Introduction of television to Australia in 1956 Essay

Introduction of television to Australia in 1956 - Essay Example Between 1953 and 1954, the royal commission was put in place to handle different issues such as; to give an adequate report on the total number of the commercial television stations that could be established and operated effectively in the whole nation. It was also suppose to give a clear outline on the standards required in different programs so that the television broadcasting could be used in an appropriate manner for the sake of the public interest. In Australia, the television was new and everything that took place on it was also new. Most of the first shows that took place in the Australian television were mainly from different radio shows. Among the early broadcasts were; different events on sports, news concerning the current affairs, game shows and other different shows which had been acquired from overseas (Allen and Hill, 2004 p. 56). When television was first introduced, few individuals had television sets as compared to the current situation. Hence, most individuals woul d gather in different places such friends or family member’s homes who owned televisions so as to watch news and various programs. In some cases, individuals would even gather in streets in order to watch televisions from different stores. The new technology gained popularity within a short period. The change was felt by other different business in Australia within the first year of television launching. Most individuals in the country opted to remain indoors in the evening to watch television instead of socializing with friends. Cinemas located in different parts of the country had to be closed and in the transport sector, several taxis operators realized most people were no longer using their services. The lifestyle of Australians was transformed significantly in just one year. In Australia the research on television history is viewed as being undeveloped as compared to that the film and the radio. Before the establishment of the television in Sydney and Melbourne in 1956, significant debate concerning the television’s cultural values and capabilities had been conducted. This debate had great influence on the nature and the regulatory framework of operation of the Australian television. Several arguments which took place clearly portrayed different attitudes which still remain in the country’s public debate today. The public discussions of television mainly focused on the appropriate forms of ownership and control, and the possible television virtues and vices (Andrews and Curtis, 1998 p.43). Majority of the individuals, who took part in the discussion concerning the television and the future of the new technology in Australia, had not had a chance to see it. Different cultural bodies, public interest groups and those with commercial interest participated actively in defining the television system. The main issue in the debate was whether the television services should be introduced in Australia; whether the television system should be o wned publicly or privately or both; the degree of government agencies control on the privately owned system; and whether the Australian-made television material would be accorded protection against the imported material. Most of the debated issues concerning ownership control and regulation focused mainly on the cultural questions. The government consideration of the television introduction was first conducted with the joint parliamentary committee who were appointed by the Menzies government. The report of the committee was of great importance especially for the public regulation of the media. The committee dealt with the witnesses of the future TV, among these was witnesses from the electronic equipment manufacturers. They also heard other views from the radio broadcasting and the Postmaster