The television has arguably been one of the most important inventions to ever enter the average home. Although it seems to be overtaken nowadays by the Internet, nobody can deny the importance the humble television has had on popular culture.
Every once in a while, an event is shown on television that changes the national landscape, and alters the way people look at the world. These events only come along every so often, so it is important to make sure that you won’t miss the next one. So, if you’ve missed any of these great television events, you can use your Direct system to record and playback these great moments. Here are some of the most important events that the television has captured in recent years.
9/11
The attacks on the World Trade Center in September 2001 shook the world to its very core. One of the reasons that these terrorist attacks were felt so acutely across the world was the television coverage that was given to them.
The live footage of the second plane crashing into one of the towers, as well as shots of bystanders covered in ash and soot, are some of the most iconic images of the 21st Century. They were experienced by many people across the globe, thanks to the television.
Titcut Follies
This little-known documentary, made in the 60s, goes a long way to showing the power of television. The documentary was made by filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, who took viewers behind the scenes of the Bridgewater State Hospital for criminally insane patients.
It showed shocking footage of inmates being beaten and tortured, and was deemed so controversial that it was pulled from distribution. It was only years later, during a court case examining the death of an inmate who had been based at the hospital, that the film was once again allowed to reemerge and be shown.
Neil Armstrong
Very occasionally, there are events that take place which change the entire mental and emotional foundation of an entire nation. Neil Armstrong becoming the first man to walk on the moon was one such event.
Not only did his historical voyage boost American morale in the wake of the ‘space war’ with Russia, but it opened the nation’s eyes to what the nation could achieve if it put its mind to it, and once more firmly established it as the land of ‘The American Dream.’ The television broadcast this monumental event directly into people’s homes and made the moon landing a victory for the people—an idealistic completion of the goals and dreams of the American everyman.
The Times of Harvey Milk
This acclaimed documentary depicted in full the life story and struggle of Californian politician Harvey Milk.
Milk was a gay man campaigning for gay rights at a time when gay people were not fully, or even partially, accepted in society.
His life story was most recently made into a Hollywood film starring Sean Penn as the eponymous activist, although this piece of visual documentary first opened the eyes of many people who had no idea gay rights were such a tempestuous issue at the time.
Triumph of the Will
Of course, television can be used for evil as well as good. Continue reading »
