Television Development in Australia - Essay Example

Television in Australia Television is the transmission of sound and moving objects from one place to anotherthrough short waves. Australia has advanced in television technology and at least more than ninety per cent of each Australian home owns a TV set. However, it is quite evident that a greater percentage of the Australian population does not know how the images come about in the television despite their knowledge on how to use the remote controls. The transmission process of a TV and that of a radio are the similar in that radio uses radio waves to transmit sound just like a television (Arrow, 2009:89). Notably, the difference comes in where the television has to involve a camera to capture images that are to be displayed on the screen. A television camera converts the images into electronic waves and as well as the microphone. These signals are then converted back to images by an electron gun at the back of the television set (Herd, 2006:119). Television was first introduced in Australia on 1929. It was however, launched officially twenty-five years later because the Australian government wanted to observe the reaction of countries which had introduced themselves to the system. The official launch was on September 1956 with a studio called the communication network (TCN) being the only TV station in the country. Bruce Gyngell was the first presenter of the television station and his first words are still documented up-to-date (Hartley, 2007:44). The incision of the television in Australia drew the attention of many. Debates in the various cultural bodies and public interest groups struggled to define the impact the television would have to the country. The debates that came about were whether Australia was to have a television service at all and whether it should have a public or private owned television system (Byes, 2006:160). There were also controversies on whether any privately owned system would be in scrutiny by the government agencies. The people also wanted to know whether there would be control on ownership in order to prevent the influence of foreign companies in the ownership or overconcentration by local companies bringing unhealthy competition (Spigel, 2001:385). The country also had debates on whether there was to have protection of the Australia-made television materials against the imported material. Generally, the debates in the country revolved around ownership, control and the regulation of the materials that had come up due to the introduction of the television. The many controversies surrounding the television industry posed numerous questions on the cultural aspect. The people were concerned on the role of the audience in response to determining the nature of the TV programming. There was also a desire to know the role of the government in the real matter considering that Australia was a liberal democratic country (Arrow, 2009:91). There was also a question on whether the models adopted by the United States were appropriate for Australia. There was a major contradiction between the politics and culture of the country. These debates and controversies overrode in the context of the cold war era and the great depression of the world super powers a global confrontation, which had powerful repercussions in the world countries and certainly within Australia (Hazelhurst, 1982:112). The Australian government showed much consideration on the matters concerning the establishment of the television in the country. It thus appointed an interim committee to look into the matter (Hartley, 2007:46). The report of the committee was to be significant, as it would lay regulations on the radio, which in turn would lay the basis for the television industry. The committee established a policy where all radio stations were to have operation licenses. It also determined the roles of ABC radio, which was the national broadcasting station (ABC). The general finding of the committee was that the government officials were optimistic about the introduction of TV as the basis for media and communication development (Ward, 2008:64). They also found that the manufacturers and broadcasters were however very optimistic on the television idea. Immediately after the Second World War, television programmes commenced simultaneously both in USA and in Britain (Byes, 2006:167). The two countries however differed in the system of television authorization. United States granted licenses to those who had commercial interest whereas Britain granted a sole agency to operate as a monopoly. Australia was however to investigate and know which was best for her. The government favored the establishment of both commercial television stations and a national station as well. The government decision was received with a lot of criticism. The people were more concerned with the cultural and moral future of the country. The introduction of television was inevitable, however, critics swung to oppose the commercial TVs. There were heated debates on the effect of television on children, adult sociability and the responsibilities if women on carrying out the domestic duties (Spigel, 2001:388). It was argued that the TV would keep the children indoors, strain their eyes and reduce their concentration power in education if not interfere with their homework. Introduction of television was also to make couples not to talk to one another, a habit that is anti-social and would definitely lead to impoverish of family life. A lot of focus was on the commercial television. The residents argued out that since the commercial TV will be on the verge to attract largest possible audience, it would definitely de-base the Australian culture. Many people among them the Royal Commissioner, Mr. Boyer advanced the critique of the majority to protest against the commercial television. They opted for the government to adopt the Britain television system (Herd, 2006:128). The labor movement however, supported the idea of commercial television because it anticipated that it would supplant other means of communication and enhance its relation with the authority. The public interest groups in the likes of the church, cultural and educational groups, as well as the women also raised their claim over the introduction of television. They wanted the commercial television be withdrawn and there be established an independent statutory authority to provide all the TV services (Maron and Keating, 2009:4). They