134-581: V-chip is a technology used in television set receivers in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States, that allows the blocking of programs based on their ratings category. It is intended for use by parents to manage their children's television viewing based on blocking systems. Televisions manufactured for the United States market since January 2000 are required to have the V-chip technology . Since
268-525: A USB device. In the late 2010s, most flat-panel TVs began offering 4K and 8K resolutions. Mechanical televisions were commercially sold from 1928 to 1934 in the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union. The earliest commercially made televisions were radios with the addition of a television device consisting of a neon tube behind a mechanically spinning disk with
402-405: A computer monitor . It combines a tuner, display, and loudspeakers. Introduced in the late 1920s in mechanical form, television sets became a popular consumer product after World War II in electronic form, using cathode-ray tube (CRT) technology. The addition of color to broadcast television after 1953 further increased the popularity of television sets in the 1960s, and an outdoor antenna became
536-490: A light-emitting electrochemical cell or LEC, which has a slightly different mode of operation. OLED displays can use either passive-matrix (PMOLED) or active-matrix addressing schemes. Active-matrix OLEDs ( AMOLED ) require a thin-film transistor backplane to switch each individual pixel on or off, but allow for higher resolution and larger display sizes. An OLED display works without a backlight . Thus, it can display deep black levels and can be thinner and lighter than
670-483: A liquid crystal display (LCD). In low ambient light conditions such as a dark room, an OLED screen can achieve a higher contrast ratio than an LCD, whether the LCD uses cold cathode fluorescent lamps or LED backlight . While most televisions are designed for consumers in the household, there are several markets that demand variations including hospitality, healthcare, and other commercial settings. Televisions made for
804-591: A natural monopoly . The FCC controlled telephone rates and imposed other restrictions under Title II to limit the profits of AT&T and ensure nondiscriminatory pricing. In the 1960s, the FCC began allowing other long-distance companies, namely MCI, to offer specialized services. In the 1970s, the FCC allowed other companies to expand offerings to the public. A lawsuit in 1982 led by the Justice Department after AT&T underpriced other companies, resulted in
938-604: A "chief" that is appointed by the chair of the commission. Bureaus process applications for licenses and other filings, analyze complaints, conduct investigations, develop and implement regulations, and participate in hearings . The FCC has twelve staff offices. The FCC's offices provide support services to the bureaus. The FCC leases space in the Sentinel Square III building in northeast Washington, D.C. Prior to moving to its new headquarters in October 2020,
1072-720: A 12-inch (30 cm) screen was $ 445 (equivalent to $ 9,632 in 2023). An estimated 19,000 electronic televisions were manufactured in Britain, and about 1,600 in Germany, before World War II. About 7,000–8,000 electronic sets were made in the U.S. before the War Production Board halted manufacture in April 1942, production resuming in August 1945. Television usage in the western world skyrocketed after World War II with
1206-496: A 14-inch full-color LCD display, which convinced the electronics industry that LCD would eventually replace the CRT as the standard television display technology . The first wall-mountable TV was introduced by Sharp Corporation in 1992. During the first decade of the 21st century, CRT "picture tube" display technology was almost entirely supplanted worldwide by flat-panel displays : first plasma displays around 1997, then LCDs. By
1340-417: A USB drive and restoring those settings quickly. Additionally, server-based and cloud-based management systems can monitor and configure an entire fleet of TVs. Healthcare televisions include the provisions of hospitality TVs with additional features for usability and safety. They are designed for use in a healthcare setting in which the user may have limited mobility and audio/visual impairment. A key feature
1474-722: A common feature of suburban homes. The ubiquitous television set became the display device for the first recorded media for consumer use in the 1970s, such as Betamax , VHS ; these were later succeeded by DVD . It has been used as a display device since the first generation of home computers (e.g. Timex Sinclair 1000 ) and dedicated video game consoles (e.g., Atari) in the 1980s. By the early 2010s, flat-panel television incorporating liquid-crystal display (LCD) technology, especially LED-backlit LCD technology, largely replaced CRT and other display technologies. Modern flat-panel TVs are typically capable of high-definition display (720p, 1080i, 1080p, 4K, 8K) and can also play content from
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#17327726121261608-406: A communal viewing experience to a solitary viewing experience. By 1960, Sony had sold over 4 million portable television sets worldwide. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, color television had come into wide use. In Britain, BBC1 , BBC2 and ITV were regularly broadcasting in colour by 1969. Late model CRT TVs used highly integrated electronics such as a Jungle chip which performs
1742-423: A four-digit numerical password in order to keep older children from changing its settings. The V-chip can be overridden by anyone who reads the television's instruction and finds out how to reset the password to 0000 (built into the V-chip in case the parents themselves forget the password that they set). The phrase "V-chip" was purportedly coined by then-Representative Ed Markey of Massachusetts. According to him
1876-518: A message directly to the industry. The government will not be involved." While the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Parents Television Council (PTC) research has shown low percentages in parental involvement in television viewing control, Television Watch , a Charleston, South Carolina -based organization advocating the use of parental controls like the V-chip, has consistently found otherwise in its research. They found in June 2007 that
2010-432: A network could demand any time it wanted from a Network affiliate . The second concerned artist bureaus. The networks served as both agents and employers of artists, which was a conflict of interest the report rectified. In assigning television stations to various cities after World War II , the FCC found that it placed many stations too close to each other, resulting in interference. At the same time, it became clear that
2144-705: A new Federal Communications Commission, including in it also the telecommunications jurisdiction previously handled by the Interstate Commerce Commission. Title II of the Communications Act focused on telecommunications using many concepts borrowed from railroad legislation and Title III contained provisions very similar to the Radio Act of 1927 . The initial organization of the FCC was effected July 17, 1934, in three divisions, Broadcasting, Telegraph, and Telephone. Each division
2278-688: A plasma TV became higher cost and more difficult to make in 4k compared to LED or LCD. In 1997, Philips introduced at CES and CeBIT the first large (42-inch) commercially available flat-panel TV, using Fujitsu plasma displays. Liquid-crystal-display televisions (LCD TV) are television sets that use liquid-crystal displays to produce images. LCD televisions are much thinner and lighter than CRTs of similar display size and are available in much larger sizes (e.g., 90-inch diagonal). When manufacturing costs fell, this combination of features made LCDs practical for television receivers. In 2007, LCD televisions surpassed sales of CRT-based televisions globally for
