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RCA

RCA, formerly an initialism for the Radio Corporation of America, is now a trademark Trademark

A trademark, trade mark, or is a distinctive sign [i] of some kind which is ... 

 used by two companies for products descended from that common ancestor: *Thomson SA Thomson SA

Thomson SA , formerly known as Thomson Multimedia is a multinational electronics manufacturer and... 

, which manufactures consumer electronics like RCA-branded television Television

Television is a telecommunication [i] system for ... 

s, DVD player DVD player

A DVD player is a device for playing discs produced under the DVD Video standard.... 

s, video cassette recorder Videocassette recorder

The videocassette recorder, is a type of video tape recorder [i] that uses removable videotape [i] casse ... 

s, direct broadcast satellite decoders, camcorder Camcorder

A camcorder is a portable electronic [i] device for recording video [i] * PictBridge [i] ... 

s, audio equipment, telephone Telephone

The telephone or phone is a telecommunication [i]s device which is used to transmit [i] ... 

s, and related accessories; and *Sony BMG Music Entertainment Sony BMG Music Entertainment

Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Inc. is the result of a 50/50 joint venture [i] between Sony Music Entertainment [i] ... 

, which owns the RCA Victor and RCA Records RCA Records

| image = | parent = Sony BMG [i] Music Entertainment, Inc. ... 

 record labels it received from one of its owners, BMG BMG

BMG is one of the six divisions of Bertelsmann [i]. ... 

.

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Timeline

1926   The NBC radio Radio

Radio is the wireless transmission of signals [i], by modulation [i] of electromagnetic waves [i] ... 

 network opens with 24 stations (it was formed by Westinghouse Westinghouse Electric (1886)

---- The Westinghouse Electric Corporation was an organization founded by George Westinghouse [i] in 1886 [i] ... 

, General Electric General Electric

The General Electric Company, or GE is a multinational [i] American [i] ... 

 and RCA).

1928   W2XBS, RCA's first television station, is established in New York City New York City

[i] in the [[United States]... 

.

1950   The Federal Communications Commission Federal Communications Commission

The Federal Communications Commission is an independent United States government [i] agency [i] ... 

 issues the first license to broadcast television Television

Television is a telecommunication [i] system for ... 

 in color, to CBS CBS

CBS is one of the largest television network [i]s, and formerly one of the largest radio network [i]s, ... 

 (RCA will successfully dispute and block the license from taking effect, however).

1954   RCA manufactures first color TV Television

Television is a telecommunication [i] system for ... 

 set (12" screen; price: $1,000).



Encyclopedia


RCA, formerly an initialism for the Radio Corporation of America, is now a trademark Trademark

A trademark, trade mark, or is a distinctive sign [i] of some kind which is ... 

 used by two companies for products descended from that common ancestor:
  • Thomson SA Thomson SA

    Thomson SA , formerly known as Thomson Multimedia is a multinational electronics manufacturer and... 

    , which manufactures consumer electronics like RCA-branded television Television

    Television is a telecommunication [i] system for

... 

s, DVD player DVD player

A DVD player is a device for playing discs produced under the DVD Video standard.... 

s, video cassette recorder Videocassette recorder

The videocassette recorder, is a type of video tape recorder [i] that uses removable videotape [i] casse ... 

s, direct broadcast satellite decoders, camcorder Camcorder

A camcorder is a portable electronic [i] device for recording video [i] * PictBridge [i]
... 

s, audio equipment, telephone Telephone

The telephone or phone is a telecommunication [i]s device which is used to transmit [i] ... 

s, and related accessories; and
  • Sony BMG Music Entertainment Sony BMG Music Entertainment

    Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Inc. is the result of a 50/50 joint venture [i] between Sony Music Entertainment [i] ... 

    , which owns the RCA Victor and RCA Records RCA Records

    | image = | parent = Sony BMG [i] Music Entertainment, Inc.

... 

record labels it received from one of its owners, BMG BMG

BMG is one of the six divisions of Bertelsmann [i]. ... 

.

The two companies bought those assets from General Electric General Electric

The General Electric Company, or GE is a multinational [i] American [i] ... 

, which took over the RCA conglomerate in 1986 and kept RCA's NBC broadcasting interests. Initially, GE continued to control the RCA trademarks , which were then licensed to Thomson and Bertelsmann. Thomson eventually bought the RCA trademarks, subject to the perpetual license GE had issued to Sony BMG's predecessor.

Although Bertelsmann AG was new to the RCA family , Thomson started as the French subsidiary of a company which later evolved into General Electric.

Due to their popularity during the golden age of radio Old-time radio

Old-Time Radio and the Golden Age of Radio are phrases used to refer to radio programs [i]... 

