Item Detail
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17019
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0
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0
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English
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Who Really Invented Television?
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Technology Review
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September - October 2000
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103
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96-106
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The U.S. government's antitrust action against RCA which lasted almost three decades is recounted. One result of the dispute was a ruling that Philo T. Farnsworth, a Mormon farm boy, invented television. This decision did not come easily. The legal challenges to Farnsworth's basic television patents lasted nearly four years which slowed development and marketing of the product. The stress drove Farnsworth to drink, and he developed a bleeding ulcer. In order to avoid further litigation, he sold RCA a $1 million license to the product. Farnsworth later suffered a nervous breakdown. He finally received the recognition--but not the wealth--for his invention.