2412-420: A screen size of 97 inches or larger were sold globally. This surge in popularity can be attributed to several factors, including technological advancements and decreasing prices. The availability of larger screen sizes at more affordable prices has driven consumer demand. For example, Samsung, a leading electronics manufacturer, introduced its first 98-inch television in 2019 with a price tag of $ 99,000. In 2024,
2546-570: A simple numerical rating system for violence, sex, and language. The programs' signals are encoded based on their rating, on line 21 of the broadcast signal's vertical blanking interval using the XDS protocol, and this is detected by the television set's V-chip. If the program rating is outside the level configured as acceptable on that particular television, the program will be blocked. The V-chip does not block infomercial, news or sportscasts as this sort of programming does not have ratings. The V-chip has
2680-410: A situation he found "perplexing". These efforts later were documented in a 2015 Harvard Case Study. In 2017, Christine Calvosa replaced Bray as the acting CIO of FCC. On January 4, 2023, the FCC voted unanimously to create a newly formed Space Bureau and Office of International Affairs within the agency, replacing the existing International Bureau. FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel explained that
2814-472: A smaller screen size of 23 inches. In 1950 a more efficient 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 inch tube with vastly improved technology and more efficient white phosphor, along with smaller and less demanding screen sizes, was able to provide an acceptable image, though the life of the tubes was still shorter than contemporary direct view tubes. As CRT technology improved during the 1950s, producing larger and larger screen sizes and later on, (more or less) rectangular tubes,
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#17327726121262948-656: A smart phone or tablet. Hospitality spaces are insecure with respect to content piracy, so many content providers require the use of Digital rights management . Hospitality TVs decrypt the industry standard Pro:Idiom when no set back box is used. While H.264 is not part of the ATSC 1.0 standard in North America, TV content in hospitality can include H.264 encoded video, so hospitality TVs include H.264 decoding. Managing dozens or hundreds of TVs can be time consuming, so hospitality TVs can be cloned by storing settings on
3082-505: A spiral of apertures that produced a red postage-stamp size image, enlarged to twice that size by a magnifying glass. The Baird "Televisor" (sold in 1930–1933 in the UK) is considered the first mass-produced television, selling about a thousand units. Karl Ferdinand Braun was the first to conceive the use of a CRT as a display device in 1897. The "Braun tube" became the foundation of 20th century TV. In 1926, Kenjiro Takayanagi demonstrated
3216-505: A telephone survey in 2004 of 1,001 parents of children ages 2–17. The results of that survey showed: A March 2007 Zogby poll indicated, among other things, that 88% of respondents did not use a V-chip or cable box parental controls in the previous week, leading the Parents Television Council to call the television industry's V-chip education campaign a failure. This poll did not measure whether parents were aware of
3350-414: A television set in 1937 that relied on back projecting an image from a 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 inch tube onto a 25-inch screen. This required the tube to be driven very hard (at unusually high voltages and currents, see Cathode-ray tube § Projection CRTs ) to produce an extremely bright image on its fluorescent screen. Further, Philips decided to use a green phosphor on the tube face as it was brighter than
3484-671: A violent act, and that it is not the sole, or even the most important, factor in contributing to youth aggression, anti-social attitudes, and violence." According to J.M. Balkin, author of Media Filters and the V-Chip , people "want to filter out dangerous ideas and views they do not agree with or expressions that offend and anger them." There is also cultural and familial differences; an action, activity, or behavior may be deemed as "appropriate" for one culture or for one family but may very well be considered "inappropriate" for another culture or for another family. Balkin says some people believe that
3618-747: A voluntary rating system for its shows called the TV parental guidelines. Three main associations (the National Association of Broadcasters , the National Cable Television Association , and the Motion Picture Association of America ) would establish this rating system. Along with the three founding associations, the chairman of the FCC would select five members of the advocacy community to participate in establishing television ratings. Altogether
3752-647: Is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which the emissive electroluminescent layer is a film of organic compound which emits light in response to an electric current. This layer of organic semiconductor is situated between two electrodes. Generally, at least one of these electrodes is transparent. OLEDs are used to create digital displays in devices such as television screens. It is also used for computer monitors , portable systems such as mobile phones , handheld game consoles and PDAs . There are two main families of OLED: those based on small molecules and those employing polymers . Adding mobile ions to an OLED creates
3886-462: Is a vacuum tube containing a so-called electron gun (or three for a color television) and a fluorescent screen where the television image is displayed. The electron gun accelerates electrons in a beam which is deflected in both the vertical and horizontal directions using varying electric or (usually, in television sets) magnetic fields, in order to scan a raster image onto the fluorescent screen. The CRT requires an evacuated glass envelope, which
4020-501: Is also supported by other websites like FamilySafeMedia.com, which presents technologies like the Weemote and TVGuardian as alternatives to the V-chip. The V-chip has provided parents and guardians the ability to monitor and block television shows that are unfavorable for children to watch in specific households by reading the information that is encoded in the rated program and blocking it based upon that rating it has been given. Due to
4154-482: Is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio , television , wire, satellite , and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction over the areas of broadband access , fair competition , radio frequency use, media responsibility, public safety, and homeland security . The FCC was formed by the Communications Act of 1934 to replace
V-chip - Misplaced Pages Continue
4288-556: Is funded entirely by regulatory fees. It has an estimated fiscal-2022 budget of US $ 388 million. It has 1,482 federal employees as of July 2020. The FCC's mission, specified in Section One of the Communications Act of 1934 and amended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (amendment to 47 U.S.C. §151), is to "make available so far as possible, to all the people of the United States, without discrimination on
4422-429: Is rather deep (well over half of the screen size), fairly heavy, and breakable. As a matter of radiation safety , both the face (panel) and back (funnel) were made of thick lead glass in order to reduce human exposure to harmful ionizing radiation (in the form of x-rays ) produced when electrons accelerated using a high voltage (10-30 kV ) strike the screen . By the early 1970s, most color TVs replaced leaded glass in
