Blog #4: VCR

The Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) was first introduced in 1956 by the company Ampex. The VCR uses electromagnetic signals to record audio and video onto magnetic tape. This allowed people to save the recording of television and keep rewatching it for years. The first commercial version was the Ampex VRX-1000 which cost $50,000 which would be around $325,000 in today's money. It was apparently the size of a piano. In 1963 Sony created the first reel-to-reel recorder. This helped make it less expensive for consumers but was still not very affordable for most households. They were mainly bought by businesses and schools. In 1965 Sony created the CV-2000. This model was less expensive and meant specifically for the average consumer for household use.

As competition continued to rise, prices continued to come down. Sony continued to improve their technology and released the Sony U-Matic in 1970. This was the first VCR commercially marketed for consumers to use. It was capable of holding 90 minutes worth of footage. This was the one problem with VCR, they did not hold a lot of time. With technological advances, tape durations continued getting longer and were mass-produced and marketed to average consumers. This also made it more affordable for the average person. In 1972 videocassettes of movies became available for home use through Cartrivision. Cartrivision did not last very long because they were expensive and poor quality. Eventually new forms would be released. 

By 1975 a digital timer was added and gave people the ability to record directly from their TV. During the same year, Sony released the Betamax. JVC developed and released the VHS in Japan in 1976 and was released a year later in the US. By the 1980s, there were three major competitors of videocassettes. The main competition was between the Sony Betamax and the JVC VHS. The Betamax was higher quality but more expensive and shorter record time. The VHS was lower quality but longer record time and more affordable. By 1987, the VHS dominated the $5.25 billion dollar VCR market in the US alone. The VHS continued to be the main format until DVDs. 

The VCR was revolutionary technology because it allowed people to rewatch their favorite shows and movies which was not possible before. Before the VCR, watching shows and movies was a one-time experience and people could finally rewatch things as much as they wanted. It really became popular when people started to collect their own movies and TV shows. It also allowed network companies to record shows and air them at later dates or broadcast them for different time zones. A 1996 national survey by MIT found that 80% of the public picked the VCR as the most helpful invention that made life easier. The VCR changed the world of Television by introducing the ability to record. Here are some fun facts about the VCR: 

1. The world's last VCR was made in June 2016 by Japan's Funai Electric.

2. June 7 is national VCR day. National VCR Day is to recognize the impact that VCRs had on the time and continue to have. 

3. The first VCR to use VHS was the Victor HR-3300 and in 2008 it was registered with Japan's National Museum of Nature and Science.

4. The VCR was sold for around $1000-$1400 when first introduced. 

5. “The Young Teacher” was the first VCR movie.

6. The best-selling VCR is “The Lion King” which sold 35 million copies.

Eight Values of Free Expression

I was unaware of the eight values of free expression until our class and further research. They are all important values to our freedom of speech. The eight values are Marketplace of Ideas, Participation in Self-Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-Fulfillment, Check on Governmental Power, Promote Tolerance, Promote Innovation, and Protect Dissent. There were three values I thought were the most important. These values are specifically important to our Government and to individuals. 

The first value is a Check on Government. The worry of too much Government power goes all the way back to the drafting of the Constitution. This is the reason for checks and balances, which is arguably one of the most important parts of our governmental system. There have to be proper checks on each branch of the government to ensure that one branch does not gain more power or infringe on the rights of the people. 

The second value is to Protect Dissent. I think this one is also extremely important. People have to be able to criticize their government. If citizens were not allowed to speak out against what they disagree with, there would never be change. 

The last value that is important is Participation in Self-Government. This is important because citizens have to be able to speak to their Government. This goes along with the value of Protecting Dissent. There has to be open communication between the people and the Government to ensure that the Government is still running for the people. 

The value that felt most personal to me was Individual Self-Fulfillment. I think this value is important to everyone, especially because everyone's idea of self-fulfillment is different. This value protects your ability to do what you want to do and believe. I also think this value is important because it is something everyone struggles with. Free speech allows people to express themselves and be who they want to be. I think it is very important for people to be able to choose who they want to be and how they want to express themselves. I also think that because of how society is today, this one has to be consistently protected. 

In our society, I see each of the eight values in action today. I think the one that is more frequent right now is promoting tolerance. In the last few years, our society has adopted new standards for what is okay and what is not okay. People have also started advocating more for their groups and their beliefs. Our society has also progressed more and begun to be less accepting of intolerant behavior, which is great. Something we pointed out in class that stuck out to me is that there has to be room for differences. I think this is definitely true, especially in a country that is full of diversity and in a world that is so interconnected by different platforms, technologies, and practices. Promoting tolerance is something that should always happen and a value that should always be important.

U.S. Supreme Court

I read the overview of the Supreme Court by the History Channel. I found this reading to be interesting and a nice refresher about the Court. The Supreme Court was established in 1789. At first, it only consisted of 6 judges but now is 9. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the nation with the highest judicial officer being the chief justice.  The justices are nominated by the President and either confirmed or denied by the U.S. Senate. 

Something that I learned from the reading was that William Taft was the only person to serve as both President and chief justice. I thought that was really interesting and did not know that was possible. This was also interesting to me because judges are supposed to be non-partisan. I also learned that only one justice has ever been impeached. 

I think the most important point about the Supreme Court is that the chief justice is the highest judicial officer in the nation. The chief justice presides over the Court and sets the agenda for the justices' weekly meetings. When the chief justice is a member of the majority opinion, they can also assign who will write the Court's opinion. The chief justice also presides over trials of impeachment against the President in the U.S. Senate. This is a very important position for the Supreme Court and makes sense why it is the highest judicial officer position. 

I was very surprised to read that as of June 2022, there have only been 115 justices to serve on the Supreme Court. I expected there to have been more, but it also makes sense when remembering they serve on the court until they pass or retire. I also was surprised that the first assembly was postponed because of transportation issues. 

After reading the overview, my view on the Supreme Court did not change but the level of importance they held for me increased. I always knew the Supreme Court was important and had powers that others do not have, but it never fully registered that they are the most important officials in the country. 

Top 5 News Sources

TikTok has been one of the top trending social media apps for quite some time. You can find all sorts of videos about millions of different topics. Although it is not the most traditional news source, it has become very popular for news in today’s society. I find myself constantly scrolling through videos, as I’m sure most people my age do. TikTok allows me to hear about different news stories ranging from the Supreme Court to crazy Florida stories. It is a good way to find different information from various creators outside of the news. 

Politico is another one of my top news sources. I like Politico specifically news about politics. Politico offers daily news about our government and different events going on. They also keep up with international politics. With my major being political science, I like to keep up with current political events. 

 

CNN is another great source of news. I remember listening to the CNN videos in high school like everyone else, and they have been one of my top sources since.  I like CNN because they are not just online, they have different platforms where you can find news from them. It's very convenient especially if I don't have a ton of time to read an article. 

YouTube is another one of my top sources. YouTube has a wide variety of videos on different subjects. I love using YouTube for news sometimes when I need an extra explanation or want a video rather than reading an article. It is also more interesting sometimes to watch a video explaining current events. There are some really good educational channels on there also. 

My last source is not really a source but another good way to hear about the news is friends, family, and classmates. Most of the people around me also keep up to date with current events so it is nice to talk about things together or sometimes hear other news stories I did not previously know about. 

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