As far as inventions go, television is pretty fantastic. I think it’s fair to say that a large proportion of people across the globe would label the TV set as one of the greatest inventions of all time. It opened up a whole new world at our fingertips without ever having to leave the home. Not only does it keep us entertained, it also has the power of informing and educating us like never before.

Multiple Inventors

In 1878, a _____1_____ inventor and engineer by the name of John Logie Baird transmitted the first picture onto a television set. Baird was nicknamed “the father of television”. Along with Baird, another important figure who was credited with inventing television was Philo Taylor Farnsworth. He gave the first real demonstration of a working television on the 7th of September 1927 and was only _____2_____ years old at the time. Years later in Philadelphia, another more advanced demo was given by him on the 25th of August 1934.

Even as young as 15, Farnsworth had the idea for television brewing in his mind. Many thought it was highly unusual that he was the one to invent the television. This was based on the fact that Farnsworth’s family home didn’t have access to _____3_____ for the first 14 years of his life. Other people that claim responsibility for inventing the TV set include Kenjiro Takayanagi and Charles Francis Jenkins. Like many famous inventions, there is no one person who can take all the credit.

How did the television work?

The first televisions had alternative names like “_____4_____” or “televisor”. They operated mechanically using a _____5_____ with holes drilled into it that rotated. Television is made possible because of three key components: a camera, a transmitter, and a receiver. All of this working together as one allows you to receive a signal which then turns into pixels of sound and vision from the comfort of your own home.

Obviously, the first TV sets had very small _____6_____, showed a black and white picture, and had no remote control. _____7_____ television didn’t become mainstream until decades later even though Baird proved it was possible in 1928.

Wealth Divide

In the US, the first-ever consumer television that was mass-produced and available for purchase was made by a company called _____8_____. It would have set you back $_____9_____ at the time of sale (which is a lot when you account for inflation). It didn’t take long before new models were released by different companies. Almost a month after the launch, another television became available. This was the CT-100 manufactured by RCA and was almost $300 cheaper. Not only was the price lower, but it also showed a color picture.

The first TV sets were very expensive at the time so only the rich and upper-middle-class could afford them. You were seen to be very privileged if you had more than one television in your home. In 1950, only 1 in _____10_____ American households actually owned a television.

The ugly side of television

Television wasn’t initially met with a warm welcome by everyone. Like many new breakthroughs, people were hesitant and fearful. Some were concerned that people might become addicted to watching television thus wasting their own time. These naysayers were somewhat correct for at least a certain number of viewers who became lazy, overweight and watched TV for an unhealthy number of hours.

On top of this, TV had the manipulating effect of glamorizing everyday life to an unrealistic degree. This had a negative impact on the mental health of some viewers as they bought into the illusion that they had a lower quality of life than most.

The TV gave us access to information in a way that was truly unique from anything that came before. We had to wait for the internet to become mainstream for the next big innovation in accessing data quickly and easily. Television can be watched alone, but it can also be enjoyed as a communal experience with family and friends. For better or worse, it changed the way we live indefinitely.