Outlining The Evolution Of Television Broadcast.

Television broadcasting: form of broadcasting in which a television signal is transmitted by radio waves
from a terrestrial (Earth based) transmitter of a television station to TV receivers having an antenna. It
has over the years grown and has become one of the most convenient and easiest mode of transferring
or disseminating information and entertainment. In this write up, I am going to look at the evolution of
television, the history of television in Zambia and the impact of television on society.

Evolution of Television

TV has become a very popular and common household item world over. Its capability of providing
entertainment, news, various other useful information such as weather, political, scientific, agricultural,
disasters, current developments, etc., video gaming, lessons in education, health care guidance & travel
and tourism details to people sitting at their home at reasonably affordable cost have made it very
popular. All these capabilities are the result of research and the advances in technology in many fields.
In a relatively short period of less than three quarters of a century, the TV can be regarded as one of the
marvelous inventions. Combined with the computer, internet and web technologies, TV today is
becoming an excellent example of convergence of communication.

The concept of television was the work of many individuals 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. 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. Television broadcasting expanded rapidly after World War II, becoming
an important mass medium for advertising, propaganda, and entertainment.

Mechanical televisions were commercially sold from 1928 to 1934 in the United Kingdom, France, The
United States, and The Soviet Union. The earliest commercially made televisions were radios with the
addition of a television device consisting of a neon tube behind a mechanically spinning disk with a spiral
of apertures that produced a red postage-stamp size image, enlarged to twice that size by a magnifying
glass. The Baird "Televisor" (sold in 1930–1933 in the UK) is considered the first mass-produced
television, selling about a thousand units.

In 1926, Kenjiro Takayanagi demonstrated the first TV system that employed a cathode ray tube (CRT)
display, at Hamamatsu Industrial High School in Japan. This was the first working example of a fully
electronic television receiver. His research toward creating a production model was halted by the US
after Japan lost World War II.

The History Of Television Broadcasting In Zambia

1
Broadcasting began in Northern Rhodesia through an experiment using low power transmitters at
Broken Hill (now Kabwe). The plan initially was to restrict the ability of Africans to access a variety of
stations and to limit Africans’ radio receiver sets to only be able to tune in to one or two stations. This
was “not only to save batteries but that it would stop the Africans from listening to other radio stations
that were broadcasting anti-British propaganda and this was clearly not in the interest of the Empire”
(Frankel, quoted in Kasoma, 1986, p.47). After lengthy experimentation and government
procrastination, the first government broadcasting station opened in Lusaka on 18 September 1940. The
station was expected to bring the colonial government closer to the people. Its main purposes at the
time were to refute rumours that were spreading during the Second World War and to transmit positive
messages about the Allies’ progress in the War. The station broadcast mostly to urban areas, particularly
Copperbelt towns. In 1945 a new radio station was opened in Lusaka, to be focused on ‘African’
broadcasting, with a counterpart in Salisbury (now Harare) focusing on ‘European’ broadcasting.

In 1950 the government established the Central African Broadcasting Station (CABS), renamed the
Central African Broadcasting Service in 1958, and later the Federal Broadcasting Corporation of Rhodesia
and Nyasaland (FBCRN). CABS continued to operate as an ‘African’ station, despite a transfer in control
to Salisbury (present-day Harare). In 1963, upon dissolution of the Federation of Rhodesia and
Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia established the Northern Rhodesia Broadcasting Corporation (NRBC),
which was reconstituted as Zambia Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) in 1964 upon Zambia’s
independence. In 1966 ZBC was changed to Zambia Broadcasting Services (ZBS). At the time of
independence, ZBS had three channels: Home Service (local/vernacular languages), General Service
(English) and an External Service (which was used by liberation movements1). In 1988, ZBS was turned
into a state corporation, or statutory body, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), to enable
it to generate its own revenue rather than depend on government subsidies (Kasoma, 1990). Television
broadcasting began in 1961 in Kitwe by a UK-based privately owned international company, Lonhro. The
Zambian government bought the station in 1964, incorporating it into the Zambia Broadcasting
Corporation, later renamed ZBS and then ZNBC. Television services tended to cover mainly urban areas
of Lusaka and line of rail, including the industrialised Copperbelt towns.

Advantages Of Television Over Media

Television is the communication tool used to relay TV signal with the help of TV frequencies. The
appropriate antennas are designed to broadcast and receive TV signals having bandwidth of about 6
MHz. TV signal consists of picture and audio information.

There are two main systems in the TV system viz. transmitter and receiver. The transmitters are nothing
but TV broadcasting stations and receivers are TV sets available in the household premises. The TV sets
are connected with disc antennas or Yagi antennas or interfaced with cable service providers with the
help of set top boxes and coaxial cables in order to receive the TV signals. TV remote control helps in
selecting appropriate channel as per user intension or desire. Television provides audiences with audio
and visual stimuli to deliver information and entertainment.

