Evolution of Television and its Musical Influence
Music and Television Technology
The technology of current Television (under extinction) is similar to the human eye, and very different from film. The images are broken into lines of points: 625 in total. The tube incorporates a cathodic electric signal (waves like radio) and transforms it into images, at a rate of 25 per second. It is transmitted by antenna (similar to radio) or cable (usually paid).
In Television, classical music stations are located in two bands: VHF (Very High Frequency, between 30 and 300 MHz) and UHF (Ultra High Frequency, between 300 and 3,000 megahertz).
The advent of digital Television in all channels is imminent. The quality will be like a DVD. In Spain, soon, before the end of this decade, the “analog shutdown” will occur so that all channels broadcast digitally.
Evolution
Etymology
From the Greek “tele” (far distance) and vision (see, look).
In 1926, Scottish inventor John L. Baird managed to capture the first image of a moving human face. Thus began the era of Television.
In 1927, the BBC made the first public broadcasts in English (just when talkies were born). It was a pilot phase of this medium.
1936: Transmitting the first regular television programs. The price of a receiver was then similar to a lower-end car (i.e., very expensive, about $10,000 today).
Commercial use arrived in the 1940s. It quickly became the primary means of communication of modern society, and even today it is the undisputed queen of the mass media.
1953: Establishing Television in color, although this did not generalize until the 1980s, and for several years it was an unattainable luxury for many households.
Spain: Television began its journey on October 28, 1956, with the first broadcasts from Madrid (Paseo de la Habana). It was broadcast in black and white, the picture and sound were quite bad, programming was little and modest, and very few households had a Television receiver.
For over three decades, only TVE existed, a state monopoly.
- In 1963, the 2nd channel was created.
- In 1989, the first private channels appeared: Antena 3, Tele 5, and Canal +. Alongside these, autonomous and local televisions were created, and soon satellite platforms and international channels would arrive.
Importance
It is the most widespread medium but also the most influential:
- Advertising: moves a lot of money (7-15% of companies’ budget), although prices have fallen sharply with modern TV offerings and the ability to change channels quickly.
- It is highly dependent on politics and public opinion (news, elections, debates, etc.).
- The famous (become known).
- Sports (broadcasting, interviews, etc.).
- Culture in general and music, especially in programs with very large audiences like Operación Triunfo, Fame, etc.
The most important competitors now: internet, computer games, mobile phones, MP3, etc.
Presence of Music on Television
From the outset, Television has had less of a vocation for music than radio, but it is regularly used in all types of broadcasts.
Common Television Music:
- Tunes (background music and announcement of the broadcast program).
- Movies (own soundtracks).
- Mass entertainment for spectators.
- Documentaries.
- Sports news.
- All sorts of events and celebrations.
- Cartoons: possess a characteristic sound language: a peculiar atmosphere, typical sounds, and sound effects.
Advertising
- Especially, musical programs: covering a wide range of different music types, although usually at times of average or low ratings, except for some occasional outstanding broadcasts.
Classical music also appears on Television, but to a lesser extent due to the lower sound quality compared to other media (radio and disc).
Popular music generally captures more television program time, but it wasn’t until the 80s that a specific channel dedicated exclusively to the genre, known as MTV, emerged.
MTV
A special case of the relationship between music and TV is MTV, created in 1981 by Bob Pittman in the U.S. in collaboration with two channels: Warner and American Express.
The name derives from the initials of music television. It was the first channel in the world to broadcast 24 hours of video clips.
The first video clip it broadcast is a symbol of the channel’s philosophy: “Video Killed the Radio Stars,” by The Buggles.
…Immediate success. Soon, fierce competition arose, as expected: channels like CMC (Cable Music Channel), BOX, etc., were born.
Young Audience: from 12 to 34 years old on average. Maintains very high audience ratings. It has spread worldwide.
Popular for its informal and direct style, new to the public.
Videos presented by a novel notion, coined by the channel: video jockey.
It has contracts with some of the largest record companies in the world, including CBS, RCA, and Warner. There are many musicians who have built their careers on MTV and the video clip as a diffusion format: Michael Jackson (the first to exploit the channel’s possibilities), Madonna, Backstreet Boys, Rihanna, Britney Spears, etc.
Musicians are promoted directly: not only in song but in presentation, interviews, and more.
MTV is consolidated with the supremacy of light music (pop, rock, and derivatives) in the large public.
The channel pioneered and disseminated new formats, not just the clip but the CD (since 1984).
The Video Clip
It is a separate genre of immense current popularity.
It is a short musical film, shot, conceived, and designed for Television.
It uses the most advanced audiovisual technologies to present the viewer with the music of any artist in the most attractive way possible.
Normally used for the commercial launch of a group or song; for this purpose, they are essential.
It is based on the impact of image with sound: making many changes and stages, close-ups, special effects, somewhat aggressively, use of eroticism, commercial music, etc.
There are real specialists worldwide who are dedicated to creating and producing only clips; it is a genre with its own personality. But sometimes great directors have made them.
It moves multimillion-dollar figures worldwide.