBC start to see its long - term prospect . The staff even nonplus better offices ! Though the show never had prima rating , its 103 nominations and 16 wins helped keep it on the air [ root : The Hollywood Reporter ] .
An Emmy win can boost the career of a new or back actor . When Katherine Heigl won for " Grey ’s Anatomy " in 2007 , the picture industry came calling . The laurels is also a badge of honor for smaller networks . In 2002 , Michael Chiklis , star of the hyper - wild series " The Shield , " won for undischarged worker . The FX internet was validated ; it really did have quality programming . Afterward , more advertisers were willing to sign on . AMC , the little meshing that could , prove it was competitive with larger , more experienced internet when " Mad Men " and " Breaking Bad " win Emmy after Emmy .
9: The Nielsen Ratings
You may have a great show , but is anyone tune up in ? Never fear , the Nielsens are here , and they can distinguish you who ’s watching , how long they determine and what they ’re eating . ( OK , snacks have n’t actually made it into the paygrade – yet . ) The Nielsen Television Index bulge collect data in 1950 . A m attached to a idiot box runway what ’s reckon and sends the info to a figurer centre . Across the U.S. , Nielsen families are selected to match demographic and racial distributions .
TheseTV ratingswere not only used to help determine which series stay on the air , the numbers are also vital toadvertising . The respectable a show ’s paygrade , the more adman are willing to spend to get their commercials in front of many , many eyes . But dim-witted turn are n’t enough . Advertisers like about demographics . Got a fancy new car to sell ? You do n’t want to put your commercial message in front of a bunch of kids . It ’s important to hit the mean audience . And make no mistake ; those advertising dollars are important – and ubiquitous . When you take away commercial and web promos , the average " hr - longsighted " dramatic play is around 40 minutes farsighted [ source : Jacob ] . Or 40 arcminute short .
8: Commercials
7: Television News
Early television had a serious side . At the start of the1950s , news programs consisted of miniskirt - broadcasts accompanied by newsreel footage . tuner newscasters turn to television and switched from being the voice to the typeface of the news . These extremely trusted sources brought sentiment - harass images of newsworthiness story to the American world . For case , in 1954 , Edward R. Murrow begin reporting on the McCarthy anti - communistic hearings , and it helped bring an remnant to the investigations .
Evening news shows became a staple fiber for many American family . In 1963 , Walter Cronkite at CBS headed up the first 30 - minute nightly newsworthiness broadcast . subsequently that class , NBC entered the disturbance with the " Huntley - Brinkley Report , " but ABC did n’t join in until 1967 . Sixty - three also saw a monolithic especial news programme : the funeral of President John F. Kennedy . More than 90 percent of all American homes with television receiver tuned in [ source : Audio Engineering Society ] .
6: Film Moves In
" Live from New York , it ’s Saturday Night ! " The NBC tardy - night show was unusual for the 1970s , but the early days of television were all about hot functioning . Forget your line ? Too bad , because the cameras were rolling , and the hearing was watching . Early variety comedy shows , such as " Your Show of display " with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca , walk the exciting " anything can happen " line during live transmissions . former dramatic play were simple but not simplistic , feature author like Paddy Chayefsky and Rod Serling and actor such as Paul Newman and Angela Lansbury .
As exciting as live television could be , by the fifties , filmed appearance were replacing unrecorded broadcast . With pre - recording possible , unexampled types of show , such as police , courtroom , hospital and secret dramas , appear . Directors could easy call for different tv camera angle , and display were not restrict to the four wall of the studio . It was n’t all about the art , as there was another bonus , too : money . Once a serial was capture on film , syndication became possible . gravel ta catch up on all those " Petticoat Junction " episodes you missed .
5: Saturday Cartoons
It ’s not just the child of today who love TV . As betimes as 1951 , television had 27 hours of children ’s programming [ source : Museum of Broadcast Communications ] . Just like radio , activeness - adventure series such as " Lassie " and " Sky King " were democratic . puppet , too , were all the rage with " The Howdy Doody Show " and " Kukla , Fran and Ollie . " Early kids ' shows were typically one - half hour episode picture in late good afternoon and evening slots . By the mid-1950s , Saturday mornings had become " kid metre . "
However , during the ' 60s , most other children ’s programing died when alive series appeared . It was about dollar mark ; animation was far cheaper to produce than lively activeness . Cartoons were make using an assembly blood line data format . Characters were brought to semi - life history with limited and simple body movements . With few exceptions , Saturday dayspring became the " go - to " television time for kids . " The Flintstones , " an animated serial about cultured cavemen and their families , debut on Friday dark in 1960 . But yabba - dabba - do - not err this for a shaver ’s show . This primetime cartoon was designate for families .
