In 1961, the television series Walt Disney’s The Wonderful World of Color first aired on NBC and took advantage of the network’s ability to broadcast in color. Many see this as the beginning of the end for black and white TV; finally there was a good reason to purchase a color TV set. I believe it’s safe to say that once someone moved over to color there was no going back to black and white.
Today, nothing is shot in black and white unless there is a specific reason for it. Color is the norm. This transition happened almost 50 years ago, and there have been countless transitions in the world of media since then (many during my lifetime). With each transition, we embrace the new and kiss the old goodbye. Thus, I give you 10 media-related things I have enthusiastically kissed goodbye.
10. Watching shows when they actually come on – When I first saw a commercial for TiVo, I couldn’t figure out what it was, but I remember thinking it was a throw away product. Little did I know that the idea of the DVR, or recording TV shows on a hard drive, was going to forever change how I watch TV.
9. Standard Definition TV – I have had a High Definition TV for almost a year, and I never want to go back to Standard Definition. It’s odd, but when I watch a non-HD TV, I almost feel claustrophobic, like I’m living in a tiny little square. Plus, the sheer quality of the image at 720p and up is amazing.
8. All phones that aren’t the iPhone – I can’t help it; I love the iPhone. For me, no phone has ever come close to the features, elegance, and fun of the iPhone. That’s right, I have a lot of fun with my phone. If that’s geeky, so be it.
7. The laugh track – Growing up, I watched Diff’rent Strokes, The Cosby Show, Cheers, Seinfeld, Home Improvement, and many other comedies that used a laugh track. But in the past few years, comedy shows have done away with them, and they seem smarter for it. I can’t imagine Scrubs, Arrested Development, or The Office including canned audience laughter. Can you?
6. Film cameras – Around 1995, I remember seeing digital prints at a professional photography studio. The professional photographer told me that while they looked good, they would never look as good as film. One could still argue that point, but who cares? Digital prints from a digital camera look great. Now that I have a digital camera and a good printer, I have all but forgotten about 200-speed Kodak film and the idea of going to Walgreens to develop the film.
5. The Ethernet cable – The ability to get on the Internet whenever and wherever is more and more attainable every day thanks to WiFi. Whether I’m at the airport, a coffee shop, a hotel, or at home, I love the flexibility WiFi provides. I’d hate to go back to Cat-5 dependency.
4. CDs – Digitally downloadable music has taken over for me. My music now lives on my iPod, my iPhone, my computer, and my AppleTV. My CD collection is collecting dust and functions more as a ‘backup’ than a cherished library.
3. MySpace – Except for musicians, I can’t understand why anyone would be on MySpace instead of Facebook. Facebook is cleaner and easier. There are countless ways to personalize your Facebook profile that go far beyond an ugly tiled image. Plus, I don’t have to look at a True.com ad every two minutes.
2. Blockbuster Video – With the availability of on-demand movies on AppleTV, and the selection and ease-of-use of Netflix, I think I’ve kissed Blockbuster goodbye for good. It was a fun 20-year relationship, but it’s over.
1. Churches without screens – I realize I need to tread carefully here. While I certainly believe a church can be effective for Christ without the use of media, I have seen too many benefits of using media to go back to the old days. Using a three-minute sermon illustration video can sometimes be more effective than a 40-minute sermon. The ability to play videos, display lyrics and announcements, and project imagery can’t be beat. And that is just the tip of the iceberg for screens and projection.
Personally, I can’t wait to see what I kiss goodbye next.
Rob is the publisher of COLLIDE, as well as the owner of Igniter Media, WorshipHouse Media, and the Echo Church Conference. Rob works with an amazing staff, loves what he does, and does what he loves. He lives in Dallas with his wife, Haley, and their three kids, Cobb, Charly, and Ridge.