Introduction
One of the people who became an integral part of the technological development of TV was Giovanni Caselli, an Italian priest and inventor. He created the pantelegraph, which allowed to reproduce images line by line. His discovery developed the idea that technology could be transmitted by electric current. Pantelegraph led to the invention of the Nipkow disk, which was crucial to the development of mechanical television.
First Applications of Television
Philo Farnsworth demonstrated the first all-electronic television system and received numerous other technological patents that led to the development of television. Electronic TV that used CRT-tubes to transmit and receive images allowed the mass production of TV sets that could project high-quality pictures, unlike blurry, small ones that mechanical television was capable of.
Business of TV
Television business began to develop after the US government decided to end the wartime ban regarding the production of broadcasting equipment for civilians in 1945. In the era of economic growth and mass production, the number of TV sets grew from 5,000 (before the ban) to 20,000,000 in 1953. Advertising-supported programming, which made television affordable and led to the development of consumer culture in America.
Stars of Early TV
One of the first early TV personalities was Donna Reed, who received multiple Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award for Best TV Star. The Donna Reed Show was influential for women across America because of its uplifting and positive message. What made Reed stand out was that her character was a strong and smart mother, who was a bit more assertive than any other female character at the time. The show was one of the first media projects that managed to portray women realistically, with Reed being a symbol of the early female empowerment movement.