An European Affair
- Comparing Dutch and German television in the 1950′s

University of Amsterdam
Film- and Television Studies
M.A.-course 1994 / 1995

written by

Dirk Schmelz

1995

Content:

ABBREVIATIONS ... 2

1. Introduction ... 4
1.1. Approach ... 7
1.2. A description of the audience in the 1950′s ... 9
1.3. Description of the mass medium ... 13

2. A short prehistory of television in Germany and the Netherlands ... 16
2.1. The same idea at different locations ... 16
2.2. The development of the electric apparatus ... 17
2.3. First public demonstrations in Germany ... 18
2.4. The emergence of German television ... 18
2.5. Programming until 1945 in Germany ... 20
2.6. No distribution of television ... 22
2.7. Television test in the Netherlands ... 24
2.8. Conclusions ... 26

3. The 1950′s in the Netherlands ... 28
3.1. The post-war period in the Netherlands ... 28
3.2. The pillarisation ... 29
3.3. Introducing television to an audience ... 32
3.3.1. The test program of Philips in Eindhoven ... 32
3.3.2. Missing concepts for a new medium ... 33
3.3.3. The NTS - a Dutch democratic principle ... 35
3.3.4. Conclusion to Introducing television to an audience ... 37
3.4. The medium as a social institution ... 38
3.4.1. Television among other Luxus ... 38
3.4.2. Cinema and radio as rivals ... 43
3.4.3. The political perspective ... 44
3.4.4. The commercial perspective ... 45
3.4.5. Conclusion to the medium as a social institution ... 47
3.5. Looking for the audience ... 48
3.5.1. The ideal of a future audience ... 48
3.5.2. The media audience in the 1950′s ... 49
3.5.3. Programming in the 1950′s ... 53
3.5.4. The people in front of the camera ... 59
3.5.5. Television critics ... 60
3.5.6. Reactions of the audience ... 62
3.5.7. Research on the audience ... 66
3.5.8. Conclusions to looking for the audience ... 68
3.6. Conclusion ... 70

4. West German television in the 1950′s ... 72
4.1. The post-war period in Germany ... 72
4.2. Federalism ... 73
4.3. Introducing television to an audience ... 74
4.3.1. The test program of the NWDR in Hamburg ... 74
4.3.2. Missing concepts for a new medium ... 77
4.3.3. ARD ... 80
4.3.4. Conclusions to Introducing television to an audience ... 81
4.4. The medium as a social institution ... 82
4.4.1. Television among other luxuries ... 82
4.4.2. Other media as rivals ... 83
4.4.3. The political perspective ... 84
4.4.4. The commercial perspective ... 86
4.4.5. Conclusion to the medium as a social institution ... 87
4.5. Looking for the audience ... 88
4.5.1. The ideal of a future audience ... 88
4.5.2. The media audience in the 1950′s ... 89
4.5.3. Programming in the 1950′s ... 93
4.5.4. The people in front of the camera ... 102
4.5.5. Television critics ... 103
4.5.6. Reactions of the audience ... 105
4.5.7. Research on the audience ... 108
4.5.8. Conclusions to looking for the audience ... 111
4.6. Conclusion ... 112

Comparison ... 114

Bibliography ... 122

1. Introduction
In the last two decades, especially after the development of cable- and satellite television, research and theory put its attention on the television medium. Television immensely influenced the everyday life of the public but it was hardly explored by science. When the first researchers began their enterprise in discovering the secrets and unknown of the television universe they had to find that there were basic questions neither asked nor answered because of the lack of an adequate perspective on the subject. So, interested and motivated scientists from film-, literary- , communication- and cultural studies began research. This is reflected in the differences in these scientific disciplines as in the approaches to television nowadays. To define the medium as a ′cultural form′ is a very broad term, that makes it again difficult to give it a certain definition. Television is seemingly an abstract and complex medium, that is on the other hand within easy reach, because almost everybody has his/her television set at home.

One approach to characterise television is, to do so by its audience. Television is, as any other medium strongly dependent on the audience that makes it - irrespective of any other aspect - a mass medium. Many scientists see this approach as the most important at all:

"..., broadcasting does not exist to serve governments, business, or any other abstract entities; it exists to serve listeners and viewers."¹

In this perspective the medium television exists, because it is accepted by a large number of people, who support it. If it had not gained this status it would not have become the most important technological phenomenon of the 20th century. It is surprising that most of the research concerning television was around the subjects of law, economics and organisation. All this research did deal with the fact that television had already attracted a lot of people and they also took it for granted, that television has and will always attract people. They all forgot to ask questions like: Why people in the beginning of television broadcasting were all that curious to watch it? How did television manage to attract so many people, or why was there such a large number of people who made television the most important medium of our times, and what would have happened if television had not been that successful?

In consequence only a small amount of research has been done on this subject of the history of television. One of the first problems television had to face was how to gain its own audience. In the first years after its introduction television managed to attract more and more people. It became an important part of society. As a result laws and rules were introduced and industry became interested to use it for its own purpose. So television is strongly dependent on its audience. The audience played a major role in the 1950′s when television was introduced in the German and Dutch society.

There are only a few historiographic concepts on how to approach the history of television. Knut Hickethier proposes a model which was worked out by Lutz Hachmeister². In my opinion it is probably one of the best so far. He divides the history of television into four periods:

Phase 1: First there was an idea about new technology; but technological facilities and products were not sufficient to build a working machine. Even the use of the new machines was not clear. This period is called the ′speculative period′.

Phase 2: The development of television brought many problems. It is the period of inventors who worked on the progress of their systems. It is the period of introduction.

Phase 3: The experiences of phase 2 are used in phase 3. Television became established as a new medium. It was presented in publicity in a certain form to attract a certain kind of people. A regular program and a system for the new medium were built. This period is the time of establishment.

Phase 4: This is the time when the new medium became accepted by society. Television turned out to be a mass medium.

This scheme shows how the new technology was introduced and it also keeps in mind the fact that the technology of television would mean nothing without the audience. Phase 3 is the most important, because it witnesses the development of the television system into a ′mass medium′ by winning an audience. This phase did occur in the 1950′s in Germany and the Netherlands. In both countries the basics of the future development of the new ′mass medium′ were constituted at that time. Television was in its infancy and wanted to become as known as all the other established media. In both countries a discourse was going on about the future of the new television system, its dangers, advantages, use, structure and its program. Many ideas and expectations about its future shape, and which direction it should take, were discussed. Television was in the beginning of its career, open for new ideas, vulnerable, and kept a lot of opportunities that had to be discovered. lt was the time when television pioneers could reach national fame by presenting their programs.

[...]

1 Browne, Donald R.: Comparing Broadcast Systems, Ames 1989, p.46.

2 Knut Hickethier: Phasenbildung in der Fernsehgeschichte. Ein Diskussionsvorschlag. In: Hans Dieter Erlinger / Dirk Ulf Stötzel (eds.): Geschichte des Kinderfernsehens in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland - Entwicklungsprozesse und Trends, Berlin 1991, p. 23.