Video History Project

Chronology

Experimental Television Center (ETC)

Date
1970

Experimental Television Center (ETC), Binghamton, New York, founded. Director Ralph Hocking. Originally Community Center for Television Production. Production/post-production center emphasizing synthesized and computer-generated imagery through Artist in Residency Program.

Equipment access to portable technology. Cable series, workshops and exhibition series "Video by Videomakers". Ken Dominick, Coordinator. Other people later associated with the Center: Sherry Miller Hocking, Robert Diamond, David Jones, Brian Byrnes, Paul Davis, Don McArthur, Peer Bode, Hank Rudolph.

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"Experimental Television Center (ETC)." Video History Project, Experimental Television Center, 2011. https://www.videohistoryproject.org/experimental-television-center-etc.

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Summary

Experimental Television Center (ETC), founded in Binghamton, New York, functioned as a production and post-production center originally established as the Community Center for Television Production; Ralph Hocking was director and Ken Dominick served as coordinator. The Center emphasized synthesized and computer-generated imagery through an Artist in Residency Program, provided equipment access to portable technology, ran a cable series and workshops, presented the exhibition series Video by Videomakers, and was associated with Sherry Miller Hocking, Robert Diamond, David Jones, Brian Byrnes, Paul Davis, Don McArthur, Peer Bode and Hank Rudolph.

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Last modified 16 May 2011

Related records

  • Experimental Television Center: A Brief History

    The Experimental Television Center was founded in 1971 as an outgrowth of Ralph Hocking’s 1969 Student Experiments in Television program at Binghamton University; early SET tapes were broadcast on WNET and WGBH. The Center established Research and Residency programs offering analog and digital image-processing tools—including the Paik/Abe Video Synthesizer, Jones Colorizer and Amiga-based systems—and has hosted over 1500 artists whose works have been screened at museums, festivals and on cable and broadcast. Since 1989 the Center has awarded over one million dollars through Presentation Funds, Finishing Funds and a Media Arts Technical Assistance Fund and is supported by state and private foundations and distributors including Electronic Arts Intermix and Video Data Bank.

  • Ralph Hocking People

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    The Experimental Television Center began as Student Experiments in Television, founded in 1969 by Ralph Hocking at Binghamton University and incorporated in 1971; it provided access to small-format portable video equipment, editing facilities, instructional workshops, community cable programming and an artist residency and exhibition program. A Research Program supported design and construction of video tools, notably the Paik/Abe Video Synthesizer (Shuya Abe and Nam June Paik) installed at WNET and the Center in 1972; NYSCA and NEA funding supported work on oscillators, the Jones Colorizer, Analog Control Box, the SAID and computer–video interfaces (LSI-11, Z-80). The Center hosted numerous artists in residence, ran touring exhibitions and statewide workshops, established a tape library and relocated to Owego by 1980.

  • Student Experiments in Television Chronology

    With support from the New York State Council on the Arts, Ralph Hocking incorporated Student Experiments in Television as the Community Center for TV Production (Experimental Television Center), a non-profit media center and moved to a loft space in downtown Binghamton.

  • Community Center for Television Production Chronology

    New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) funds Community Center for Television Production, Binghamton. Founded by Ralph Hocking. Precursor to Experimental Television Center.

  • ETC History 1968-1971

    Ralph Hocking began the Student Experiments in Television project at Binghamton University, introducing community members to portable video production tools and techniques. In 1969 Angel Nunez taped Bedford Stuyvesant Kids, a street-tape documenting neighborhood kids arrested after stealing; the tape was shown widely in the State, broadcast by WNET-TV, and helped fund drug-related and inner-city improvement projects. With support from the New York State Council on the Arts Hocking incorporated SET as the Community Center for TV Production in a downtown Binghamton loft; programs emphasized production training and meetings with Nam June Paik led to support for imaging-tool development.