Evening star., 1953-03-30
On the Air

OOOD.b1E 4 FXLMS-4uc rev.
olution is only a shade more
than a year away. This Is not.
however, a revolution which need
give Senator Mccarthy pause.
When it bursts upon the world
it will be promulgated by Bing
Crosby Enterprises, as pro-capi-
talist, communist an Or
ganization as General Motors or
the Dupont empire, with which
it roughly compares in extent.
The revolution will come with
the perfection of video recording
sound and picture-on mag
netic tape. Crosby Enterprises is
only about IA months away from
turning the entertainment world
upside down and inside out with
this, according to Fletcher
Markle.
The producer of CBS-TV's
Studio One" has been following
the progress Of TV-on-tape
closely. He refuses to consider
filming his weekly television
drama, but this is something
else. This is something you will
not be able to tell from live tele-
vision when the program gets to
your living room.
Even the best film, by it's very
nature. is a shade less than a
perfect reproduction of the real
thing. Magnetic tape. being a
record or repository of electric
impulses put on it, will give back
the same impulses to make the
same picture. The Crosby SCI
entistS at work on this are pro-
missing 95 to 81 per cent fidelity,
according to Mr.. Markle. You will
never miss that three to five per
cent on your home screen.
Revolution, Mr.. Markle was
saying when here briefly last
week. is the only word for what
tape-recorded video will bring to
show business. It will not be tel
evision alone which is affected.
The celluloid industry will have
to see what can be done about a
revival of celluloid collars and
mandolin picks.
Movies. both professional and
amateur, will be vastly affected.
Perfecting the tape recording Of
sound and picture would make
those film cameras and those
film processing laboratories obso-
lete overnight. If the coming Of
sound shook Hollywood to its
foundations, this will smack it
like that nuclear device smacked
House No. l a couple of weeks
ago.
Video recording on tape looks
best to a television producer for
selfish reasons, of course. It
would provide a show which re-
tained the qualities Of live tele-
vision and at the same time
gained some Of the assets of film,
such as wider and more con-
venient distribution and some de-
gree Of permanence, with those
lovely residual rights.
And think Of it," says Mr..
Markle. who is something of a
perfectionist. IF someone makes
a mistake, you can correct it
then and there"
%,.* 4
MORE DREAMS Another
scanner of the electronic future
is Sylvester L. Pat) Weaver
chairman of the board of the Ma
tional Broadcasting Co. Mr..
Weaver can conjure up some
heady dreams when he gets to
prognoSticating, which is fire.
quent. One recent occasion was
a luncheon of the New York
chapter Of the American Insti-
tute Of Architects. They will have
to get around soon to thinking
OF some changes in design to cope
with television and associated
devices, Mr.. Weaver told them.
I'VE hope and expect" he said
that in five years time we viii
be able by vidicon tube to cal
in any person of Importance IL
the country. in his home OF
Office, and have them available
to discuss spot news or othel
developments. So. every home
or Office may need electronit
installations"
He foreSeeS a communication!
machine" in the home which viii
offer "television in color, plu.
radio, phonograph. time, new
and musical services" said Mr.
Weaver.
I'm addition" he added
through videograph. you will
be able to see television show
recorded while you are out O
asleep. Further. the face Of tn,
tube will show kinescopes o.
television pictures as well as mo
ton pictures. Such a Ynachin,
also will be able, through cyber
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