Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region III
Schools Division of Pampanga
Becuran High School

Broadcast Journalism 10
Quarter 1- Module 1

Television Broadcasting

Janet N. Santos
Teacher
“The impact of television on our culture is ... indescribable. There's a certain sense in
which it is nearly as important as the invention of printing ”

Carl Sandburg
Television is one of the most prominent inventions of the 20th century. It has become one of the
most common ways which has linked up people from distant parts of the world. People view the
larger world beyond them, as well as being one of the best ways to escape from their world.

Have you ever wondered how television broadcasting started? How do the first televisions look
like and operate? Who invented these boob tubes? You will find out in this lesson how the
development of television helped shape the society and what awaits the future of television with the
advent of digital television.

Before we proceed with the discussion, let us stir your mind with the following trivia about some
significant people and events in the history of television. Complete the words by supplying the
missing letters. The pictures are given as clues.

1. E_PID_ _

_ _IR_ _ _ He is first Filipino to appear on television.

2. It is the first practical video camera tube

to be used in early television cameras
invented by Vladimir Zworykin. I_ _ N O _ C _ P _

3. The first sportscast of this game

was broadcasted by NBC in 1939. __OTBA__

4. Aims to provide a mechanism for

For self-regulation to the Philippine- broadcast industry.
K_ _ _ S A _ A N _ _ MGA _ R O _ K _ _ _ _ R N_ P_ _ _ P _ N A S

5. RCA’s first experimental TV transmissions began in 1929

showing pictures of this cartoon character. F _ L I_ T _ _ C _ _
To be able to understand the nature of the television as a mass communication medium, we must
look back and study its history both internationally and locally. Read and understand the following
info graphics while picturing in your mind the revolution that had happened in the history of
television in general and in our country.
 The first flickering shadows of television were already in the ether before radio was well
established. In 1923, Vladimir K. Zworykin, an employee of Westinghouse, patented the icono-scope
television picture tube. After four years , at about the time when NBC was organizing its radio
network, Philo Farnsworth improved the system and patented the dissector tube. While others had
experimented with ways to broadcast an image, these two independent inventors share credit for
the birth of all-electronic television transmission.

In the Philippines, television was in 1953 with the birth of DZAQ-TV Channel 3 of Alto
Broadcasting System in Manila. The station was owned by Antonio Quirino, the brother of the
incumbent Philippine president. The station operated on a four hour-a-day schedule (6 – 10 p.m.)
and telecast only over a 50-mile radius. This television station was later bought by the Chronicle
Broadcasting Network which started operating radio stations in 1956. CBN was owned by the
Lopezes who were into various business concerns. The acquisition signaled the birth of ABS-CBN
Broadcasting Network, considered one of the major broadcasting companies not only in the
Philippines but also in Asia, but recently closed due to franchise issue.

Economic constraints in the country during these early years of television forced a
dependence on imported programs from three U.S. networks – ABC, CBS, and NBC. Importing
programs was has low cost than producing them locally. Moreover, canned programs became more
popular among local audiences, even though initiatives were made in educational programming.

The commercial thrust of Philippine broadcasting has made it unique among other East
Asian countries, where the electronic media are controlled and operated by the government. While
this free enterprise environment made local broadcasting globally competitive, the same
environment made it difficult to produce and broadcast public service and “development” oriented
programs.

Philippine television’s early dependence on US programs may be partly responsible for

“colonial mentality” that has continued to afflict Filipinos during the past several generations. The
commercial orientation of TV also engendered a “that’s entertainment” mentality in both the
advertisers and the general public.

Now try to answer the following questions as comprehensively as you can.

1. Who is Philo T. Farnsworth? What is his contribution to the world? How has his contributions
affected other human activities?

2. When did television journalism begin? What factors contributed to its development?

3. What is the significance of the year 1953 to Philippine TV journalism? Identify names associated to
this decade of pioneers.

4. Describe the situation of Philippine television during the Martial Law period, the EDSA and Post
EDSA periods, and in the Cyber Age.
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 The invention and development of television around the globe played a significant role in the
history of the society. Nowadays, television broadcasting is not limited to a television set alone,
rather its reach has gone far more enormous due to the continuous development of the cyber age.
So as a medium of mass communication, it also plays a significant role in shaping the future by
broadcasting significant events in the history.

Directions: Write a short reflection about the continuous development of television

broadcasting in the present times as compared with that of the past. Does television still play an
important role in the society? What do you think is the future of television?

My Reflection

Now let us try to apply what you have learned in this lesson with real life situation.

Directions: Conduct a short interview with your older family members recalling significant events

they remember that were shown on television and how it affected their lives. Ask them the

importance of these events in the television broadcast history. (Example their experiences on EDSA

revolution, ABS-CBN shutdown, pageants, etc.) Record your interviews as short video clips.
Assessment

Based on your readings on the historical background of television, let us check how much you have
learned. Choose the correct word being described.