, their manufacturing quality, their engineering innovations, their styling and their name, RCA antique radio Antique radio

Antique radios are radio [i] receiving sets that are collectible because of their age and uniqueness. ... 

s are one of the more sought-after brands of collectible radios.

Prior to RCA

During World War I World War I

World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All War... 

 the patents of the major companies involved with radio Radio

Radio is the wireless transmission of signals [i], by modulation [i] of electromagnetic waves [i] ... 

 in the United States of America United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 were merged to facilitate the war effort. All production of radio equipment was for the military Military

A military or military force has seen many different incarnations throughout time.... 

. The seizure of the assets of British-owned American Marconi Marconi Company

The Marconi Company Ltd. was founded by Guglielmo Marconi [i] in 1897 as the Wireless Telegraph & Sig ... 

 by the United States Navy United States Navy

The United States Navy is the branch of the United States armed forces [i] responsible for conducting naval [i] ... 

 and the cooperation between General Electric General Electric

The General Electric Company, or GE is a multinational [i] American [i] ... 

, United Fruit United Fruit Company

The United Fruit Company was a major American [i] corporation [i] that traded t ... 

 and Westinghouse Electric Corporation Westinghouse Electric (1886)

----
The Westinghouse Electric Corporation was an organization founded by George Westinghouse [i] in 1886 [i]... 

 laid the groundwork for the Radio Corporation of America, RCA.

After the war, many saw radio as a natural monopoly. The United States Navy United States Navy

The United States Navy is the branch of the United States armed forces [i] responsible for conducting naval [i] ... 

 tried, but failed, to gain the monopoly for the Navy. Owen Young Owen Young

Owen D. Young was an American industrialist [i], businessman, lawyer and diplomat at the Second Reparations Conference [i] ... 

 convinced the U.S. Congress United States Congress

The United States Congress is the legislature [i] of the United States federal government [i]. ... 

 to entrust in his company, General Electric , together with American Telephone and Telegraph American Telephone & Telegraph Company

AT&T Corporation provided voice, video, data, and Internet [i] telecommunications and professional servi ... 

 , a monopoly of international radio.

History of RCA


RCA was formed in 1919 as a publicly-held company owned in part by AT&T AT&T

AT&T Inc. is the largest provider of both local and long distance telephone services, wireless service, ... 

 and GE General Electric

The General Electric Company, or GE is a multinational [i] American [i] ... 

. From their later actions the intent was likely to form a holding company that would use various legal means to attempt to monopolize the radio business. David Sarnoff David Sarnoff

David Sarnoff led the Radio Corporation of America [i] in various capacities shortly after its founding ... 

 was named General Manager. RCA's charter required it be mostly American-owned. RCA took over the assets of American Marconi, and was responsible for marketing GE and Westinghouse's radio equipment. It also acquired the patents of United Fruit and Westinghouse, in exchange for ownership stakes. Later on the company went on a patenting and licensing binge, patenting the superheterodyne Superheterodyne receiver

The superheterodyne receiver was invented by Edwin Armstrong [i] in 1918 [i].
... 

 concept. Some of their early radios had their guts hidden in "catacombs" to prevent reverse-engineering.

By 1926, RCA had grasped the market for commercial radio, and purchased the WEAF and WCAP radio stations and network from AT&T, merged them with RCA's own attempt at networking, the WJZ New York/WRC Washington chain, and formed the National Broadcasting Company .

In 1929, RCA purchased the Victor Talking Machine Company Victor Talking Machine Company

The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American [i] corporation [i], the leading Americ... 

, then the world's largest manufacturer of phonograph Phonograph

The phonograph, or gramophone, was the most common device for playing recorded [i] ... 

s and phonograph record Gramophone record

A gramophone record is an analogue [i] sound [i] recording medium [i] consisting of a flat... 

s . The company then became RCA-Victor. With Victor, RCA acquired New World New World

The New World is one of the names used for the Americas [i].... 

 rights to the famous Nipper Nipper

Nipper was a dog [i] that served as the model for a painting entitled His Master's Voice, which late ... 

 trademark Trademark

A trademark, trade mark, or is a distinctive sign [i] of some kind which is ... 

. RCA Victor produced many radio-phonographs. The company also created RCA Photophone, a sound-on-film Sound-on-film

Sound-on-film refers to a class of sound film [i] processes where the sound accompanying picture is phys ... 

 system for sound films that competed with William Fox's sound-on-film Movietone and Warner Brothers Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. or simply Warner Bros., is one of the world's largest producers o... 

 sound-on-disc Vitaphone.

