Biography

John J. Godfrey is a notable American video engineer renowned for his innovative contributions to video technology and broadcast standards. In the late 1960s, while working at WNET/THIRTEEN in New York, he developed a groundbreaking procedure to elevate small-format ½-inch videotape to broadcast quality. This advancement involved a series of post-production dubbings, enabling experimental video works, which were previously unsuitable for broadcast due to technical limitations, to meet the stringent standards of television transmission. Godfrey's innovation provided renewed impetus to video experimentation, particularly in the field of documentary filmmaking, by allowing creators to see their works aired on mainstream platforms.