VISION

Japan gained global attention in the 60s and 70s from their HDTV initiatives. Their recognition turned quickly into a nightmare as power struggles between industrialized nations arose in the 80s and 90s when many unsteady nations sought to subdue the perceived Japanese business aggression symbolized by their international lead in HDTV. No one could afford to doubt then that HDTV would be anything other than a fantastic hit.

Being no match for the international Shenanigans of the more experienced Europeans what looked once to be a slam dunk for Japan became an international humiliation. They retrenched, worked hard at home again, and in the first years of the new millennium have crawled their way back into global HDTV prominence.

As a result of those fights (technical blocks) much of the vibrant enthusiasm for HDTV was sucked out of the movement in the 80s. Many thought then that HDTV must fail--die on-the-vine--since it had no obvious economic starting point except as an international production standard. Indeed, many continue to think that the HDTV consumer business cannot overcome the established power and authority of the old standards.

Despite setbacks in international technical diplomacy, Japan, it must be written, achieved a fine hour in communications history. It will be recorded that from the Imperial island nation arose one of the more perservering and persuasive leadership campaigns to have been conducted in the twentieth century. From one resolute decision made by Dr. Takio Fujio (then head of the world-class NHK Laboratories) back in 1960 the world of television changed for the good...forever. Japan would not let go of a vision and with steadfastness and, at times, questionable wisdom, dedicated many billions of dollars to its development and the making ready for a global commercialization.

Once ablaze with glittering articles in the 70s and 80s the press abandoned HDTV in the 90s. It was a development that had taking too long, or so it seemed, and had exhausted patience. But nothing could be hurried. Instead of remaining focused on the achievement that HDTV was to become, the press ran off featuring the scrappier doings of entertainment and communications giants as they argued over proprietary things which have never happened as hyped. Attention of press and public gravitated to the highly over-rated ever-green of technology-push/crash--interactive TV. Regardless of the future for interactive true HDTV is destined to stand above all else as the new giant among giants. As computers defined the last of 20th century, HDTV is here now to define the next era in human evolution, and far more sharply than anything else can.

But a credible vision heralding its coming--its greatness--has been trampled upon by those unable to profit quickly from it. In a frenzy of protective functions enemies, both public and secrete, have distorted the commercialization of HD in the 2000s with dreadful performance compromises aimed at confusing the public--a conscious befuddling of the market. To offer a reminder of the promise of HDTV we have included a speech given in the fall of 1990 by Dale Cripps. The occasion was the closing ceremonies for the Osaka Flower and Industrial Festival--a major Japanese cultural and industrial exposition in Osaka, Japan. The Festival offered many applications and examples of HDTV technology--some industrial, others for the home. The speech was carried on Japanese television and radio, in Japanese newspapers and magazines. It is offered here as a reminder of why HDTV must soon again be the focal point of our communications efforts. HDTV is, according to Mr. Cripps, the only important communications format on the horizon that looks to enjoy a high-level payoff for its developers and for society in general.