News Report From 1980 Predicts TVs Merging With Computers, Failing Newspapers

by Jon Bershad | 7:52 am, October 27th, 2010

» 6 comments

Well, print media, you were warned. A 30 year old news report from NBC news, archived by Vortex Technology, discusses the future of television in a segment creatively entitled “Telefuture.” In it, they spend a lof of time examining the coming merger of TVs and computers and, in an offhanded comment worthy of Tiresias, predict that it may have a negative effect on newspapers. Oh, really?

The prophetic remark comes from Andrew Gaspar, at the time working for RCA.

“In the short term, the greatest threat might be to newspapers since we’re talking about a distribution system for the news that is readily available and consumed in homes 24 hours a day, constantly updated, reliable information. And this, in fact, may be competing with the news.”

In the clip, Gaspar is only talking about television text programs which would enable broadcasters to send text along with the latest episode of Trapper John, M.D.

Man, if only the print media had paid attention. In the segment, the New York Times is listed as one of the few companies actively pursuing the technology at the time. Still, advances came and bowled everyone over. It’s not too late to save the old media though. They just need to warn their past selves of the real repercussions. It’ll be easy. Just give a call to Magical, Time Travelling Cellphone Lady!

(h/t Declan McCullagh)

Andrew Gaspar, Mediaite Vault, The Mediaite Vault

Big Eddie

Big Eddie’s first laptop . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd63MHGQygQ&feature=related
DwightScrute

If the Promotion Beat segment is from the same time as the Telefuture segment, then this was not from 1980. Alf did not appear on television untill 1986.
Jon Bershad

Ah, I forgot to mention that. If you go to the Vortex YouTube page where this was originally posted (http://www.youtube.com/user/VortexTech#p/u/1/aJbD00z68JI), they explain it like this in the description: “This video also includes a couple of hopefully interesting/amusing beginning and ending clips (from a bit later than 1980) bracketing the report.”

So yeah, the news report is from 1980, the end of the video isn’t. Good catch.
aztex

Just as we felt we were on the cutting edge of technology back then, and how absurd it looks and sounds today, so will those 30 years from now looking back at today. I got a chuckle over the description of the very complex video games from that time. Advances in technology are coming at an ever faster rate. Careful, if you get to close it’ll blow your eyebrows back.
http://www.facebook.com/people/David-Mangan/100000213524770 David Mangan

Funny how in 1980 we all thought that by 2010 that flying cars would be taking us from place to place. Now it takes longer to get to the office then it did back then…!
AGaspar

TO Jon Bershad
From Andrew Gaspar

I am most impressed by your ablity to find a 30 year old tape and by your influence, as I have received a dozen calls and emails from people who saw your posting and the old NBC News video. I am eager to find out how you found it and would love to talk to you. Please contact me:
agaspar@gasparglobal.com 212-705-0153

Thanaks

Andy