Abstract

Broader access to printed books quickly followed the invention of the printing press, and consumer sales of recorded music date back to the wax cylinders of the late 19th century, but for much of their existence the personal ownership of movies and television programs was restricted to a small group of industry insiders and enthusiasts. For those decades, most audiences’ experience of moving images was passive, managed by theater projectionists and network broadcasters. It was not until the late 1970s that the introduction of the consumer videocassette gave average consumers the ability to actually hold a movie or TV show in their hands and the power to decide when, where, and at what pace to watch it.