1. He created the iconoscope and the kinescope and he is widely regarded as one of the 'Fathers of
Television':
a. Boris Rosing b. David Sarnoff c. Vladimir Zworykin
2. This other applicant for 'Father of Television' created the 'image dissector', the first all-electric
television transmitter, in 1927 at the age of 21:
a.Paul Nipkow b. Philo Farnsworth c. John Baird
3. RCA's first experimental TV transmissions began in 1929 showing pictures of this cartoon
character: a. Little Nemo b. Popeye c .Felix the Cat
4. Television was first introduced to the general public at the 1939 Worlds Fair in:
a. St. Louis b. New York c. Seattle d. Montreal
5. He was the first U.S. President to appear on television:
a. Herbert Hoover b. Calvin Coolidge c. Franklin Roosevelt
6. It was the only network to continue extensive commercial programming during the war.
a. RCA b. CBS c. NBC d. DuMont
7. NBC broadcast the first sportscast of this game in 1939:
a. Baseball b. Football c. Wrestling d. Boxing
8. The first television commercial was aired in 1941 for this product:
a. Automobiles b. Real Estate c. Wristwatches d. Coffee
9. This news program switched from radio to TV on Nov. 6, 1947 and is still aired weekly on NBC
after more than 50 years.
a. Meet the Press b. NBC Nightly News c. CBS Evening News
10. He was the first to transmit long distance TV image.
a. Charles Jenkins b. David Sarnoff c. Earl Munt
11. The next logical step in television evolution was the advent of color programming. These were
the two color systems used in 1950.
a. CBS/DuMont b. RCA/CBS c.Westinghouse/AT
12. He proposed and patented the world's first mechanical television system in 1884.
a. Paul Nipkow b. Vladimyr Zworykin c. David Sarnoff
13. He is considered as the Father of Broadcasting in America for being a pioneer in radio and tv
broadcasting as business. He is notable for picking the distressed signal sent from the famous Titanic
on April 14, 1912.
a. Paul Nipkow b. Vladimyr Zworykin c. David Sarnoff
14. He is the Father of Philippine TV Broadcasting.
a. Henry Hermann b. James Reuter c. James Lindenberg
15. It is the oldest and currently the largest broadcasting TV network in the Philippines.
a. IBC 13 b. TV 5 c. GMA 7 d. ABS-CBN 2
16. It was the first television station in the Phil. Established in June 26, 1946?
a.Bolinao Electronics Corporation (BEC) b. Alto Broadcasting System (ABS)
c. Radio Philippines Network (RPN) d. Associated Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
17. He bought 70% of BEC and changed its name to Alto Broadcasting System in 1953 and became
the first to be bestowed with the right to sell TV sets in the Phil.
a. Henry Hermann b. James Reuter c. Antonio Quirino
18. It was the original name of GMA 7.
a. Radio Philippines Network b. Associated Broadcasting Corporation
c. Republic Broadcasting System d. Inter-island Broadcasting Corporation
19. It was the first telecast via satellite in the country and the first in color in 1969.
a. Ninoy Aquino Assassination b. Apollo 11 landing
c. Martial Law announcement d. Tawag ng Tanghalan
20. It was the first ever newscast on TV which aired on 1962.
a. The Big News (ABC 5) b. The World Tonight (CBN 2)
c. The News watch (RPN 9) d. News at Seven (GMA 7

References
Broadcast Journalism I0 Alternative Delivery Mode Quarter 1 – Module 1: Television Broadcasting First Edition
2020
"Television Broadcasting, History of." Encyclopedia of Communication and Information. Retrieved September
11, 2020 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/media/encyclopedias-almanacs-
transcriptsand-maps/television-broadcasting-history
Ramon R. Tuazon, Philippine Television: That’s Entertainment retrieved from https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-
3/subcommissions/subcommissionon-cultural-disseminationscd/communication/philippine-television-
thatsentertainment/
https://artsdocbox.com/Television/93975554-Chapter-i-introduction.html
https://www.scribd.com/user/367670491/Anonymous-C8Urb9
infographics https://www.visualistan.com/2014/05/the-history-of-tvinfographic_1.html
HISTORY PHILIPPINES 2019, History of TV Broadcasting in the Philippines Jade Decena Retrieved Aug.3, 2020
https://www.academia.edu/38246166/History_of_Television_Broadcasting_ in_the_Philippines_docx
E-Learning Guide on Media and Information Literacy. Retrieved September, 2020, from
https://sites.google.com/view/elearningmil/lessons/thevarious-media-in-the-age-of-information/
characteristics-of-broadcast-media