4556-474: Is scanned repetitively (completing a full frame 25 or 30 times a second) in a fixed pattern called a raster . The Image information is received in real-time from a video signal which controls the electric current supplying the electron gun, or in color televisions each of the three electron guns whose beams land on phosphors of the three primary colors (red, green, and blue). Except in the very early days of television, magnetic deflection has been used to scan
4690-487: Is the inclusion of the implementation of a rating code for violence within television programming. Parents should be informed of the content of a program prior to its airing so that appropriate precautions may be made to protect their children from said material. The V-Chip technology would be employed in such an event. In 1996, the United States Congress decreed that the television industry should create
4824-416: Is the pillow speaker connection. Pillow speakers combine nurse call functions, TV remote control and a speaker for audio. In multiple occupancy rooms where several TVs are used in close proximity, the televisions can be programmed to respond to a remote control with unique codes so that each remote only controls one TV. Smaller TVs, also called bedside infotainment systems, have a full function keypad below
4958-475: Is used in DLP front projectors (standalone projection units for classrooms and business primarily), DLP rear projection television sets, and digital signs. It is also used in about 85% of digital cinema projection, and in additive manufacturing as a power source in some SLA 3D printers to cure resins into solid 3D objects. Rear-projection televisions (RPTVs) became very popular in the early days of television, when
5092-711: The Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 sponsored by then-Senator Sam Brownback , a former broadcaster himself, and endorsed by Congressman Fred Upton of Michigan who authored a similar bill in the United States House of Representatives . The new law stiffens the penalties for each violation of the Act. The Federal Communications Commission will be able to impose fines in the amount of $ 325,000 for each violation by each station that violates decency standards. The legislation raised
5226-504: The United States Senate for five-year terms, except when filling an unexpired term. The U.S. president designates one of the commissioners to serve as chairman. No more than three commissioners may be members of the same political party . None of them may have a financial interest in any FCC-related business. Commissioners may continue serving until the appointment of their replacements. However, they may not serve beyond
5360-494: The breakup of the Bell System from AT&T. Beginning in 1984, the FCC implemented a new goal that all long-distance companies had equal access to the local phone companies' customers. Effective January 1, 1984, the Bell System's many member-companies were variously merged into seven independent "Regional Holding Companies", also known as Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), or "Baby Bells". This divestiture reduced
5494-495: The hospitality industry are part of an establishment's internal television system designed to be used by its guests. Therefore, settings menus are hidden and locked by a password. Other common software features include volume limiting, customizable power-on splash image, and channel hiding. These TVs are typically controlled by a set-back box using one of the data ports on the rear of the TV. The set back box may offer channel lists, pay per view, video on demand, and casting from
V-chip - Misplaced Pages Continue
5628-570: The "V" stands for "violence". By contrast, in an interview with Tim Collings, one of the people who claim to have invented the device, he said that it was intended to stand for "viewer control". In 1975, the Family Viewing Hour was introduced in the United States, in which broadcasters had to play TV content suitable for all ages. This idea was quickly abandoned because broadcasters felt it violated their First Amendment rights by restricting what content they could play. The inventor of
5762-457: The 1960s All-Channel Receiver Act ), to make UHF viable against entrenched VHF stations. In markets where there were no VHF stations and UHF was the only TV service available, UHF survived. In other markets, which were too small to financially support a television station, too close to VHF outlets in nearby cities, or where UHF was forced to compete with more than one well-established VHF station, UHF had little chance for success. Denver had been
5896-570: The 1970s, television manufacturers utilized this push for miniaturization to create small, console-styled sets which their salesmen could easily transport, pushing demand for television sets out into rural areas. However, the first fully transistorized color TV set, the HMV Colourmaster Model 2700, was released in 1967 by the British Radio Corporation. This began the transformation of television viewership from
6030-762: The Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, and made substantial modifications to Title VI in the Cable Television and Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992. Further modifications to promote cross-modal competition (telephone, video, etc.) were made in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, leading to the current regulatory structure. Broadcast television and radio stations are subject to FCC regulations including restrictions against indecency or obscenity. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held, beginning soon after
6164-470: The DLP imaging device was invented by Texas Instruments, the first DLP based projector was introduced by Digital Projection Ltd in 1997. Digital Projection and Texas Instruments were both awarded Emmy Awards in 1998 for the DLP projector technology. DLP is used in a variety of display applications from traditional static displays to interactive displays and also non-traditional embedded applications including medical, security, and industrial uses. DLP technology
6298-522: The FCC a legal basis for imposing net neutrality rules (see below), after earlier attempts to impose such rules on an "information service" had been overturned in court. In 2005, the FCC formally established the following principles: To encourage broadband deployment and preserve and promote the open and interconnected nature of the public Internet, Consumers are entitled to access the lawful Internet content of their choice; Consumers are entitled to run applications and use services of their choice, subject to
6432-611: The FCC chairman, six members from each broadcasting industry and the five non-industry members make up a total of 24 participants. These ratings are the icons that appear in the corner of the television screen at the beginning of every show and after each commercial break for many broadcasters. These ratings include TV-Y, TV-Y7, TV-Y7-FV, TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14, and TV-MA. TV-Y includes all television programs designed to be appropriate for all children. TV-Y7 programs are directed to older children, specifically aged 7 and above. TV-Y7-FV programs are also directed to older children aged 7 and above with
6566-587: The FCC in the newly created post of associate general counsel/chief diversity officer. Numerous controversies have surrounded the city of license concept as the internet has made it possible to broadcast a single signal to every owned station in the nation at once, particularly when Clear Channel, now IHeartMedia , became the largest FM broadcasting corporation in the US after the Telecommunications Act of 1996 became law - owning over 1,200 stations at its peak. As part of its license to buy more radio stations, Clear Channel
