Magnetic tape in professional recording has taken a nose dive while flash memory is the rising video storage format according the survey results.

FORBES: End of the Reel

However with the introduction of lighter weight and more flexible plastic substrate magnetic tapes, combined with a vacuum column to control the tension that the magnetic tape experiences during use, the IBM 726 was a prototype of the modern digital tape recording system.

FORBES: Magnetic Tape Turns 60

As can be seen, traditional film use is 15% or less with digital technologies such as optical discs, hard disk drives, magnetic tape and flash memory are the bulk of modern recording media.

FORBES: End of the Reel

These analog magnetic tape machines led to the development of audio and video recording technologies after WWII by companies such as Ampex.

FORBES: Magnetic Tape Turns 60