The History of Television, 1942 to 2000

Albert Abramson

McFarland, Sep 29, 2007 - Performing Arts - 319 pages

Albert Abramson published (with McFarland) in 1987 a landmark volume titled The History of Television, 1880-1941 ("massive...research"--Library Journal; "voluminous documentation"--Choice; "many striking old photos"--The TV Collector). At last he has produced the follow-up volume; the reader may be assured there is no other book in any language that is remotely comparable to it. Together, these two volumes provide the definitive technical history of the medium. Upon the development in the mid-1940s of new cameras and picture tubes that made commercial television possible worldwide, the medium rose rapidly to prominence. Perhaps even more important was the invention of the video tape recorder in 1956, allowing editing, re-shooting and rebroadcasting.

This second volume, 1942 to 2000 covers these significant developments and much more. Chapters are devoted to television during World War II and the postwar era, the development of color television, Ampex Corporation's contributions, television in Europe, the change from helical to high band technology, solid state cameras, the television coverage of Apollo II, the rise of electronic journalism, television entering the studios, the introduction of the camcorder, the demise of RCA at the hands of GE, the domination of Sony and Matsushita, and the future of television in e-cinema and the 1080 P24 format. The book is heavily illustrated (as is the first volume).

Contents

• The Postwar Era 946949: 18
• The Second NTSC and Color 950953: 37
• The Ampex Revolution 954956: 60
• Europe Turns Down NTSC 957960: 77
• From Helicals to High Band 96964: 92
• SolidState Cameras 965967: 105
• Apollo 96897: 122
• The Rise of Electronic Journalism 972976: 140
• Television Enters the Studios 977979: 173
• Introduction of the Camcorder 980984: 186
• The Death of RCA or the G E Massacre 985989: 206
• The Grand Alliance 990994: 232
• ECinema and the 080p24 Format 9952000: 252
• Notes: 265
• Selected Bibliography: 301

About the author

The late Albert Abramson worked at CBS for over 30 years as a cameraman, videotape editor, and sound technician, and was the author of several books and articles on the history of television aside from the two-volume set from McFarland. He lived in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The History of Television, 1942 to 2000
• Author: Albert Abramson
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: McFarland, 2007
• ISBN: 0786432438, 9780786432431
• Length: 319 pages
• Subjects: History / General; Performing Arts / Television / General