6700-437: The FCC indicated that the public largely believed that the severe consolidation of media ownership had resulted in harm to diversity, localism, and competition in media, and was harmful to the public interest. David A. Bray joined the commission in 2013 as chief information officer and quickly announced goals of modernizing the FCC's legacy information technology (IT) systems, citing 200 different systems for only 1750 people
6834-563: The FCC leased space in the Portals building in southwest Washington, D.C. Construction of the Portals building was scheduled to begin on March 1, 1996. In January 1996, the General Services Administration signed a lease with the building's owners, agreeing to let the FCC lease 450,000 sq ft (42,000 m ) of space in Portals for 20 years, at a cost of $ 17.3 million per year in 1996 dollars. Prior to
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#17327726121266968-403: The FCC said that nearly 55 million Americans did not have access to broadband capable of delivering high-quality voice, data, graphics and video offerings. On February 26, 2015, the FCC reclassified broadband Internet access as a telecommunications service, thus subjecting it to Title II regulation, although several exemptions were also created. The reclassification was done in order to give
7102-459: The FCC's re-allocation map of stations did not come until April 1952, with July 1, 1952, as the official beginning of licensing new stations. Other FCC actions hurt the fledgling DuMont and ABC networks. American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) forced television coaxial cable users to rent additional radio long lines , discriminating against DuMont, which had no radio network operation. DuMont and ABC protested AT&T's television policies to
7236-514: The FCC, which regulated AT&T's long-line charges, but the commission took no action. The result was that financially marginal DuMont was spending as much in long-line charge as CBS or NBC while using only about 10 to 15 percent of the time and mileage of either larger network. The FCC's "Sixth Report & Order" ended the Freeze. It took five years for the US to grow from 108 stations to more than 550. New stations came on line slowly, only five by
7370-717: The Federal Trade Commission's Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children: A Review of the Self-Regulation and Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording, & Electronic Game Industries report in September 2001 as support. In ACLU's website, ACLU quoted the FTC in saying, "Most researchers and investigators agree that exposure to media violence alone does not cause a child to commit
7504-460: The Internet, cable services and wireless services has raised questions whether new legislative initiatives are needed as to competition in what has come to be called 'broadband' services. Congress has monitored developments but as of 2009 has not undertaken a major revision of applicable regulation. The Local Community Radio Act in the 111th Congress has gotten out of committee and will go before
7638-489: The PTC survey on the V-chip that claimed the device's failure, TV Watch maintains that the survey was "flawed by faulty analysis and biased methodology". TV Watch also participated in a Kaiser Family Foundation forum in June 2007, based on recent Kaiser research, which claims that most parents do monitor their children's television viewing, whether or not by means of the V-chip. In March 1998, The Washington Times reported that
7772-567: The Portals, the FCC had space in six buildings at and around 19th Street NW and M Street NW. The FCC first solicited bids for a new headquarters complex in 1989. In 1991 the GSA selected the Portals site. The FCC had wanted to move into a more expensive area along Pennsylvania Avenue . In 1934, Congress passed the Communications Act , which abolished the Federal Radio Commission and transferred jurisdiction over radio licensing to
7906-502: The RCA CT-100 color TV set used 36 vacuum tubes. Following the invention of the first working transistor at Bell Labs , Sony founder Masaru Ibuka predicted in 1952 that the transition to electronic circuits made of transistors would lead to smaller and more portable television sets. The first fully transistorized, portable solid-state television set was the 8-inch Sony TV8-301 , developed in 1959 and released in 1960. By
8040-434: The TV to be hidden. 2023 saw the release of wireless TVs which connect to other devices solely through a transmitter box with an antenna that transmits information wirelessly to the TV. Demos of transparent TVs have also been made. There are TVs that are offered to users for free, but are paid for by showing ads to users and collecting user data. Cambridge's Clive Sinclair created a mini TV in 1967 that could be held in
8174-492: The United States accelerated an already ongoing shift in the FCC towards a decidedly more market-oriented stance. A number of regulations felt to be outdated were removed, most controversially the Fairness Doctrine in 1987. In terms of indecency fines, there was no action taken by the FCC on the case FCC v. Pacifica until 1987, about ten years after the landmark United States Supreme Court decision that defined
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#17327726121268308-651: The United States, the average consumer replaces their television every 6.9 years, but research suggests that due to advanced software and apps, the replacement cycle may be shortening. Due to recent changes in electronic waste legislation, economical and environmentally friendly television disposal has been made increasingly more available in the form of television recycling. Challenges with recycling television sets include proper HAZMAT disposal, landfill pollution, and illegal international trade. Global 2016 years statistics for LCD TV. Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission ( FCC )
8442-399: The V-Chip should be made that can follow the same standard across all areas of media that include "broadcast, cable, satellite, DVRs and, to the extent possible, the Internet." Television set A television set or television receiver (more commonly called TV , TV set , television , telly , or tele ) is an electronic device for viewing and hearing television broadcasts, or as
8576-404: The V-Chip to be ineffective unless it applies to both television programs as well as commercials. Because rating commercials globally would be a difficult task, a possible suggestion would be to limit inappropriate commercials and promotions shown at certain times that children watch television. In order to give children some protection from seeing inappropriate commercials, certain improvements to
8710-410: The V-chip and chose not to use it. The networks feared that a single profanity would block an entire program. They also feared that they would lose advertising revenue because advertisers would not pay for time slots during programs that might be blocked. The American Civil Liberties Union argues, "Research has not proven that watching violence on television causes watchers to commit violence" citing
8844-634: The V-chip installed and that all television sets at least 13″ after January 1, 2000, had to have it installed. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission supported the act and worked to enforce it. The V-chip was an added provision in Bill Clinton's Telecommunications Act of 1996 . He said, "If every parent uses this chip wisely, it can become a powerful voice against teen violence, teen pregnancy, teen drug use, and for both learning and entertainment," as he signed
8978-476: The V-chip technology originally meant for it to be a simple tool that parents could use to restrict their children's television viewing. He did not expect it would become a national standard for all televisions. In 1993, Keith Spicer met with top American executives and disclosed information about the V-Chip Technology. "Tim Collings' creation holds promise in the future of the television industry, and
