In this blog post, we examine the evolution of television and its current role, pondering whether smartphones and the internet can fully replace TV.
Television was invented by British inventor John Logie Baird, who began working on it in 1922 and successfully conducted the first test in 1926. The name “television” combines the Greek words tele, meaning far, and vision, meaning sight. As this etymology suggests, television is a machine that allows you to receive and view video transmitted from a distant location. Today, the machine that primarily receives and displays programs created by broadcasters is called a television.
The very first televisions were mechanical, transmitting video through the movement of a rotating disc. Mechanical televisions required constant rotation of parts during viewing and had limitations in improving picture quality. Due to these issues, mechanical televisions never achieved widespread adoption. Next came the electronic television using the cathode ray tube (CRT), which we used until quite recently. CRT televisions improved upon the shortcomings of mechanical televisions and quickly supplanted them, becoming widely adopted. The next major evolution in television came in the 1950s with the shift from black-and-white to color. This change allowed televisions to display vibrant colors, further stimulating our eyes.
From this period onward, television transcended its role as a mere video transmission device and secured an important position within the home. Families gathered together to watch programs, sharing social and cultural experiences. This played a significant role in fostering family bonds and promoting a sense of community. Television became more than just a household appliance; it established itself as a crucial element in shaping family culture.
Now, even CRT televisions have become rare sights. Traditional CRT televisions suffered from issues where larger screens meant greater thickness and poorer picture quality. Televisions using flat-panel displays, which addressed these problems by being thin yet offering good picture quality, began appearing in the 1990s. Furthermore, in recent years, digital broadcasting—an improvement over the analog method used for television reception—has become widely adopted internationally, leading televisions themselves to transition from analog to digital. Recently in Korea, analog broadcasting has been completely discontinued, making digital the only way to watch television broadcasts.
Television’s functions can be broadly categorized into information delivery and entertainment. A prime example of its information delivery function is news and current affairs programs. Watching the news informs us about world events, while current affairs programs allow us to hear perspectives from various sectors on pressing issues, helping us form our own opinions. Furthermore, such broadcasts can elevate certain issues to major societal concerns and shape public opinion. The simplest example is when television broadcasts a fundraiser for flood victims; many people feel compelled to help, leading to substantial donations.
The second function of television is entertainment. The most representative examples of television programs serving this entertainment function are dramas, animated films, and variety shows. In the evening, families gather to watch dramas and enjoy the fun. On weekend evenings, everyone laughs together watching variety or comedy shows. Young children watch cartoons on TV, laughing and forgetting the stress or frustrations accumulated throughout the day. By providing people with fun and laughter, television plays an important role in slightly enhancing the quality of life.
Furthermore, television has also served an educational role. By providing learning content through educational broadcasts and delivering diverse knowledge and information to viewers via documentary programs, television has also been used as a learning tool within the home. In this way, television has established itself as an important medium for education and information provision, going beyond mere entertainment.
Until recently, television was the most powerful mass medium, possessing almost dictatorial power. However, television’s position has recently come under significant threat. In the past, no other device could replace television’s functions. Therefore, viewers had to sit in front of the television during program times to watch dramas, news, and other content. Television was indispensable for hearing about world events and watching entertainment programs. Furthermore, since television could only broadcast pre-recorded programs and live broadcasts were extremely limited, information could be easily controlled. It served as a means to control the masses because those in power could transmit only the information they desired through television. However, with the spread of computers and the internet, television lost much of its function as an information delivery medium. Computers and the internet provide far more information in real time. They were also freer from censorship compared to existing media.
Furthermore, recent technological advancements have made it possible to watch TV programs on mobile phones or view live TV programs on computers. The core function of television—video transmission—has been largely replaced by other devices. Consequently, television, which felt like an essential item even in the 1990s, is no longer seen that way today. Younger generations tend to acquire computers before televisions. Furthermore, while technological advancements in traditional television have spawned a wealth of content, this content can also be enjoyed via computers or smartphones. Consequently, the position of the machine traditionally called a television has significantly diminished.
However, as mentioned at the outset, television was defined as “a machine that allows you to receive and view video transmitted from somewhere.” This raises the question: since computers and phones can also receive broadcast video, can they be called televisions? In conclusion, while they can be considered devices that perform the role of a television, they are not televisions themselves. This is because their primary purpose is not to receive broadcasts and watch video, so they cannot be called televisions. However, if one wishes, they can install certain programs or receive broadcast signals from stations in specific ways to watch videos, so they do fulfill the role of a television.
This is evident in the words of French philosopher Jean Baudrillard: “In modern society, the boundaries between the original and the copy, reality and virtual reality, become ambiguous and indistinguishable.” The boundaries between traditional televisions and computers or phones that replicate television functions have become blurred. Consequently, the role of television as we traditionally understood it has diminished significantly.
As the saying goes, crisis is opportunity, and television is beginning to change. Electronics companies started developing new televisions different from the traditional kind, leading to the creation of what we now call 3D TVs, Smart TVs, and transparent TVs. 3D TV introduced stereoscopic video technology, rarely seen on other devices, into television programming. Smart TVs, equipped with internet connectivity as standard, offer functions similar to PCs and smartphones, emerging as a new form of television in our homes. Notably, like smartphones, smart TVs allow the installation and use of various applications, enabling diverse uses such as accessing computer-based social networking services, watching videos, and searching for information. Transparent TVs are regarded as having surpassed the limitations of conventional TVs through successful R&D in transparent display technology. When powered off, this product allows you to see through the screen like transparent glass, offering an open feel and excellent harmony with surrounding interiors.
In the 2000s, TVs reclaimed functions that had been taken by mobile phones and computers. Despite these changes in television, 3D TVs and smart TVs still suffer from incomplete content and technology. Transparent TVs are extremely expensive. 3D TVs require special glasses. Additionally, prolonged viewing of 3D TVs can sometimes cause eye strain and dizziness. Smart TVs also still need more content development. Transparent TVs face an uncertain path to commercialization due to their high cost. However, such issues are akin to the inevitable trials that arise during the introduction phase of new technology. These challenges will gradually be resolved as technology advances and time passes.
As described above, modern society sees technology advancing steadily, blurring the boundaries between devices. Consequently, television will also take on multiple roles as we move into the future. Future TV development is expected to bring large TVs that are portable and easy to install, perfect 3D TVs, and hologram TVs. Furthermore, current TVs require viewers to passively watch programs. However, TVs that allow viewers to look up information when curious and enable two-way communication will emerge. Even as portable, convenient devices gain preference, TVs kept at home, as they are now, are unlikely to disappear, as people are expected to spend considerable time at home. The core function of delivering video content, which television has performed since its inception, will always remain its primary reason for existence.
Ultimately, television will continue to evolve in various technologies and forms, maintaining its important role in our daily lives while constantly advancing.
