Bob Stein and Partners Found The Voyager Company

In 1984 The Voyager Company was founded in 1984 by four partners: Jon Turell, Bill Becker, Aleen Stein and Robert Stein in Santa Monica, California. The firm took its name from the Voyager space craft.

The original logo of the company depicted a book evolving into a disc (initally a videodisc, then a CD-ROM, a DVD, etc.)

From a 5 x 7 inch printed card announcing the formation of the company we learn its original purpose:

"Consider for a moment that after content, the essential thing that makes a book a book is the way the reader uses it. A book is a medium which gives the user complete control of the sequence and pace at which the contents are accessed. Now with laser videodiscs we can have that same control over motion pictures.

"Imagine what reading would be like if you had to wait 20 seconds to check on something 20 pages back. On the other hand, imagine being able to go 20 seconds or 20 minutes back in a movie in a second or two. When you watch a move on a laser videodisc you can do just that. You begin to have the same intimate relationship with a video program that you enjoy with a book.

"But that's just the beginning. Based on the laser videodisc, a genuine new medium is emerging which will combine text, still pictures motion pictures, and sound. Author/ produces will have a palette of incomparable richness.

"Criterion has been started with the express purpose of nurturing this new medium's first steps into the marketplace.

"We believe bookstores will become increasingly important retail outlets for video, especially videodisc. Indeed bookstores are likely to lead the mergence of media store which sell brainfood in all its form - books, records, computer software, and video."