Advantages of television

2
  High viewership rates: Millions of viewers watch popular television shows or live events, like
sports.
 Ads appear automatically: Viewers see ads without making any extra effort.
 Highly targeted to key demographics: Advertisers can use market research for time blocks,
channel and type of program to target their desired audience.
 Flexibility: Television advertising allows for creative, emotional or shocking methods for gaining
viewer attention.
 Televison helps us to learn more about the world and things happening around us. This has
become possible due to relaying of news, geography and other TV channels.
 Television presents information in very effective way. This makes things memorable easily.
 It is one of the great tool for entertainment as it relays movies, reality shows, serials etc. It also
helps alleviate depression of mentally suffering patients.
 It is one of the way to enjoy, relax and pass the time while at home or during the journey.
 It increases popularity of sports and other games among people.
 It helps us realize our responsibilities among the society to create better environment on the
earth for the people to live long and healthy life.
 When children annoys parents, they provide them to watch cartoon serials such as Disney,
nickelodeon, Pogo etc.
 It has also become luxury tool due to availability of costly LCD, Plasma and LED TVs.
 Television can be used by government agencies to relay vital information related to disaster,
weather forecasts, demonetization etc. This helps in spreading immediate awareness among
people. This is due to the fact that cheap TV sets are available in both rural as well as urban
areas almost in each and every households.

Impact Of Television On Society

There are advantages and disadvantages of everything and television is not the exception. It also has
both positive as well as negative effect on our society. First of all I will look at the positive effect of TV
on our society.

 Provide New Information: Today TV is the reservoir of information. It gives us information about
the nation, world, science, finance and sports etc. There are channels for the kids for example
CN, Pogo etc which entertain our children. Some channels are informative for example
Discovery, National Geographic etc by watching these channels we can get valuable
geographical knowledge, history knowledge and knowledge about plants and animals. Today we
can get information about sensex and other business related information on our televisions.
Some channels are only for the entertainment of the viewers where they can watch movies and
songs.
 TV disseminates information relating to health issues, which in turn helps in decrease in polio
patient, TB patient and the population of the country. Today people are getting information
related to diseases and there causes from the TV. Yoga also becomes popular among people
through the TV. Now people can watch different yoga's posture through their TV and can

3
 practice at home. There are some programs which gives information related to proper diet to
remain healthy and fit.
 Grooming New Talents: TV also helps in providing platform to new talents. Today there are
hundred's of reality shows on TV , where one can show his/her talent in front of millions of
people. Baba Ramdev is popular in people through TV as so many people watch him through
Astha channel. There are so many singing and dance reality shows, where children as well as
youngsters can exhibit their talent.
 Globalization of Culture: TV assisted in globalization of culture. Due to which people comes to
know the culture of other people. Now Bhangra is not only famous in Punjab but in other parts
of country also. Today Yoga is not only practices in India but in other nation also. It also helped
in spreading the western culture in our Indian society. All these facts facilitate in increasing
tourism and in the growth of country's economy.

Negative effects of TV:

As the television has positive effects on our society, it also has some negative effects. Some of these
effects are discussed here:

 Due to watching so much TV there is loss in children's concentration. They watch TV for many
hours, so due to emission of radiations continuously affect there eyes and mind. Nowadays
children have become more aggressive by watching some television programs, due to which
they sometimes indulge in illegal activities.
 Today youths are more influenced by western culture. Fashion is increasing between them
rapidly. They want to look like their favorite film actor or actress instead of their financial
capabilities. Sometimes they indulge in wrong activities to fulfill their requirements. This in turn
leads to increase in crime in our society.
 TV also affected the food habits of people. They are more attractive toward junk food. Many
youth prefers to take junk food and cold drinks. They watch the film actors or actresses doing
cold drink, junk food ads on TV, so they think that there is not anything wrong in doing all this.

Abilities And Attitudes Needed To Work In Television.

Presentation Skills

Excellent presentation skills are essential for a TV broadcaster. You must have a clear voice and the
ability to present your material calmly and professionally, particularly under the pressure of a live
broadcast. You must be able to present your material in a natural tone when reading your material from
an autocue. If you are using graphics to explain complex subjects, on a news broadcast for example, you
must be able to interact with the material while continuing to speak directly to camera.

Research Skills

You must have good research and writing skills if you prepare your own program scripts. Broadcasters
who present current affairs programs, for example, keep up to date with developments and

4
personalities in their field so that they can provide their audience with an informed, authoritative view
on an issue. On larger stations, you may have a team of researchers and writers who contact experts or
source information. You must be able to give the team direction so that they provide you with material
relevant to the program.

Interview Skills

As part of your role, you may interview people on location or in the studio. A broadcast journalist may
interview eyewitnesses or experts while covering a news story. A talk show host interviews a wide range
of guests from members of the public to celebrities. You must have the interpersonal skills to put the
interviewee at ease and encourage him to make an informative or entertaining contribution to the
program. To prepare for the interviews, you must research the subjects and the people thoroughly so
that you can ask meaningful questions.

Technical Skills

You must have an understanding of television production techniques so that you are familiar with the
work of program directors, sound engineers, camera operators and the control room team. Technical
knowledge enables you to respond effectively to instructions from the production team. You must be
familiar with studio equipment and editing techniques to edit your program material.

REFERENCES

Stephens, Mitchell (February 6, 2015). "History of Television". www.nyu.edu. New York University.
Retrieved February 6, 2015

Early British Television: Baird, Television History: The First 75 Years.

Pre-1935 Baird Sets: UK, Television History: The First 75 Years.

Kenjiro Takayanagi: The Father of Japanese Television, NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), 2002,
retrieved 2009-05-23.

"Milestones:Development of Electronic Television, 1924-1941". Retrieved 11 December 2015.

Kasoma, F.P. (1990), Communication Policies in Zambia. Tampere: Julkesuck Publications, University of
Tampere.

Kasoma, F.P. (1986), The Press in Zambia. Lusaka: Multimedia Publications.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: How to Become a Broadcast or Sound Engineering Technician

Career Trend: Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technicians