1984 - Communications, Media

Communications, Media

American Telephone & Telegraph Co. (AT&T) divests itself January 1 of its 22 Bell operating companies pursuant to a federal court order (see 1982). AT&T retains its Western Electric division and remains in the long-distance telephone and computer businesses. Regional holding companies—Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, BellSouth, Nynex, Pacific Telesis, Southwestern Bell, and USWest—take over 22 Bell units and will thrive as "Baby Bells." Local telephone rates go up across the country and service deteriorates, but many of the Baby Bells will merge and go into other businesses.

The U.S. Supreme Court rules 5 to 4 January 17 that home videotape recording does not infringe copyrights (Sony Corp. v Universal City Studios). Justices Marshall, Powell, and Rehnquist join in Justice's Blackmun's dissent from Justice Stevens's majority opinion; Sony Corp., makers of Betamax, and other VCR makers hail the decision, Hollywood film makers bewail it.

Prime Minister Thatcher forbids union membership at Britain's General Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and offers £1,000 for each union card turned in. All but 150 GCHQ employees accept the offer.

British Telecom shares go on sale as Britain moves to "privatize" telephone service (see 1981).

Japan moves to end government ownership of telephone service.

The $3,500 black-and-white desktop laser printer introduced by Hewlett-Packard revolutionizes office paperwork (see 1980). The technology was developed originally at Xerox Parc in California; Hewlett-Packard has licensed it from Canon in Japan.

Reader's Digest cofounder Lila Acheson Wallace dies of heart failure at Mt. Kisco, N.Y., May 8 at age 94. Her philanthropic contributions are estimated to have exceeded $60 million; pollster George Gallup dies at his summer home in Switzerland July 27 at age 82.