9112-592: The V-chip technology while he was an engineering professor at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, but he did not obtain a patent on the technology. An idea for blocking programs in this way was patented by Brett West and John P. Gardner in 1994 and tested in Canada. The patent was number 5,550,575. Two others separately patented devices similar or identical to the V-chip: John Olivo of Parental Guide of Omaha, and an Air Force captain by
9246-516: The V-chip was envisioned to be inexpensive. The cost to install the V-chip into televisions that are not already equipped with it is between $ 5–10. In addition, every television set with screens of 13″ or larger sold after the year 2000 is required to have a V-chip pre-installed. Therefore, some say the cost is insignificant when purchasing a television. The TV ratings system is designed to aid parents in deciding what programming they deem appropriate for their children to watch. One such site that explains
9380-405: The V-chip were to their actual use. The first group was given a new TV, equipped with V-chip technology, and detailed information about the V-chip. The second group was also given a new TV equipped with V-chip technology but no special training on the V-chip. The control group was not given a new TV or special training but was followed over the same time period to observe their V-chip use. Overall,
9514-542: The V-chip's existence opted not to try it. Tim Winters, the Executive director for the Parents Television Council stated, "What I see is a solution that's flawed at every level. Conceptually, it's not bad, but practically, it's abhorrent." From 1999 to 2001, a research study was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center to observe the use of the V-chip in family households. The study
9648-496: The V-chip, what sets it apart from other issues is that the V-chip imposes no government constraints on television programming itself; it is up to an individual family's discretion to choose which programs to block. When Congressman Ed Markey, chair of the House Telecommunications Subcommittee, introduced the first V-chip legislation, he told the press that parents "will be given the power to send
9782-492: The ability to practically produce tubes with a large display size did not exist. In 1936, for a tube capable of being mounted horizontally in the television cabinet, nine inches would have been regarded as the largest convenient size that could be made owing to its required length, due to the low deflection angles of CRTs produced in the era, which meant that CRTs with large front sizes would have also needed to be very deep, which caused such CRTs to be installed at an angle to reduce
9916-601: The addition that this rating denotes fantasy or animated violence. TV-G includes programs appropriate for all ages because it contains little to no violence, no strong language, and little to no sexual situations. TV-PG programs may include materials that parents may find unsuitable, including moderate violence, some sexual situations, or infrequent coarse language. TV-14 programs have parents strongly cautioned for materials unsuitable for children under 14 years of age. Finally, TV-MA programs are specifically designed to be viewed by adults aged 17 and up. Tim Collings states he developed
10050-422: The basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, rapid, efficient, nationwide, and world-wide wire and radio communication services with adequate facilities at reasonable charges." The act furthermore provides that the FCC was created "for the purpose of the national defense" and "for the purpose of promoting safety of life and property through the use of wire and radio communications." Consistent with
10184-572: The book value of AT&T by approximately 70%. The FCC initially exempted "information services" such as broadband Internet access from regulation under Title II. The FCC held that information services were distinct from telecommunications services that are subject to common carrier regulation. However, Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 required the FCC to help accelerate deployment of "advanced telecommunications capability" which included high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video, and to regularly assess its availability. In August 2015,
10318-414: The cabinet depth of the TV set. Twelve inch tubes and TV sets were available, but the tubes were so long (deep) that they were mounted vertically and viewed via a mirror in the top of the TV set cabinet which was usually mounted under a hinged lid, reducing considerably the depth of the set but making it taller. These mirror lid televisions were large pieces of furniture. As a solution, Philips introduced
10452-444: The commission in 1934 comprised the following seven members: The complete list of commissioners is available on the FCC website. Frieda B. Hennock (D-NY) was the first female commissioner of the FCC in 1948. The FCC regulates broadcast stations, repeater stations as well as commercial broadcasting operators who operate and repair certain radiotelephone , radio and television stations. Broadcast licenses are to be renewed if
10586-829: The company will offer four 98-inch models starting at $ 4,000. This trend is reflected in the overall market, with the average price of a television exceeding 97 inches, declining from $ 6,662 in 2023 to $ 3,113 in 2024. As technology advances, even larger screen sizes, such as 110 and 115 inches, are becoming increasingly accessible to consumers. Television sets may employ one of several available display technologies . As of mid-2019, LCDs overwhelmingly predominate in new merchandise, but OLED displays are claiming an increasing market share as they become more affordable and DLP technology continues to offer some advantages in projection systems. The production of plasma and CRT displays has been completely discontinued. There are four primary competing TV technologies: The cathode-ray tube (CRT)
10720-405: The concept of the V-Chip and the exposure helped him to advise Bill Clinton, which led to the decision to pass the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Once the V-Chip gained the ability to block multiple shows at the same time interest in the technology expanded significantly. In January 1998 exclusive rights to the V-Chip were sold to Tri-Vision Electronics Inc. After being inspired to make a change in
10854-414: The conversion, Congress established a federally sponsored DTV Converter Box Coupon Program for two free converters per household. The FCC regulates telecommunications services under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. Title II imposes common carrier regulation under which carriers offering their services to the general public must provide services to all customers and may not discriminate based on
10988-427: The designated VHF channels, 2 through 13, were inadequate for nationwide television service. As a result, the FCC stopped giving out construction permits for new licenses in October 1948, under the direction of Chairman Rosel H. Hyde . Most expected this "Freeze" to last six months, but as the allocation of channels to the emerging UHF technology and the eagerly awaited possibilities of color television were debated,
11122-417: The early 2010s, LCD TVs , which increasingly used LED-backlit LCDs , accounted for the overwhelming majority of television sets being manufactured. In 2014, Curved OLED TVs were released to the market, which were intended to offer improved image quality but this effect was only visible at a certain position away from the TV. Rollable OLED TVs were introduced in 2020, which allow the display panel of
