Like telephone, television is a wonderful gift of science after the invention of electricity. Today, television is an important means of entertainment and education. It has the advantages of both radio and cinema. We can see pictures and listen to their conversations simultaneously.
Television was first invented by John Logic Baird, a famous scientist of Scotland. Mr. Baird demonstrated his invention at the Royal Institute of Great Britain in 1926.
The television mechanism is very complex. A television camera has photo electric cells which receive pictures and transform them into electric dots and lines. Those dots and lines are then transmitted to the receiver set. The receiver set again transforms those dots, and lines into pictures. Originally only black and white pictures were produced in television. But now, coloured pictures are seen in TV.
Through television, modern man has conquered time and space. Through television we can see events, dramatic performances,' musical functions, speeches and exhibitions which are held in distant places. At the same time we can hear the music and the talk of those speakers, musicians or of the actors in the drama.
Television is a medium of entertainment. We do not take trouble, of going outdoors to see a drama or a musical functions or a foot, ball or cricket match. We can see these things at our home on television screens. Many fare things are also telecast on TV screens. Speeches of V.I.Ps., important dialogues, sessions in Parliament, launching of rockets and space-crafts etc. are directly telecast. By watching them, we feel as if the entire world has become our next door neighbor.
In India, television has become very popular for the show of two famous epics such as the Ramayan and the Mahabharat. There was only the national channel for the television transmission. But now-a-days there are many channels operating for entertainment purpose.
The educative role of television cannot be denied. The UGC Programmes are being shown in the national channel of the television. Thousands of students are being benefited through this programme. Now many purpose! Television programmes are made to fight many social evils such as illiteracy, dowry problem, and superstition. Ill-health, and ignorance, political corruptions etc.
Very often television exercises bad influence upon the youngsters. Rape, murder and violence are adopted by those young people because of the adverse impact of television.