U.S.–Soviet Space Bridge

The US-Soviet Space Bridge was a series of experimental, international telecasts between Soviet and U.S. viewers, performed by group of communication enthusiasts during the late Cold War era. Translated from the Russian word telemost (literally, "TV bridge"), a space bridge was a public interactive television link between two or more geographically separate and culturally distinct locations, a form of public videoconference.

The first space bridge was an arrangement between the Unison Corporation and Gosteleradio of the USSR for the US Festival, sponsored by computer pioneer Steve Wozniak. On September 5th, 1982, a TV-link was established for the first time between the Soviet Union and the United States. On the Soviet side Joseph Goldin and Yulii Gusman were in charge.^[1]

The participants in that space bridge could see each other, ask questions and receive answers and could also hold a musical dialogue. The programs of the subsequent space bridges consisted not only of music-hall turns and greetings but also discussions on different subjects, in which prominent scientists, public figures, cosmonauts and journalists took part. Phil Donahue and Vladimir Pozner hosted the meeting between the US and the USSR respectively. According to Pozner's book, Parting with Illusions, many US TV companies did not want to purchase those space bridges. Thus only eight million people in the US watched the programs, versus 180 million in the USSR.

References

External links

• Russian website on the first 1982 satellite TV link
• 2007 Interview in Russian with Yuli Gusman
• The 20th anniversary of the first space bridge between Moscow and Los Angeles