I was working in the Film Department at ABC television in Hollywood ('57 
or '58) when they had their first delivery of Ampex machines.  Up until 
then, ABC was called the "film network", because the bulk of it's 
programming was coming from the film studios (Warners, Desilu, Disney), 
and they could feed ("bicycle")16mm film prints to all of their stations 
throughout the U.S.  Also, they were making "quick kines" (Kinescopes) 
of the Lawrence Welk show for delayed playback with its loss in quality, 
so this was a revolutionary change.  So, gradually the Film Department 
was phased way down in subsequent years.

In 1959, I went to work at Desilu (it you can't beat 'em, join 'em), and 
then, I heard about the Hollywood studios' fear that once they learned 
how to edit (my trade) tape, they'd put the film industry out of 
business.  Of course, that has finally happened, but there has been a 
digital convergence of the two technologies, so that they are movie (and 
money) making tools to be applied to the particular need (digital 
nonlinear editing, film to tape syndication, high definition "filming", 
etc.).

So Tom, the desire for a better recording medium for network delayed 
broadcasts that initially was considered a Pandora's box by Hollywood 
studios has matured.  After all, they are all just "motion pictures", 
pictures that move.

Rod Stephens
Family Theater Productions

Tom Fine wrote:

> Hi Steven:
>
> Videotape, first commercialized by Ampex, 1956. It did revolutionize 
> television production.
>
> -- Tom Fine
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "steven c" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, February 10, 2006 10:53 PM
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] "Aircheck" history
>
>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Fine" 
>> <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>> The tape era solved many problems.
>>>
>> As did, I would guess, the video-tape era when that first appeared...
>> (when?)
>> Steven C. Barr
>
>