HBO, PAY-TV



"GARTH LIVE FROM CENTRAL PARK

Thursday, August 7, 8 PM ET/PT

HBO

IT'S NOT TV. IT'S HBO."



HBO is not tv?? What is it, a frog?

OED has "pay television=pay-TV" from 1957. It also lists

"pay-as-you-use" or "pay-as-you-see" or "pay-as-you-view" television, citing

the 1956 Britannica Book of the Year, 492/2, "Also introduced from the United

States--though not yet fully accepted into British English--were such

expressions as Pay TV...."

The big debate on this occurred in 1955. Newsweek for 21 February 1955,

pg. 28, "COMMUNICATIONS: Pay-TV Coming?" begins: "Pay-as-you-see television

moved a bit closer to the air waves last week. The Federal Communications

Commission requested all interested groups and persons to submit their views

on it by May 9." Newsweek ran large articles on Pay-TV on February 28th and

May 23rd.

Sports took an early interest. This is from The Sporting News, 6

October 1954, pg. 16, col. 1, "Quotes," by Gene Kessler of the Chicago

Sun-Times:



FCC Urged to Sanction Pay-as-You-See-TV

(...) The only logical answer to this problem, which threatens the

existence of our major sports, is pay-as-you-see television. From our tests

and from independent surveys, we know the public is willing to pay for sports

telecasts. And with the kind of home box office that subscription television

can provide all concerned will benefit.



There it is! "Home box office" in 1954! Subscription television!!

TV!!!!

Party on, Garth!



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