| 1979 |
 Chronomedia index
Numbers after entries link to the list of references. |
links and notes |
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Cultural highlights | Predictions made this year |
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| February |
Plan for an Electronic Directory service to be delivered over the telephone network to low-cost terminals is announced by the French Director General for Telecommunications. |
This becomes known as Minitel. |
| April 4 |
Independent Broadcasting Authority Act receives Royal Assent, allowing the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) to set up a fourth UK television transmitter network. |
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| April |
Sony announces a small-format optical digital audio disc. |
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| April |
During the run-up to the UK general election, in an article in Television: The Journal of the Royal Television Society the Conservative shadow home secretary William Whitelaw opposes the idea of an Open Broadcasting Authority to run the fourth television channel as a publisher and endorses the principle of ITV-2. |
Prematurely, some TV sets already have a button labelled ITV-2 |
| May 15 |
In the UK, the newly elected Conservative government (prime minister: Margaret Thatcher) announces in the Queen's Speech that a Bill will extend the life of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and that it will have responsibility for administering the fourth television channel 'subject to strict safeguards'. |
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| July 1 |
 Sony launches the model TPS-L2 pocket-sized audio cassette player with earphones in Japan. It is called the Walkman. |
> November |
| August 10 |
Members of the Association of Cinematograph Television and allied Technicians (ACTT) in ITV companies strike over a claim for at least a 20 per cent rise in wages. The union points out that snce 1975, ITV companies' profits have risen by 189 per cent, dividends by 161 per cent and share values by 1,593 per cent. Prices have risen by over 70 per cent, wages by less than 50 per cent. |
> October 19 |
| September |
Electrostatic digital audio disc developed in Japan by JVC is adopted by 29 manufacturers. |
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| October 1 |
RKO radio network goes on air in the USA. |
> 1981 September 1 |
| October 19 |
The 10-week strike by ACTT technicians employed by ITV companies comes to an end with a 45 per cent pay increase. |
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| November 11 |
Episode of BBC comedy series To the Manor Born achieves the highest ever UK television audience of 23.95m. |
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| November 13 |
The Times beging publication again after almost a year suspended in a management-labour dispute about manning and the introduction of new printing technology. |
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| November 24 |
UK television licence fee is increased from £10 to £12 for monochrome, £25 to £34 for colour. In 33 years the black and white fee has now risen by £10, the colour fee by £24 in 11 years (£16 in two years). |
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| November |
Sony's pocket-sized audio cassette player is launched in the US with the brand name Soundabout. |
< July 1
> 1980 June |
| December |
RCA's Satcom III satellite, intended for television programme relays, is lost soon after launch. |
> 1981 |
| • |
First (and so far only) feature film made in Honduras: El Reyecito o el Mero Mero, directed by Fosi Bendeck. |
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| • |
EMI amalgamates with British electrical giant Thorn to become Thorn EMI. |
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| • |
Lucasfilm establishes a computer division to develop computer-generated imaging (CGI) technologies. |
> 1986 |
| • |
Television services start in Somalia and Sri Lanka. The latter is an overseas aid investment by Japan. |
Television service start dates |
| • |
More channels start on US cable television: ESPN (sports), Nickelodeon (children's), C-Span (coverage of Congress). |
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| • |
Holography museums open in Germany and Paris: Museum für Holographie und Neue Visuelle Medien in Pulheim, Cologne, and Le Musée Français de l’Holographie in Paris. |
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