4: Pay TV
But how could the new scheme develop ? Deregulation statute law . The 1984 Cable Act motivated investment in pay television . enlargement break loose , and the California Cable and Telecommunications Association report that 53 million homes had cable by the oddment of the decennium . But that ’s not enough . Satellite web expanded during the next 10 years , and when the 21st century rolled around , 70 per centum of American homes were enjoy cable television … and more .
Other selection drink down up . consumer could pelt television through a number of sources , including Amazon Prime , NetflixandHulu . Non - broadcast serial started to win award . In 2013 , the non - broadcast serial publication " Homeland , " " Breaking Bad , " " Boardwalk Empire , " " House of Cards " and " The Newsroom"dominated the Emmys for dramas [ source : Hughes ] . This achievement is huge , considering that non - broadcast shows were not even allowed to compete until the former 1980s . Once they got into the game , it was no holds barred .
3: Recording Devices
" I ’m lamentable , you ’ll have to miss your show . We have to go to your uncle ’s birthday party . " How many program TV shows were drop because of particular occasions , work schedule or fourth dimension conflicts ? Sure , there were always reruns , but they lack the thrill of first - streamlet episodes . view habits were put free with the introduction of theVCRin the 1970s . By the middle of the next decade , one third of all home in the U.S. had videocassette recorder [ source : Gendel ] . Americans made the most of it by learn even more broadcast television ; only 25 pct of recordings were of cable television channels . Subscription to HBO lessen , but spread television viewership was up by 500,000 household .
TiVo , a digital video recorder , entered the view in 1999 [ source : TiVo ] . Overall , DVRs increased the number of people watching scheduled show . They just did n’t necessarily see them on the schedule date . viewer determine show at their widget , but they also have the challenge of avoiding freebooter . Advertising is bear on , too . If the price of commercial message is based on the number and demographics of witness , how shouldDVRrecordings be counted ? When is watching " later " too late ?
2: Reality TV
go on Up with the Voice of the Real Housewives in an Amazing Race … or something like that . Reality showshave made an unerasable Gospel According to Mark on television showing . The grandparent of them all , MTV ’s " The Real World , " debut in 1992 . Though the shape used their own words , show runners interpreted them , presenting the internet ’s version of reality . Producers manipulate circumstances to achieve the most drama .
In 2000 , " subsister " and " bad Brother " rival come on the scenery . Others followed , and soon many varieties or reality telecasting were on the line , including date ( " The Bachelor , " 2002 ) , informational ( " The Dog Whisperer , " 2004 ) , makeover ( " Queer Eye for the Straight Guy , " 2003 ) , life-style ( " The Biggest Loser , " 2004 ) , and natural endowment ( " America ’s Got Talent , " 2006 ) .
Reality shows were not only insanely popular , they were also gimcrack to make . In 2009 , the budget for a distinctive one - hour dramatic event installment ran $ 1 to $ 2 million and work significantly higher for very pop serial sport highly paid casts or complex sets . On the other hand , a reality show installment typically cost a relatively modest $ 100,000 to $ 500,000 [ source : Gornstein ] . The blossom may be off the rosiness , however . The number of new unscripted series has been increasing , but few become solid hits [ source : Hibberd ] . That ’s a sad reality .
1: No TV Required
For a telly show , you require camera , casting , crew , define … but not necessarily a TV . In this increasingly high - tech era , you do n’t need a video to observe a show . TV has become portable with the use ofsmartphones , tablets and computing gadget . meshwork and other streaming video services make it easier for viewers by issuing Apps for their devices . Phones and computers are the reserve of alternative , while the popularity oftabletsis declining [ source : Technalysis ] . estimator are multipurpose devices , and speech sound are smaller , so they ’re easier to block around .
For consumers , moving away from the television can save money , too . Several regard options , such as Hulu and Crackle , are costless . Though you have to pay for others , the cost is still significantly less than a cable subscription . In 2011 , the average cable government note set consumers back $ 86 per month , and it was expected to keep climb . But for about $ 86 , you could get a twelvemonth ’s worth of Hulu Plus or Netflix [ source : O’Connor ] . Portable , less expensive : what ’s not to love ?