11256-421: The end of November 1952. The Sixth Report and Order required some existing television stations to change channels, but only a few existing VHF stations were required to move to UHF, and a handful of VHF channels were deleted altogether in smaller media markets like Peoria , Fresno , Bakersfield and Fort Wayne, Indiana to create markets which were UHF "islands." The report also set aside a number of channels for
11390-413: The end of the next session of Congress following term expiration. In practice, this means that commissioners may serve up to 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 years beyond the official term expiration listed above if no replacement is appointed. This would end on the date that Congress adjourns its annual session, generally no later than noon on January 3. The FCC is organized into seven bureaus, each headed by
11524-489: The end of the digital television transition. After delaying the original deadlines of 2006, 2008, and eventually February 17, 2009, on concerns about elderly and rural folk, on June 12, 2009, all full-power analog terrestrial TV licenses in the U.S. were terminated as part of the DTV transition , leaving terrestrial television available only from digital channels and a few low-power LPTV stations. To help U.S. consumers through
11658-419: The face panel with vitrified strontium oxide glass, which also blocked x-ray emissions but allowed better color visibility. This also eliminated the need for cadmium phosphors in earlier color televisions. Leaded glass, which is less expensive, continued to be used in the funnel glass, which is not visible to the consumer. In Television Sets (or most computer monitors that used CRT's), the entire screen area
11792-423: The fine ten times over the previous maximum of $ 32,500 per violation. The FCC has established rules limiting the national share of media ownership of broadcast radio or television stations. It has also established cross-ownership rules limiting ownership of a newspaper and broadcast station in the same market, in order to ensure a diversity of viewpoints in each market and serve the needs of each local market. In
11926-481: The first thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display (TFT LCD). Brody and Fang-Chen Luo demonstrated the first flat active-matrix liquid-crystal display (AM LCD) in 1974. By 1982, pocket LCD TVs based on AM LCD technology were developed in Japan. The 2.1-inch Epson ET-10 (Epson Elf) was the first color LCD pocket TV , released in 1984. In 1988, a Sharp research team led by engineer T. Nagayasu demonstrated
12060-572: The first TV system that employed a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display, at Hamamatsu Industrial High School in Japan. This was the first working example of a fully electronic television receiver. His research toward creating a production model was halted by the US after Japan lost World War II . The first commercially made electronic televisions with CRTs were manufactured by Telefunken in Germany in 1934, followed by other makers in France (1936), Britain (1936), and US (1938). The cheapest model with
12194-598: The first post-Freeze construction permits. KFEL (now KWGN-TV )'s first regular telecast was on July 21, 1952. In 1996, Congress enacted the Telecommunications Act of 1996 , in the wake of the breakup of AT&T resulting from the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust suit against AT&T. The legislation attempted to create more competition in local telephone service by requiring Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers to provide access to their facilities for Competitive Local Exchange Carriers . This policy has thus far had limited success and much criticism. The development of
12328-556: The first time, and their sales figures relative to other technologies accelerated. LCD TVs quickly displaced the only major competitors in the large-screen market, the plasma display panel and rear-projection television . In the mid-2010s LCDs became, by far, the most widely produced and sold television display type. LCDs also have disadvantages. Other technologies address these weaknesses, including OLEDs , FED and SED . LCDs can have quantum dots and mini-LED backlights to enhance image quality. An OLED (organic light-emitting diode)
12462-502: The functions of many transistors. Paul K. Weimer at RCA developed the thin-film transistor (TFT) in 1962, later the idea of a TFT-based liquid-crystal display (LCD) was conceived by Bernard Lechner of RCA Laboratories in 1968. Lechner, F. J. Marlowe, E. O. Nester and J. Tults demonstrated the concept in 1968 with a dynamic scattering LCD that used standard discrete MOSFETs. In 1973, T. Peter Brody , J. A. Asars and G. D. Dixon at Westinghouse Research Laboratories demonstrated
12596-705: The funds were spent. Another argument brought up is that it is not the government's right to monitor or censor what viewers watch on television. According to this argument, because the government regulates the rating system, it is also regulating much of parents' decision making processes on their children's viewing habits. Caroline Fredrickson, of the American Civil Liberties Union , stated, "These FCC recommendations are political pandering. The government should not replace parents as decision makers in America's living rooms. There are some things that
12730-417: The government does well. But deciding what is aired and when on television is not one of them." Despite the amount that has been spent on educating parents on use of the V-chip, there is still a low proportion of users. Of parents who have access to the V-chip, just 20% actually use it. As reported in 2007, 52% of parents who had access to the V-chip were unaware of its existence, and 27% of parents who knew of
12864-435: The house floor with bi-partisan support, and unanimous support of the FCC. By passing the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress also eliminated the cap on the number of radio stations any one entity could own nationwide and also substantially loosened local radio station ownership restrictions. Substantial radio consolidation followed. Restrictions on ownership of television stations were also loosened. Public comments to
12998-404: The idea for blocking programs in this way was patented and tested in Canada by Brett West and John P. Gardner in 1994, many devices using V-chip technology have been produced. V-chip technology works much like closed captioning and uses the vertical blanking interval in the television signal. The system receives a special code in the broadcast signal that indicates the show's score according to
13132-446: The identity of the customer or the content of the communication. This is similar to and adapted from the regulation of transportation providers (railroad, airline, shipping, etc.) and some public utilities. Wireless carriers providing telecommunications services are also generally subject to Title II regulation except as exempted by the FCC. The FCC regulates interstate telephone services under Title II. The Telecommunications Act of 1996
13266-468: The image onto the face of the CRT; this involves a varying current applied to both the vertical and horizontal deflection coils placed around the neck of the tube just beyond the electron gun(s). Digital light processing (DLP) is a type of video projector technology that uses a digital micromirror device . Some DLPs have a TV tuner, which makes them a type of TV display. It was originally developed in 1987 by Larry Hornbeck of Texas Instruments . While
13400-485: The increasing variety of technology that is being developed and used in the household, however, parents are concerned that their children will be exposed to the same content they are trying to block through unrated commercials. Because commercials are not rated, the V-chip does not have the ability to censor lewd or inappropriate commercials. This raises issues because children can see the same content that they are blocked on regular shows while watching commercials. This causes
