Column: The medium called television - Breda news

This begins to decrease. terribly annoying forms Ok, I know that advertising is necessary for both parties to survive, but ………. Are you with a bowl of popcorn or a snack on the couch or lazing on the floor looking at each other for a fun film than the film is brutally stop put the necessary advertising. The bowl of popcorn flies from your lap, because you lost the remote control. You finally pulled that thing under a pillow, do you want to zap. Vain, because I think the broadcasters themselves have forged a plot: we throw all at the commercials on the screen. Anyway, the manufacturer is every night until annoyance as a sort of dreaded boarder also with you on the couch. And he does not surrender. To make matters worse it can happen that you also get the news squeezed down your throat, followed by the weather forecast. You wonder, “What was I doing again”

A silent reverie takes hold in my past. In 1948 (I was not) began a large lamp factory in Eindhoven the development of television and the promotion around it to address significantly. They pretended through posters, in which whole families were pleasant to watch television, which became the world brought home to you. Philips started with support from Bussum / Hilversum early 50s broadcasting in the west of the country. Early 60s Netherlands already had one million sets per week was broadcast to the material was. Average people came tight at 20 hours. Part doing that by seven days. With nearly three hours of TV per night, and a channel, there you had to do it as a viewer. Lot of time with breaks (they needed to adjust the sets this time) so sat in those three hours. And we are not about the numerous failures that was rife. Took so long to a fault, then fell coolly program. Remember, often came broadcasts follow two or four weeks later on the tube, not like now that you can see a follow-up every night. This was also due to the many columns that all claimed a piece of the three hours of television airtime cake (NTS, VARA, AVRO, NCRV, KRO).

You can use the equipment and technology not compare to now. Sports / news / entertainment was the main part. Also a nice detail: before the broadcast began, there was nothing to see on the screen, there was talk of snow on the image, fifteen minutes before the broadcast was the test pattern on the screen, so you could adjust your device, then there was music added, just before the transmission of the clock appeared. No second before the broadcast started. In the fifties the development of the new medium took an unprecedented spurt. The price 1000.00 guilders / 460,00 euro was at that time a Dutch power for each household. Our first black and white TV, so I know it took time to remember 1300.00 guilders.

late 50s, early 60s had every Dutch TV. We were one of the first in the street who were in possession of a TV. Deny that you had a phone, did not help, because in this unit included a TV antenna attached to the chimney standing on the roof. Often the evening was a block inside to watch TV. Do not worry, this was in many streets to hear! You had a choice of Netherlands 1, RTBF and BRT, two Belgian stations respectively. French and Dutch. Later, in 1964, our unit was already prepared, you had to buy an extra antenna piece, we also received 2 Netherlands. The biggest fear in many households was a storm, often happened that the mast snapped on the roof, or worse: a piece shaved teen spontaneously came hurtling down. Remote? Never heard of it, you had to get up from the chair care to select a different channel. Well there was to choose from! Advantage was, you never had to look for the remote.

In the 70 years we were there the CTV. Its development was now accelerating. Now in 2013, the TV changed many of the social domestic life. In each room we will find a color device. The range of handsets but also channels is huge, more than 100 channels is normal. We have cable TV and satellite, also we are bombarded by providers who want us as a customer. We sit passively watching, or the TV is on, no one is looking. The search for better is a difficult track. The range and quality of many programs is under great pressure. I fear that level is an almost impossible task. You do not have to agree with my position, but to devise a strong and good program and make it is a big challenge. I know, I prefer to dive with a book somewhere away with the radio gently. I can feel quite a while without the medium TV

Author: DG.

See also file Columns DG.