A View From the Front Lines: How Television Changed Our Lives

(Retro Television-Wilson, Robert A. American Greats. New York: Public Affairs,1999.)

It is important to know how television was invented, marketed and manufactured to be purchased in homes because it changed the way American's viewed and perceived the world around them.

The importance of the invention of television-
A young man from Utah named Philo Farnsworth had an idea about “flying pictures through airwaves.” (The Teen Who Invented Television, pg.8)


(Sketch by Philo- Wycoff, Edwin Brit. The Teen Who Invented Television: Philo T. Farnsworth and His Awesome Invention. Enslow Publishers, Inc., New Jersey, 2008.)




He drew his idea on a piece of paper when he was a young man in rural Utah. He gave that piece of paper to his Science teacher. The teacher must have known that it would be an important paper because he kept it for many years. (The Teen Who Invented Television,pg. 15)


Philo worked on his invention, and many others throughout his life. But he knew the television was an invention that was very important and so he applied for patents for his invention and was given the patents in 1930. (American Great, pg.114)
Now, because of the patents other businesses could use the idea, but they had to pay Philo money each time they used the invention.

The introduction of television in America~



After the technology was available, companies began making televisions and in
1939 at the New York World’s Fair, companies brought their models so people could view the television for the first time. “This box with moving pictures was nothing short of a miracle!” (Eureka!,pg.110)

How television brought news and commercials into American homes –


World War II was the first televised war. This brought a sense of realism to people about the aspects of war. For the first time people could see war’s devastation and destruction. Americans could now see and experience first hand the sites, sounds and action of not just war, but local news as well.

(Bulova Clock-Wilson, Robert A. American Greats. New York: Public Affairs,1999.)

Advertising was part of America life though radio and print, but television brought it into homes with sound and moving pictures. The first commercial was of a Bulova clock face. The hands went around for one minute and it cost Boluva four dollars for a minute of air time. In 1996, a commercial cost 2.4 million during the Super Bowl. Through television, commercials now brought products to people who may not have realized they needed or wanted a product.

(Modern Television-Horvitz, Leslie Alan. Eureka!- Scientific Breakthroughs That Changed the World. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 2002.)

What television means today-

Today televisions are accessible and can be in anyone’s home who choses to purchase one. They range from very affordable to highly expensive depending on their size and features. Televisions have advanced in technology since Philo Farnsworth’s invention, but without his humble beginnings, we may not have this powerful communicator today.

We rely on television to bring us up-to-date on current affairs, to entertain us, and inform us. The invention and public availability of television has change our lives as a nation.

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Resources used:

1. Fisher. David E. Tube- The Invention of Television. Washington DC: Publishers Group West, 1996.



2. Horvitz, Leslie Alan. Eureka!- Scientific Breakthroughs That Changed the World. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 2002.



3. Wycoff, Edwin Brit. The Teen Who Invented Television: Philo T. Farnsworth and His Awesome Invention. Enslow Publishers, Inc., New Jersey, 2008.




4. Wilson, Robert A. American Greats. New York: Public Affairs,1999.