World Television Day

World Television Day is celebrated on 21 November every year in order to acknowledge the contribution of the television as a growing source of information and entertainment. The United Nations (UN) in the year 1996’s December announced 21 November as ‘World Television Day’ following the first World Television Forum that was conducted on the same day in 1996. Let’s get to know more about World Television Day in this article.

Although, this was the initial time when the television was reaching the masses and each household and was the major source of entertainment and information. It is also considered a symbol of education and among the major factor that helps in decision-making as well in terms of opinion making on any issue for people globally. This is the reason why television is also considered the means of communication and globalization.

Television: History & Significance

‘TV’ is used as an abbreviation or short form of ‘Television. Philo Taylor Farnsworth, Kenjiro Takayanagi, John Logie Baird, and Charles Francis Jenkins are credited for the invention of the electronic television. Before the entry of television, the sources of entertainment were not as accessible. People would get information via books, newspapers, and radios. Radio broadcast since its invention and popularization has become a prominent source of information as well as entertainment. Radio was the major source of initial wireless communication and later it became the source of news, sports commentary, and story-telling as well as music.

However, the journey of television from black & white to now LED TV and even the television’s access on smartphones has completely changed the world. Initially, television was a luxury that only a few households could afford and now it’s just a click away for most of the people around the world. It is now on tips to form a decision based on the information that is shown on television. Earlier, television broadcast was available for a limited that later increase, and its quite been a long time since 24×7 television broadcast came into existence.

Television’s Contribution to the Field of Communication:

Being a prominent source of communication, Television has contributed a lot to the information sector and its continuous growth. Apart from getting recognized as a source of entertainment, it has given birth to broadcast journalism that later on turned into the 24×7 format of broadcast news and helped in the development of different kinds of journalism which also includes live broadcasts. Which made people have information about happenings around the world in minutes.

The biggest turning point in the era of 24×7 broadcasting was the Iraq invasion of 1990-19 when the live telecasts were conducted and embedded journalism was popularized this time. The war was called ‘Computer War‘ as it was telecasted on television for people to watch. The people witnessed the bombarding and shelling in the gulf war through their television sets.

This is how the live telecast became a new normal and later became a major source of information that made information travel in minutes around the world. Currently, smart devices are replacing conventional television. However, the originality remains the same.