In 1931, RCA Victor developed and released the first 33? rpm records to the public. These had the standard groove size identical to the contemporary 78rpm records, rather than the "microgroove" used in post-WWII 33? "Long Play" records. The format was a commercial failure at the height of the Great Depression Great Depression

The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn [i] which started in 1929 and lasting ... 

, partially because the records and playback equipment were expensive. The system was withdrawn from the market after about a year.

In 1939, RCA demonstrated an all-electronic television Television

Television is a telecommunication [i] system for
... 

 system at the New York World's Fair 1939 New York World's Fair

The 1939 New York World's Fair, located on the current site of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park [i] , was on... 

. With the introduction of the NTSC NTSC

NTSC is the analog television [i] system in use in Canada [i], Japan [i], South Korea [i], the United States [i] ... 

 standard, the Federal Communications Commission Federal Communications Commission

The Federal Communications Commission is an independent United States government [i] agency [i]... 

 authorized the start of commercial television transmission on July 1, 1941. World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

 slowed the deployment of television in the US, but RCA began selling television sets almost immediately after the war was over.

RCA was one of the leading makers of Vacuum Tubes Vacuum tube

In electronics [i], a vacuum tube or valve is a device generally used to amplify [i], ... 

 in the USA, creating a series of innovative products ranging from octal base Tube socket

Tube sockets were ubiquitous in early electronic equipment to allow vacuum tube [i]s to be easily remov ... 

. Their power in the marketplace was so strong, they effectively set the selling prices for vacuum tubes in the USA. A look at their competitor's price lists shows them to be identical to RCA's, from 1940 through 1970 at least. Metal tubes co-developed with General Electric General Electric

The General Electric Company, or GE is a multinational [i] American [i] ... 

 before WWII World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

 to the transistor-sized Nuvistor Nuvistor

The nuvistor is a type of vacuum tube [i] announced by RCA [i] in 1959. ... 

 used in the tuners of the New Vista series of television sets. In spite of this, the company completely switched over to making solid-state television sets by 1975.

Antitrust concerns led to the breakup of the NBC radio networks by the FCC, a breakup affirmed by the United States Supreme Court Supreme Court of the United States

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body [i] in the United States [i] ... 

. On October 12, 1943, the "NBC Blue" radio network was sold to Life Savers Life Savers

Life Savers is a traditional American [i] brand of ring-shaped mints [i] and fruit-fl ... 

 candy magnate Edward J. Noble for $8,000,000, and renamed "The Blue Network, Inc". It would become the American Broadcasting Company American Broadcasting Company

The American Broadcasting Company operates television [i] and radio [i] networks in the United States [i] ... 

  in 1946. The "NBC Red" network retained the NBC name, and RCA retained ownership.

In 1949, RCA-Victor developed and released the first 45 rpm record to the public, answering CBS/Columbia Columbia Records

| image = | parent = Sony BMG [i]
... 

's 33? rpm "LP Gramophone record

A gramophone record is an analogue [i] sound [i] recording medium [i] consisting of a flat... 

".

In 1953, RCA's color-TV standard was adopted as the standard for American color TV; it is now known as NTSC NTSC

NTSC is the analog television [i] system in use in Canada [i], Japan [i], South Korea [i], the United States [i] ... 

 . RCA camera Camera

A camera is a device used to take pictures , either singly or in sequence, with or without sound recordi... 

s and studio gear, particularly of the TK-40/41 series, became standard equipment at many American television network affiliates, as RCA CT-100  television sets introduced color television to the public.

Due to their rarity and technological significance, RCA Merrill/CT-100 are highly sought-after collectibles. Attic "relics", especially with an RCA emblem, should be assessed by several knowledgeable and trustworthy antique radio or television collectors prior to acquisition.

Despite the company's indisputable leadership in television technology, David Sarnoff in 1955 commented, "Television will never be a medium of entertainment".

RCA was one of the eight major computer Computer

A computer is a machine [i] for manipulating data [i] according to a list of instructions [i] ... 

 companies through most of the 1960s 1960s

The 1960s decade [i] refers to the years from 1960 [i] to 1969 [i], inclusive. ... 

, but abandoned computers in 1971.

RCA was a major proponent of the eight-track tape cartridge 8-track cartridge

A logic puzzle is a puzzle [i] deriving from the mathematics [i] field of deduction [i].
... 

, which it launched in 1965. The eight-track cartridge initially had a huge and profitable impact on the consumer marketplace. However, sales of the 8-track tape format peaked in 1974-75 as consumers increasingly favored the compact cassette format developed by competitor Philips Philips

Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , usually known as Philips, is one of the largest electronics [i]... 

