Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

DR. V. K. ZWORYKIN HOLDS THE ICONO- SCOPE CAMERA TUBE INVENTED BY HIM IN 1923. TELEVISION MILESTONES Preeminence of the United States in Television is Largely Due to RCA Accomplishments in Science that Led to the Devel- opment of a New Industry, a New Service to the Public, and a New Bulwark of National Security. I believe that television, which is the technical name for seeing in- stead of hearing by radio, will come to pass in due course . . . the transmission and reception of mo- tion pictures by radio will be worked out ivithin the next decade — David Samoff, April 5, 192S. THE cornerstones of modern television were designed and put into place by the scientists and engineers of the Radio Corporation of America who dedicated them to the advance of communications and to the establishment of a new me- dium of entertainment and infor- mation. On the firm foundation of pio- neering and research at RCA Lab- oratories, television has developed as a new industry, as a new service to the public, and as an important element in military, naval and avia- tion operations that bulwark the national security. The outstanding achievements of RCA in the development of televi- sion overspread all phases of radio, electronics and optics, from micro- waves and electron tubes to elec- tronic cameras and video receivers. Historic television advances achieved by RCA scientists and engineers have made the United States preeminent in television and have provided American homes with the finest television instruments in the world; NBC, through broadcast engineering and programming, has made outstanding contributions to the progress of television as a new art form—a medium of entertain- ment, news and education. The chronology of television is marked by RCA-NBC firsts which reveal the historic steps in the de- velopment of a new science, a new art and a new industry: 1923 — Dr. V. K. Zworykin, now Vice President and Technical Con- sultant of RCA Laboratories, ap- plied for patent on the iconoscope, television's electronic "eye," or camera tube. (December 29.J EARLIEST TYPE OF TELEVISION ANTENNA ERECTED ON THE EMPIRE STATE TOWER, BY RCA-NBC IN 1931. 1929 —Dr. V. K. Zworykin demon- strated an all-electronic television receiver using the kinescope, or picture tube, which he developed. (November 18.) 1930 —Television on 6 x 8-foot screen was shown by RCA at RKO- Proctor's 58th Street Theater, New York. (January 16.) NBC began operating W2XBS, pioneer experimental television sta- tion in New York. (July 30.) 1931 —Empire State Building, world's loftiest skyscraper, was se- lected as site for RCA-NBC tele- vision transmitter. (June) 1932 —RCA initiated field tests with 120-line, all-electronic televi- sion. (May 25.) 1936^Television outdoor pickups demonstrated by RCA at Camden, N. J., on 6-meter wave across dis- stance of a mile. (April 2A.) 1937 —RCA announced develop- ment of electron projection "gun" making possible television pictures on 8 X 10-foot screen. (May 12.) Mobile television vans operated by RCA-NBC appeared on New York streets for first time. (De- cember 12.) 1938 —Scenes from Broadway play, "Susan and God," starring Ger- trude Lawrence, telecast from NBC studios in Radio City. (June 7.) 1939— RCA and NBC introduced television as a service to the public at opening ceremonies of New York World's Fair, featuring President Franklin D. Roosevelt as first Chief Executive to be seen by television. (April 30.) Improved television "eye," the "Orthicon" first introduced by RCA. (June 7.) Major league baseball was tele- cast for the first time by NBC, covering a game between the Brook- lyn Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds at Ebbets Field. (August 26.) First college football game — Fordham vs. Waynesburg — tele- vised by NBC in New York. (Sep- tember SO.) RCA receiver in plane over Wash- [12 RADIO AGE]