Hollywood vs. the VCR

Decades ago, if you wanted to watch Columbo, you watched it when it aired. Then Sony invented the Betamax, a machine that let you record TV and watch it whenever you wanted. Sony’s chief called it “time shifting.” American TV studios called it theft. Universal and Disney sued Sony, and the fight went all the way to the Supreme Court, with a surprise cameo from Mr. Rogers along the way. Today, we’re still arguing over who is responsible for what people do with a new technology. Jacob and Robert tell the story of how the Sony Betamax beat Universal Studios, and then ultimately lost to a rival format – the VHS. Research for this episode comes from: Fast Forward: Hollywood, the Japanese, and the VCR Wars, by James Lardner “The Story of Sony v. Universal Studios: Mary Poppins Meets the Boston Strangler,” by Jessica Litman Made in Japan: Akio Morita and Sony, by Akio Morita, Edwin M. Reingold, and Mitsuko Shimomura Connect with us: Follow Business History on Instagram and TikTok Follow Jacob Goldstein on LinkedIn, X and Instagram Follow Robert Smith on Instagram and X Email us at [email protected] Follow Pushkin on Instagram, LinkedIn and X To listen to the show ad free, sign up for Pushkin+ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.