The Impact Of Television On The Film Industry

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, television quickly emerged into a popular and greatly desired entertainment system in America. Although expensive, the television was still found in over fifty million American homes. Socially, the television not only embellished what the time period believed to be the “ideal” family, but the new technology also helped pull women closer to a world vacant of sexism and stereotypes, while also drawing African Americans closer to a society without racism, segregation, and prejudice. As well as social benefits, the television substantially impacted the world of politics by airing the platforms of political candidates and broadcasting important news concerning America. Additionally, the fields of advertising and

The introduction of television casted a wave of change in the lives of the American public. In Gary Edgerton’s The Columbia History of American Television, he described the uprising of television, “involved the most extensive and ballyhooed series of public relations events ever staged around any mass medium in American history. “ (Edgerton, p.1) The first presentation of television played a pivotal role on how the American public adopted the new medium of technology and communication. I will explore the grand manner of how television was presented to the American public during the early years by the direction of David Sarnoff, and televised special of the 1939 World’s fair. In addition, how this presentation of television generated the acceptation

Today, Film and Television are among the most internationally supported commodities. Financially, their contributions are enormous: both industries are responsible for the circulation of billions of dollars each year. Since their respective explosions into the new media markets during the mid-twentieth century, film and television have produced consistently growing numbers of viewers and critics alike. Sparking debate over the nature of their viewing, film and television are now being questioned in social, political, and moral arenas for their potential impact on an audience. Critics claim that watching films or television is a passive activity in which the viewer becomes subconsciously

Americans’ everyday life. The Golden Age of television was a period of intense growth and expansion of

To begin with, some background information on movies and Hollywood in the 1920’s. In the 1920’s, movie attendance soared (The Rise of Hollywood par. 4). As stated in the introduction, with the influx of money in the American economic system, the average person also had an influx of time on their hands. The normal solution was to spend that time on entertainment and movies were the perfect way to do that. By the mid-decade, movie attendance rose to fifty million and only increased from then. The five main movie studios were Warner Brothers, Paramount, MGM, RKO Radio Pictures, and 20th Century Fox (Dirks 1). Before these studios were formed, every aspect of making movies was separated into different companies. The aspects may include filming, editing, or distributing. With the spark of interest in movies, these five companies took it upon

The advent of television also caused a great impact in the American society that brought huge changes in the economy. American families during the 1950s started to replace radios, newspapers, and magazines as the leading media entertainment with televisions. They became common for families to unite and watch TV shows at noon. “Television as a product itself influenced the economy, creating what quickly became an essential household item. By 1957, over 40 million TVs were in American households”. Fundamentally, television altered how Americans utilize their free time, but economically there was even a major impact. Businesses around the country started to use the TV for advertising and marketing to sell their products easier. TV commercials

By the 1960s the studio system was all but over. Many cinemas were closed down and several of the production back lots sold. Society had changed dramatically particularly with the rise of youth and the youth market, and the old Hollywood product seemed stale to the rising youth audience. Times were changing and the industry had to change with it. The studio system had declined rapidly in the 1950s and by the late 1960s was all but over. The audience had segmented into different social groups with increased leisure options rather than the mass habit audience of the golden age. Many of the films the studios produced to compete with television seemed to many people old fashioned and part of a different world which led to a significant drop in

World War II ended on September 2, 1945, and citizens in America were dwelling in the postwar booming economy. Thus, people had a hole burning in their pocket and many entrepreneurs found a means in which they could supply their products to consumers. Therefore, television became a method of communication, rather than the radio, the television allowed individuals to watch events in the comfort in their living room. In the 1950’s a television could be found in almost every American’s home becoming known as the dawn of the television age. A famous sitcom in the 1950’s which first aired on October 5, 1951 is I Love Lucy. This particular show is the building blocks of the beginning of television, exposing viewers of the society in the 1950’s, along with the minimal similarities and mass differences when compared to today’s shows.

“Many in the 1950's strove for the comfort and conformity depicted reality TV shows (“Voices Against Conformity.”1).” One of the biggest things to come out of the 50's was the global sensation known as television. Everybody was watching TV, families would gather around and just sit for hours watching television. “They would watch popular sitcoms (such as “I Love Lucy”), and later in the decade, westerns ("Gun smoke,” “Wagon Train,” “Have Gun Will Travel,” and “Wanted Dead or Alive”) (1950's TV Turns On America.”6).” Before the growing popularity of TV many Americans got their fill of entertainment from the movie business which included going the movie theater or going to the newly popular drive in theater. With all of its acclaimed popularity “TV threatened the movie business, and studios and theaters tried to attract crowds by introducing novelty technologies such as 3D, Stereoscope and CinemaScope (1950's TV Turns On America.”6).” TV was popularized so much that the biggest selling periodical of the decade was the TV Guide. Although television was used largely for entertainment, it too was used very commonly for advertising purposes. Think for just a moment. The best place to advertise or push a product to Americans would be where they spend most of their time, and most of their day; at home watching the television. With the invention of television, suburban life became not only enjoyable and peaceful, but very informative as

Most of these television shows would have a specific weekly schedule like they are today. Many people would get together with their families or a group of friends and watch a certain show on the same day, at the same time, every week (“Everyday Life in the 1950s” 1). This phenomenon led to people rescheduling meetings, doctor’s appointments, and other important events just for their favorite television show (Mussari 61). Once people started giving television shows a priority in their schedule instead of more important uses of their time, it showed how the United States’ population’s schedules were affected by the average home television in the 1950’s.

The advent of television and television shows may have come long after film, but it enhanced film production almost instantly. Television naturally derived from early film since each uses basically the same medium: the motion picture camera. Since film had already set a base in the industry and mastered the new techniques and technology of cinematography, television had the opportunity to learn from film?s mistakes and advance itself quickly. For this reason, television evolved very rapidly and was able to develop its own technology and techniques separate from film. The concept of television became so popular and gained so much success that Hollywood began experimenting with the technology and techniques television had brought about. The

Hollywood has influenced American history since it began. It boosted and shaped the morale of a nation for almost a century. But Hollywood has not only been the influencing American society, it has been influenced by American society. In the 1920s, American society was booming; people were getting rich, spending and borrowing money, and they thought life was looking good. Then in October of 1929 the stock market crashed. Many people lost all they owned. People had invested all their money into the banks before the Crash. After the Crash, the banks had nothing. People were destitute. They had no money to pay for their houses, electrical bills, and food. It became the Great Depression. Likewise, Hollywood was impacted by the Great

This research paper will cover the topic of the American film industry, globalisation and how globalisation has impacted on the change of the American film industry. I will also continue on to how the American film industry and its producers can integrate successfully internationally.

The film industry has always been somewhat of a dichotomy. Grounded firmly in both the worlds of art and business the balance of artistic expression and commercialization has been an issue throughout the history of filmmaking. The distinction of these two differing goals and the fact that neither has truly won out over the other in the span of the industry's existence, demonstrates a lot of information about the nature of capitalism.

Television sets were commercially available since the late 1920s but in very small quantities. Since then television had become a bit more common in houses or business institutions because of it’s purposes. Which are entertainment, and news. In the 1950s, television shaped public opinion among citizens. After the