''Computer Chronicles'' (also titled as ''The Computer Chronicles'' from 1984 to 1989) is an American half-hour television series that was broadcast on
PBS public television
Public broadcasting (or public service broadcasting) is radio, television, and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service with a commitment to avoiding political and commercial influence. Public broadcasters receive f ...
from 1984 to 2002. It documented and explored the
personal computer
A personal computer, commonly referred to as PC or computer, is a computer designed for individual use. It is typically used for tasks such as Word processor, word processing, web browser, internet browsing, email, multimedia playback, and PC ...
as it grew from its infancy in the early 80s to its rise in the global market at the turn of the 21st century. Episodes reviewed a variety of home and business computers, including hardware accessories, software and other consumer computing devices and gadgetry. Each episode ended with a news-like segment reporting on new developments and announcements in the computer industry. A wide range of computing topics were showcased and demonstrated, ranging from home use, business, education, gaming, digital music creation and editing, to networking and online telecommunication.
History and overview
The series was created by
Stewart Cheifet (later the show's co-host), who was then the station manager of the
College of San Mateo's KCSM-TV (now independent non-commercial
KPJK). The show was initially broadcast as a local weekly series beginning in 1981. The show was, at various points in its run, produced by
KCSM-TV,
WITF-TV in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and
KTEH in San Jose. It became a national series on
PBS in 1984, running until 2002, with Cheifet as host. From 1994 to 1997, the show was produced by PCTV, based in New Hampshire in cooperation with KCSM-TV. Starting in the fall of 1997 and continuing to its end, the show was produced by KTEH San Jose and Stewart Cheifet Productions.
Gary Kildall
Gary Arlen Kildall (; May 19, 1942 – July 11, 1994) was an American computer scientist and microcomputer entrepreneur. During the 1970s, Kildall created the CP/M operating system among other operating systems and programming tools, and s ...
, founder of the software company
Digital Research
Digital Research, Inc. (DR or DRI) was a privately held American software company created by Gary Kildall to market and develop his CP/M operating system and related 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit systems like MP/M, Concurrent DOS, FlexOS, Multiuser ...
, served as Cheifet's co-host from 1984 to 1990, providing insights and commentary on products, as well as discussions on the future of the ever-expanding personal computer sphere. After Kildall left the show, Cheifet would serve as solo host from 1991 onward. After Kildall's death in 1994, the show paid tribute to him in a special episode.
''Computer Chronicles'' had several supporting presenters appearing alongside Cheifet, including:
*
George Morrow: Presenter, commentator and occasional co-host, who for a time headed the ''Morrow Design'' company, Morrow was a well-known face on the Chronicles until the 1990s. Morrow died in 2003.
*
Paul Schindler: Featured predominantly in software reviews, Schindler contributed to the series until the early 1990s.
*
Tim Bajarin: author and columnist who appeared on a few of the 1990s episodes as a co-host and contributor.
* Wendy Woods: Provided reports for many software and hardware products, as well as talking with the main presenters in the studio about specific topics.
* Janelle Stelson: presented the news and reviews segment.
* Jan Lewis: Former president of the Palo Alto Research Group (not to be confused with
Xerox PARC), served as both co-host and interviewee throughout the 1980s.
*Herb Lechner: with
SRI International
SRI International (SRI) is a nonprofit organization, nonprofit scientific research, scientific research institute and organization headquartered in Menlo Park, California, United States. It was established in 1946 by trustees of Stanford Univer ...
, served as both co-host and interviewee on some of the earliest episodes.
Format
The ''Computer Chronicles'' format remained relatively unchanged throughout its run, except perhaps with the noticeable difference in presenting style; originally formal, with Cheifet and the guests wearing business suits (with neckties) customary in the professional workplace in the early 1980s, it evolved by the 1990s into a more relaxed, casual style, with Cheifet and guests adopting the "
business casual" style of dress that the
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that is a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical area of the Santa Clara Valley ...
computer industry arguably helped pioneer.
Beginning in 1984, the last five minutes or so featured ''Random Access'', a segment that gave the viewer the latest computer news from the home and business markets. Stewart Cheifet, Janelle Stelson, Maria Gabriel and various other individuals presented the segment. ''Random Access'' was discontinued in 1997. The ''Online Minute'', introduced in 1995 and lasting until 1997, gave the viewers certain Web sites that dealt with the episode's topic. It featured Giles Bateman, who designed the show's "Web page" opening sequence that was used from that period up until the show's end.
The opening graphics were changed in 1989, and the show was renamed "Computer Chronicles", omitting the word "The". The graphics were redesigned again in 1995, with the "Web page" graphics designed by Giles Bateman, and redesigned again in 1998 to show clips from the show in a "multiple window" format.
The theme tune from 1984 to 1989 was "Byte by Byte" by Craig Palmer for the Network Music Library. From 1990 until the show's end, the theme song was ''Zenith'', composed for OmniMusic by John Manchester.
Another feature on the show was Stewart's "Pick of the Week", in which he detailed a popular piece of software or gadget on the market that appealed to him and might appeal to the home audience.
Availability
The show ended its run in 2002. Almost all episodes of ''Computer Chronicles'' have been made available for free download at the
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...
.
There is also an unofficial YouTube channel with episodes. Many episodes of the show have been dubbed into other languages, including Arabic, French and Spanish.
See also
*
''Net Cafe'', de facto spin-off of ''Computer Chronicles'' co-hosted by Cheifet that aired from 1996 to 2002
*
WDR Computerclub, similar show in German TV
References
External links
*
archive.org - Computer Bowl archivesComputer Chronicles history and information*{{IMDb title, 0421311
American non-fiction television series
PBS original programming
1981 American television series debuts
1990s American television series
2002 American television series endings
Computer television series