13534-486: The influence parents may have over their children's viewing capabilities on cable television. Section 551, Parental Choice in Television Programming, outlines the effects that violence has on the youth of a nation and addresses how parents should exercise the control to limit and/or block what information their children are in fact viewing and what is being broadcast into their private homes. Also addressed
13668-527: The largest U.S. city without a TV station by 1952. Senator Edwin Johnson (D-Colorado), chair of the Senate's Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee , had made it his personal mission to make Denver the first post-Freeze station. The senator had pressured the FCC, and proved ultimately successful as the first new station (a VHF station) came on-line a remarkable ten days after the commission formally announced
13802-414: The law on February 8, 1996. "We're handing the TV remote control back to America's parents so that they can pass on their values and protect their children." The addition of the V-chip into the Telecommunications Act was helpful to attract American voters for the 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign. The portion of the overall act that affects the V-chip is of Title V. This section, "Obscenity and Violence," addresses
13936-521: The lifting of the manufacturing freeze, war-related technological advances, the drop in television prices caused by mass production, increased leisure time, and additional disposable income. While only 0.5% of U.S. households had a television in 1946, 55.7% had one in 1954, and 90% by 1962. In Britain, there were 15,000 television households in 1947, 1.4 million in 1952, and 15.1 million by 1968. Early electronic television sets were large and bulky, with analog circuits made of vacuum tubes . As an example,
14070-460: The majority of parents personally monitor their children's television viewing in some way, whether through use of the V-chip or other means. TV Watch has also found that most parents know that they have the option of the V-chip or other parental controls to monitor their children's television viewing, and believe it is primarily their responsibility, not that of the government, to protect children from inappropriate content on television. In response to
14204-487: The more exposure achieved, the more nations are able to benefit." Discussions took place about the increasing amount of violence on TV and the importance of monitoring and blocking shows. This sparked interest, but no steps were taken for implementation. In 1994 the technology was presented at a Violence on TV conference in France and later again at a conference in Belgium. This is where Al Gore first became familiarized with
14338-492: The move was done to improve the FCC's "coordination across the federal government" and to "support the 21st-century satellite industry." The decision to establish the Space Bureau was reportedly done to improve the agency's capacity to regulate Satellite Internet access . The new bureau officially launched on April 11, 2023. The commissioners of the FCC are: The initial group of FCC commissioners after establishment of
14472-484: The name of Carl Elam. Collings, Olivo, and Elam all claim to have invented the technology. Although there is debate over who patented the V-chip, Villain of Ottawa is the current holder. On April 25, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission released a report entitled In the Matter of Violent Television Programming And Its Impact On Children . The report discusses the low usage of V-chip technology. In its analysis,
14606-503: The negative effects of media concentration and consolidation on racial-ethnic diversity in staffing and programming. At these Latino town hall meetings, the issue of the FCC's lax monitoring of obscene and pornographic material in Spanish-language radio and the lack of racial and national-origin diversity among Latino staff in Spanish-language television were other major themes. President Barack Obama appointed Mark Lloyd to
14740-482: The newly emerging field of educational television , which hindered struggling ABC and DuMont 's quest for affiliates in the more desirable markets where VHF channels were reserved for non-commercial use. The Sixth Report and Order also provided for the "intermixture" of VHF and UHF channels in most markets; UHF transmitters in the 1950s were not yet powerful enough, nor receivers sensitive enough (if they included UHF tuners at all - they were not formally required until
14874-473: The objectives of the act as well as the 1999 Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the FCC has identified four goals in its 2018–22 Strategic Plan. They are: Closing the Digital Divide, Promoting Innovation, Protecting Consumers & Public Safety, and Reforming the FCC's Processes. The FCC is directed by five commissioners appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by
15008-622: The operating bulb glass became weaker with ageing to the point where the bulb could eventually shatter often damaging the projection system. Those that used CRTs and lasers did not require replacement. A plasma display panel (PDP) is a type of flat-panel display common to large TV displays 30 inches (76 cm) or larger. They are called " plasma " displays because the technology utilizes small cells containing electrically charged ionized gases , or what are in essence chambers more commonly known as fluorescent lamps . Around 2014, television manufacturers were largely phasing out plasma TVs, because
15142-491: The outdoor sections of bars , sports field , or other community facilities. Most outdoor televisions use high-definition television technology. Their body is more robust. The screens are designed to remain clearly visible even in sunny outdoor lighting. The screens also have anti-reflective coatings to prevent glare. They are weather-resistant and often also have anti-theft brackets. Outdoor TV models can also be connected with BD players and PVRs for greater functionality. In
15276-438: The palm of a hand and was the world's smallest television at the time, though it never took off commercially because the design was complex. In 2019, Samsung launched the largest television to date at 292 inches, which is around 24 feet. The average size of TVs has grown over time. In 2024, the sales of large-screen televisions significantly increased. Between January and September, approximately 38 million televisions with
15410-584: The passage of the Communications Act of 1934, that the inherent scarcity of radio spectrum allows the government to impose some types of content restrictions on broadcast license holders notwithstanding the First Amendment. Cable and satellite providers are also subject to some content regulations under Title VI of the Communications Act such as the prohibition on obscenity, although the limitations are not as restrictive compared to broadcast stations. The 1981 inauguration of Ronald Reagan as President of
15544-473: The power of the FCC over indecent material as applied to broadcasting. After the 1990s had passed, the FCC began to increase its censorship and enforcement of indecency regulations in the early 2000s to include a response to the Janet Jackson " wardrobe malfunction " that occurred during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVIII . Then on June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law
15678-591: The radio regulation functions of the previous Federal Radio Commission . The FCC took over wire communication regulation from the Interstate Commerce Commission . The FCC's mandated jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia , and the territories of the United States . The FCC also provides varied degrees of cooperation, oversight, and leadership for similar communications bodies in other countries in North America. The FCC
