Today is World Television Day, but what exactly is it and what does it mean? From our perspective as members of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) we do see it as an important celebration especially as we look forward in this 100th year of Television towards the next 100 years.
In 1996, the United Nations held the first World Television Forum which recognised the increasing impact television had on decision-making by bringing world attention to conflicts and threats to peace and security and its potential role in sharpening the focus on other major issues, including economic and social issues. Soon after the 21st November was proclaimed to be World Television Day in recognition of this - UN World Television Day.
Today we see that it's impact has only being magnified by the diversity that Television represents in all of its modern forms, from the original screen in the main room, to the tablet around the house, and the mobile phone in your hand - from the big streamers, to the public service broadcasters the world round striving to inform, educate and entertain their viewers, and all the way to the short form video services which are providing new ways of democratising the delivery of content such as on YouTube, Twitch or even TikTok.
The world may still be a challenging place where not everyone is equal or free, with many issues that we all need to engage in to resolve, but the role that Television has in those solutions cannot be under sold.
Television is the most enabling technology and service for communicating to, educating and entertaining the world, and along with the growing impact of pervasive broadband, we see it as being critical to improving the lives of everyone and working to engineer a better world - the key focus of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
We would like to leave you with one thing, a small look back at how Television came to be that we believe is a testament to the power of humanity to create great things, as well as the power of a single individual to make a difference by standing on the shoulders of the giants who went before. Please do make time to watch our John Logie Baird lecture on the 100 years of Television this weekend. While you are there, do enjoy a number of the other presentations about this very special media and its contributing technologies on that channel.