Televisionation–Swedlow Show – The Original Disruptor: From Farnsworth to the Future – Why TV’s Origins Matter in the Age of CTV & AI

October 7, 2025

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing my friend and colleague Paul Schatzkin, author of “The Boy Who Invented Television,” about his remarkable work chronicling Philo T. Farnsworth—the brilliant young inventor who gave birth to the medium we all work in today. (Note: my musical I am developing is on the same topic “TV, The Musical” – check out my first audio episode.) Paul also shared details about his new project: a Countdown of the Top 100 Moments in Television leading up to the 2027 centennial of Farnsworth’s invention.

In our conversation, Paul illuminated how Farnsworth’s use of Einstein’s photoelectric effect inside a vacuum tube transformed the world, paving the way from early experiments to iconic moments like the 1928 “San Francisco Chronicle” article when his work was announced that he had invented TV and the 1969 moon landing when Neil Armstrong’s first step was televised to over 600,000,000 people around the world all at the same time. Together, we explored not just the technological story, but the human one—the struggle against corporate power, the cultural ripple effects of television, and what those early lessons still teach us.

We also talked about why this history matters right now for today’s media and tech leaders navigating the frontiers of AI, Connected TV, multiplatform distribution, advertising innovation, and video ecosystems like YouTube. Understanding where television came from, Paul reminds us, helps us see more clearly where it’s going.

I know I always learn a lot when speaking with Paul!