15812-647: The ratings system is TheTVBoss.org, which was created by the United States Ad Council . The website explains the various options for controlling children's viewing patterns. It also contains instructions for activating the chip. Many parents' groups are in favor of monitoring children's viewing habits, mostly for the purpose of building family values. "America's families will be now the ultimate judges of [the new ratings system's] effectiveness," said Lois Joan White, Parent-Teacher Association president, in 1997 in support of V-chip technology. The V-chip
15946-411: The rear projection system was obsolete before the end of the decade. However, in the early to mid 2000s RPTV systems made a comeback as a cheaper alternative to contemporary LCD and Plasma TVs. They were larger and lighter than contemporary CRT TVs and had a flat screen just like LCD and Plasma, but unlike LCD and Plasma, RPTVs were often dimmer, had lower contrast ratios and viewing angles, image quality
16080-481: The report addresses the following studies: According to a 2003 study, parents' low level of V-chip use is explained in part by their unawareness of the device and the "multi-step and often confusing process" necessary to use it. Only 27% of all parents in the study group could figure out how to program the V-chip, and many parents "who might otherwise have used the V-Chip were frustrated by an inability to get it to work properly." The Kaiser Family Foundation conducted
16214-650: The report was the breakup of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), which ultimately led to the creation of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), but there were two other important points. One was network option time, the culprit here being the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). The report limited the amount of time during the day and at what times the networks may broadcast. Previously
16348-506: The screen. This allows direct interaction without the use of a pillow speaker or remote. These TVs typically have antimicrobial surfaces and can withstand daily cleaning using disinfectants. In the US, the UL safety standard for televisions, UL 62368-1, contains a special section (annex DVB) which outlines additional safety requirements for televisions used in healthcare. Outdoor television sets are designed for outdoor use and are usually found in
16482-960: The second half of 2006, groups such as the National Hispanic Media Coalition, the National Latino Media Council, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the National Institute for Latino Policy , the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and others held town hall meetings in California, New York and Texas on media diversity as its effects Latinos and minority communities. They documented widespread and deeply felt community concerns about
16616-435: The station meets the "public interest, convenience, or necessity". The FCC's enforcement powers include fines and broadcast license revocation (see FCC MB Docket 04-232). Burden of proof would be on the complainant in a petition to deny. The FCC first promulgated rules for cable television in 1965, with cable and satellite television now regulated by the FCC under Title VI of the Communications Act. Congress added Title VI in
16750-415: The study found this: Many families either had no idea that their television possessed a V-chip or gave up after struggling to program it. Even families who were given extensive information on the V-chip still opted to not use the technology. Overall, this study suggests that there are an insufficient number of households that implement the V-chip technology. While a lot of controversies have been sparked by
16884-434: The use of the V-chip is a way for the government to "intervene and impose binding moral standards" on others. While the V-chip is fairly inexpensive to add to individual television sets, a large amount of money has been spent educating people on the technology. $ 550 million was spent to educate parents on the V-chip, but they are no more aware of the technology or the ways in which it can be put to use now than they were before
17018-622: The violent programming available to youth, Oregon engineer John Jackson developed the V-chip. Jackson conducted an independent study in Southern Oregon to determine the effects of television on violence. In Canada in the early 1990s, studies on the possible effects of television on violence were conducted by the Canadian Radio-Television Commission, a committee of Parliament, and Heritage Canada. The reports all concluded that violence on television in Canada
17152-420: The white phosphors of the day. In fact these early tubes were not up to the job and by November of that year Philips decided that it was cheaper to buy the sets back than to provide replacement tubes under warranty every couple of weeks or so. Substantial improvements were very quickly made to these small tubes and a more satisfactory tube design was available the following year helped by Philips's decision to use
17286-582: Was a serious problem. The V-chip gained popularity when it was revealed at a Technology Exposition at the G7 meetings in Brussels in 1995. One of the driving forces of the development of the V-chip was the signing of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 by President Bill Clinton . The television industry was given the opportunity to establish ratings for its programming. The act also ordered that half of all television sets at least 13″ after July 1, 1999, had to have
17420-583: Was affected by room lighting and suffered when compared with direct view CRTs, and were still bulky like CRTs. These TVs worked by having a DLP, LCoS or LCD projector at the bottom of the unit, and using a mirror to project the image onto a screen. The screen may be a Fresnel lens to increase brightness at the cost of viewing angles. Some early units used CRT projectors and were heavy, weighing up to 500 pounds. Most RPTVs used Ultra-high-performance lamps as their light source, which required periodic replacement partly because they dimmed with use but mainly because
17554-460: Was conducted on a total of 150 families with children between the ages of 7 and 10 who had V-chip television sets in their homes. Over the course of a year, families' use of the V-chip technology was observed to draw conclusions about the overall use of the V-chip in family environments. Three experimental groups ( High Information , Low Information , Control Group ) were used to determine how crucial pre-emptive training and informational sessions on
17688-441: Was forced to divest all TV stations. To facilitate the adoption of digital television, the FCC issued a second digital TV (DTV) channel to each holder of an analog TV station license. All stations were required to buy and install all new equipment ( transmitters , TV antennas, and even entirely new broadcast towers ), and operate for years on both channels. Each licensee was required to return one of their two channels following
17822-560: Was led by two of the seven commissioners, with the FCC chairman being a member of each division. The organizing meeting directed the divisions to meet on July 18, July 19, and July 20, respectively. In 1940, the Federal Communications Commission issued the "Report on Chain Broadcasting " which was led by new FCC chairman James Lawrence Fly (and Telford Taylor as general counsel). The major point in
17956-471: Was the first major legislative reform since the 1934 act and took several steps to de-regulate the telephone market and promote competition in both the local and long-distance marketplace. The important relationship of the FCC and the American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) Company evolved over the decades. For many years, the FCC and state officials agreed to regulate the telephone system as
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