The millennium celebrations at decade's end will be spectacularly staged
around the world to create fresh hope for the future. I, for one, want as
much of these moving messages and histrionic visions as I can absorb. HDTV is
the finest way to fully appreciate them. I demand it. You demand it. We get it. No demand-NO WAY.

-Dale E. Cripps

To my friends in Montreux:

Where Are We In The HDTV Movement?

This question begs understanding for those who must take part in the various
pieces which go into making up a global era of advanced television system. Keep
in mind that the all-digital standard television movement, begat by the HDTV
movement, is the one now in focus and dragging against your ambitions in
HDTV. There is nothing to do but submit and avoid action at this time.
However, things will take a change and the inherently smaller "fragmentation
forces" of standard television will dilute themselves into harmlessness,
leaving the field open in a new and more exotic era--true HDTV program making
and distribution worldwide.

However, there are many of you who were committed to HDTV in prior days that
now say to follow this view, or its promoters, is folly. You will hear all
manner of why from the fragmentors, who say they will dominate the world
forever like insects over the mammals (hmmmm).

But when the splitting apart of the television business is in its final phase the
seed of the new good (I say here HDTV is good) will hit the ground and spout.
Then the aims of HDTV will once again be clarified and the good inherent in
it (inclusive the programming it will foster) will regain influence and come
into its own. The fragmentors will wilt in the sunlight of the great new HDTV
global networks destined to emerge. The fragmentors will wilt because
programing will increasingly be matched for HDTV presentation. As the
audience grows (with word of mouth its first high-level salesman) programming
dollars will be expanded. Cable taught us how to get paid for our programming
and we will find numerous revenue streams in the beginning to insure this
business expansion goes on for a long, long time. This is a business for real
broadcasters who have good taste, intelligence, and personality to share
rather than ones governed by mere exploitation.

Here, the motion picture industry either joins wholeheartedly these emerging
networks, or faces its most serious challenge to date. Given that programs
will be created and owned by these new global networks means that more
investment dollars can and will be spent on each program. The return is then
forever (and from all media outlets) to its developers-not its syndicators.

In the HDTV networks there is no need of imitating the programing of standard
television. The superiority of programs for HDTV networks is clearly the only
thing to attract your HDTV audience. That audience has to invest in
themselves by buying an expensive set and you, the broadcasters, are the
compliment of this investment. You will work hard and inspired to see that
you meet that audience, especially after you have made considerable
commitment to get into the HDTV distribution business. You will not have the
luxury of looking back, but of marching only forward to new heights which are
inaccessible by the lower quality competitors. Look at it as the high end
niche, if you must.

Dale E. Cripps

Written and published in 1995