| 1977 |
 Chronomedia index
Numbers after entries link to the list of references. |
links and notes |
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Cultural highlights | Predictions made this year |
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| January 2 |
Sheffield Cablevision community television experiment in UK ends. |
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| January 30 |
The final (eighth) part of drama series Roots achieves the highest US television rating to date (51.1, an audience of 80m) for the ABC network. |
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| March 20 |
JVC places two-page advertisement in Asahi Shimbun newspaper to launch the VHS video format in Japan. |
US launch > June 4
 The Quest for home video: VHS |
| March 23 |
Publication of the Annan Report on the future of UK broadcasting. |
Official British media reports |
| April 1 |
Western Australia's first FM station and second 'community' station, 6UWA FM (later 6UVS FM) begins broadcasting from the University of Western Australia (UWA). |
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| April 29 |
Interim Action Committee on the Film Industry is appointed in the UK (chairman: Sir Harold Wilson) to advise 'on the achievement of a viable and prosperous British film industry over the next decade, and, in so doing, to make a closer study of the appropriate constitution and operating role of a British Film Authority'. |
> 1978
 Wilson's view of his role: Wilson 3. See also Peter Cook |
| June 4 |
 VHS videocassette format is introduced to America under the name Vidstar at a press show the day before the Consumer Electronics Show starts in Chicago. |
The Quest for home video: VHS |
| June 7 |
ITV's coverage of the Queen's silver jubilee celebtrations—planned to be the biggest ever—is blacked out by a strike of production assistants at Thames Television. |
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| June 26 |
Elvis Presley makes his last concert appearance at Indianapolis, Indiana. |
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| June |
Sony and NHK develop PAU-1602 digital audio processor for use with the U-matic videocassette recorder. |
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| July 29 |
UK television licence fee is increased from £8 to £9 for monochrome, £18 to £21 for colour. |
> 1979 |
| August 3 |
US electronics retailer Radio Shack introduces the Tandy TRS-80 microcomputer. The computer package, with keyboard, monitor and cassette data storage, costs $599. Amid uncertain about likely demand, the initial production run is 3,500 units. Within a month 10,000 are sold. |
> 1981 January |
| August 16 |
Elvis Presley dies at his home, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee. |
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| August |
Television service starts in Guinea. |
Television service start dates |
| September 20 |
Ekran-2 satellite launched. |
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| September |
Sony launches PCM-1 digital audio processor on consumer market for use with Betamax videocassette recorders. |
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| September |
Digital audio disc system using the PCM direct recording method is developed by Sony. The player uses laser read-out to give one hour’s recording and playback per 900 rpm disc side. |
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| October |
Six Japanese manufacturers have by now adopted the VHS videocassette recording format. |
The Quest for home video: VHS |
| October |
Thorn Electrical Industries merges with EMI to become Thorn EMI. The business is active in consumer electronics, music, retailing and rentals and defence. Its retail brands include DER, Radio Rentals and Rumbelows. |
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| October |
Japanese manufacturers develop an optical digital audio disc. |
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| November 8 |
Philips/MCA optical audio disc, playing 30 minutes a side, is demonstrated in London. |
The Quest for home video: VLP Discovision |
| November |
 A Nottingham record shop manager is charged under the 1889 Indecent Advertisement Act for displaying a copy of the Sex Pistols' LP Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols in the shop window. In London, managers of two Virgin record shops—including the one in Notting Hill Gate, below the label's offices—are charged with a similar offence under the 1824 Vagrancy Act. Radio and television commercials for the record are banned and in music trade paper Melody Maker, the offending word ('bollocks', in case that isn't obvious) is blanked out in an advert. |
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| December |
Second colour television channel, RTG-2, starts in Gabon. |
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| December |
JVC signs contract for OEM supplies of VHS recorders to Saba in West Germany. |
The Quest for home video: VHS |
| • |
Television service starts in the Bahamas. |
Television service start dates |
| • |
Australian Broadcasting Tribunal replaces Broadcasting Control Board. |
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| • |
The seven Hollywood majors release only 85 feature films between them—an average one one a month each. |
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| • |
First true holographic movie shown by team at NIFKI (Cinema and Photographic Research Institute of the Soviet Union) led by Victor J Komar. Using multiple frame pulsed holographic film, it has to be seen through special viewing ports because of the narrow viewing angle. |
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The Family Channel starts on US cable television networks. |
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| • |
In Canada, Cable Parliamentary Channel (CPAC) presents the world’s first live broadcast from a parliament, beginning with the speech from the throne by Queen Elizabeth II. |
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| • |
Public sees first shows of holography in London (Light Fantastic at the Royal Academy of Arts), France (Sculptures de Lumière in Strasbourg) and New York (Picture at the Museum of Modern Art). |
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| • |
 Atari launches its Video Computer System (VCS) in the US. |
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| • |
Daily Express newspaper is re-launched in the UK in tabloid format. |
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| • |
Circulation of The Sun newspaper overtakes that of the Daily Mirror to become the UK's highest circulation daily newspaper. |
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