Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers (1930-1949)

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Theater Television Today BY JOHN EVANS McCOYf FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, WASHINGTON, D. C. AND HARRY P. WARNER f SEGAL, SMITH, AND HENNESSEY, WASHINGTON, D. C. Summary — An historical review of theater television's growth from 1930 to 1949 is presented. The authors outline the status of theater television equipment used for direct or "film storage" projection, including an analysis of the radio-frequency requirements, methods of program distribution, and capital costs of a nation-wide theater television system. Some aspects of theater television programming are also presented. I. INTRODUCTION PHERE ARE STRONG signs that the motion picture industry, in L facing the problems created by the spectacular boom in home television and its impact on motion picture attendance, intends to "fight television with television." Primarily this means that largescreen theater television may soon be brought out of the laboratory and private-demonstration stage and revealed full-blown to the motion picture going public.1 The creation of what amounts to a new medium of mass entertainment and communication involves numerous technical, economic, and legal problems, and calls for broad vision, clarity of thinking, and inspired leadership. The purpose of this article is to discuss the principal problems in the light of present knowledge in an endeavor to contribute to a wider understanding by the motion picture and television industry of the nature and scope of these problems. Theater television involves the exhibition of visual and aural television programs on large screens (about 15 by 20 feet), in motion * Reprinted from Vol. IV, No. 2, of The Hollywood Quarterly with its kind permission. t NOTE: The opinions and conclusions stated are the personal views of the authors. John Evans McCoy is Chief, Television Branch, Law Bureau, Federal Communications Commission; Harry P. Warner is author of "Radio and Television Law," contributor to law journals and other periodicals on communications law, and is associated with Segal, Smith, and Hennessey. OCTOBER, 1949 JOURNAL OF THE SMPE VOLUME 53 321