said that the commercial television would merely be a form of entertainment rather than being an art and cultural promoter. The church also expressed a similar concern where it foresaw the television as the source for moral decay. They dictated that the programmes selected and presented on the television should stimulate creative thinking, cultural growth, and the development of the Christian moral values (Cunningham, 2000:21). The church on its side did not oppose the incision of commercial TV but rather sought for strict controls. On introduction of the television, the churches were represented in the various programmes like the Australia Religious Film Society (Arrow, 2009:94). The churches also lobbied for the television stations to provide its service free of charge just like the radio stations. They also advocated for allocation of more time on Sundays and great occasions like Christmas. Organized women groups also stressed on the deleterious effects of the TV on children. They argued that violent programmes would encourage delinquency and deterioration of children discipline. The women groups just like the other groups advocated on strict controls on the advertisements made on television (Hartley, 2007:54). Some problem that come out of television are still addressed up to today like violence on children and the conviction that the commercial TV are of low cultural standard (ABC). The government was actually slow in establishment of television in Australia. The potential commercial TV launched their case requiring the government to set both private and public television. The government was however not in position to give the go-ahead for the introduction of television because of some factors. The world for in stance was in the context of cold war, which threatened to erupt anytime. The introduction of the television would be a catalyst for another war (Spigel, 2001:407). The television industry has been on the verge of development and has grown substantially. In the early days of television introduction, live broadcasting was not recorded and could be lost completely (Arrow, 2009:99). Later the kinescope was introduced, it was able to record, but it was very slow, laborious, and expensive. The industry developed and introduced videotapes, which were more efficient as they could record, and enable broadcasting at once. Later in early 1960s, Australia was connected to the international satellite system. All capital cities of Australia were linked to satellite by 1968. Satellite enabled televisions to transmit programmes across a wider region compared to the ground-based broadcast mode (Herd, 2006:134). The broadcast of television programmes in the different cities Australian cities before the introduction of the satellite was almost impossible but with the introduction of satellite, it was a simple task. Those who made their attempts to cease the establishment of television in Australia were not lucky. Australia came to establish a dual system of television. The popular TV system in Australia have been allowed to develop more freely than it would have done it was the monopoly (Hartley, 2007:58). Australia has established policies that govern the entertainment and the television system as whole. However, Australia has never had restrictive rules like the Britain or the United States. The popular TV in Australia has been associated with a consequent growth, development, and flourish (Walter, 1994:20). The commercial television has given other countries like US a free access to the Australia than it would have happened in a statutory TV service. In conclusion, the movie and theatre industry have substantially grown in the television development. There have been more creative people in the likes Janus-Faced who have skyrocketed the movie industry in Australia. The Australian cultural history is distinct, not to say its unique or entirely new but it has revolved about rejecting, modifying, and transforming the culture of United States and that of United Kingdom (Byes, 2006:172). The dual system of radio then television in Australia has helped her enrich the cultural system. The Australian media is highly honored, and treated with warmth and sympathy. The culture is however changing from that of anesthetic postmodernism to a more receptive commercial culture with industries that propel their own interest and own defense. It is a fact that, the audiences have powerful influence to the kind of screen culture presented to them. They also have impact on the continued productions of TV programmes. All these are evident in the Australian TV industry. Bibliography ABC ‘Fifty years of ABC TV’ website, http://www.abc.net.au/tv/50years/ Arrow, M. 2009. ‘‘It’s here at last!’ The introduction of television in Australia’, in Crotty, M. and Roberts, D. (eds) Turning Points in Australian History, UNSW Press, Kensington. Bye, S. 2006. ‘TV memories, The Daily Telegraph and TCN: First in Australia’, Media International Australia, No. 121, pp.159-173. Cunningham, S. 2000. ‘History, contexts, politics, policy’ in Turner, G. and Cunningham, S. (eds) The Australian TV Book, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 13-32. Hartley, J., Green, J. and Burgess, J. 2007. ‘Laughs and Legends, or the Furniture That Glows: Television As History’ in Jacka, L. (ed.) Australian Television History, Curtin University of Technology, Perth. Hazelhurst, C. 1982. ‘The Advent of Commercial TV’, Australian Cultural History, No. 2, pp. 104-119. Herd, N. 2006. ‘‘The weaker sisters’: The first decade of ATV-0 Melbourne and Ten-10 Sydney, 1964-1975’, Media International Australia, No. 121, pp.119-135. Jacka, L. 2000. ‘Public service TV: An endangered species?’ in Turner, G. and Cunningham, S. (eds) The Australian TV Book, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 52-68. Maron, A. and Keating, C. 2009. The A to Z of Australian Radio and Television. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. Spigel, L. 2001. ‘Media homes: Then and now’, International Journal of Cultural Studies, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 385-411. Walter, J. 1994. ‘Controlling the Technology of Popular Culture and the Introduction of Television to Australia’ in Craven, I. (ed.) Australian Popular Culture, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and Melbourne. Ward, D. 2008. Television And Public Policy: Change And Continuity in an Era of Global Liberalization. New York: Taylor & Francis. Read More