.

RCA's decline

In many ways the story of RCA is the story of David Sarnoff. His drive and business acumen led to RCA becoming one of the largest companies in the world, successfully turning it into a conglomerate during the era of their success. However in 1970, now 79 years old, Sarnoff retired and was succeeded by his son Robert. David Sarnoff died the next year; much of RCA's success died with him.

During the 1970s 1970s

The 1970s decade [i] refers to the years from 1970 [i] to 1979 [i], inclusive. ... 

, RCA Corporation, as it was now formally known, became increasingly ossified as a company. Under Robert Sarnoff's leadership, RCA diversified far beyond its original focus on electronics and communications. The company acquired Hertz The Hertz Corporation

The Hertz Corporation is the world's largest car rental [i] company, with 1,900 locations in the United States [i] ... 

 , Banquet , Coronet , Random House Random House

Random House is a publishing [i] division of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann [i] bas ... 

  and Gibson . Despite this diversification, or perhaps because of it, the corporation was plagued by financial problems. Robert Sarnoff was ousted in a 1975 boardroom coup by Anthony Conrad, who resigned a year later after admitting failing to file income tax returns for six years. Despite maintaining a high standard of engineering excellence in such fields as broadcast engineering and satellite Satellite

A satellite is any object that orbit [i]s another object . ... 

 communications equipment, ventures such as the NBC radio and television networks declined. Forays into new consumer electronics products, such as the innovative but technologically obsolescent SelectaVision SelectaVision

SelectaVision was originally the name for a video playback system developed by RCA [i] using specialized ... 

 videodisc system, proved money losers.

This eventually led to RCA's sale to GE in 1986 and its subsequent break-up. GE sold its 50% interest in what was then RCA/Ariola International Records to its partner Bertelsmann Bertelsmann

Bertelsmann AG is a transnational media [i] corporation founded in 1835 [i], based in Gtersloh [i] ... 

 and the company was renamed BMG Music BMG

BMG is one of the six divisions of Bertelsmann [i]. ... 

 for Bertelsmann Music Group. GE sold the rights to make RCA and GE brand consumer electronics products, notably television sets, to the French Thomson Group, in exchange for some of Thomson's medical businesses. RCA Laboratories was transferred to SRI International SRI International

SRI International is one of the world's largest contract research institutions [i]. ... 

 and renamed Sarnoff Corporation.

Notes

In old movies that portrayed the Wall Street Crash Wall Street Crash of 1929

The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also called the Great Crash or the Crash of '29, was the stock-market crash [i] ... 

 of 1929, sometimes brokers are heard buying or selling shares of radio which means RCA.

Trivia

The old RCA Victor building in Camden, New Jersey was recently developed into a high-rise luxury apartment building.

For many years, RCA was the sponsor of Disney The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company is one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world.... 

's Space Mountain Space Mountain

Space Mountain is a popular enclosed [i] roller coaster [i] ride at five Disney ... 

 ride, showcasing technology. Now the ride is sponsored by FedEx FedEx

FedEx, properly FedEx Corporation, is a courier company offering overnight courier, ground, heavy ... 

.

The Indianapolis Colts professional football team's stadium is sponsored by RCA, and is simply known as the RCA Dome RCA Dome

The RCA Dome is a domed [i] stadium [i] located in Indianapolis, Indiana [i] which is the home of t ... 

. The RCA Dome is currently being replaced by the new Lucas Oil Stadium Lucas Oil Stadium

Lucas Oil Stadium is a retractable roof sports and entertainment facility currently under construction i... 

.

See also

  • Ampliphase Ampliphase

    An amplitude modulation [i] system that is acheived by suming phase modulated carriers. ... 

  • RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer

    The RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer was the first programmable electronic music [i] synthesizer [i] and th... 

  • RCA connector RCA connector

    An RCA jack, also referred to as a phono connector or CINCH/AV connector, is a type of electrical connector [i] ... 

  • RKO Pictures RKO Pictures

    RKO Pictures is an American [i] film [i] production company, one of the so-called Big Five [i] ... 

    , founded in part by RCA
  • RCA Photophone, Motion Picture sound recording
  • Electrofax
  • George H. Brown, research engineer who headed RCA's development of color television
  • Colortrak - A notable trademark for RCA's color TVs from the past
  • RCA Records RCA Records

    | image = | parent = Sony BMG [i] Music Entertainment, Inc.

... 


References

  • Robert N. Sobel Robert Sobel

    Robert Sobel was professor of history at Hofstra University [i] and a well-known and prolific writer of ... 

     wrote a book about the company, called simply RCA, in 1986.

External links