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TV Broadcasting

TV Broadcasting (1890-)

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The development of mass-media visual broadcasting and the inventions that led to its popularity.
Introduction

From early experiments with electro-mechanical devices television broadcasting has quickly become both a means for entertainment and a mechanism to bring news from remote locations around the world into people's homes.

The political influencing ability of television arguably now exceeds any other media, with the progress of conflicts being followed in real-time in a way that would not have been possible only a few decades ago.  Hence, television now has a direct bearing on world politics and may well have changed the course of wars.

The entertainment industry that has grown up around television is immense with many global corporations involved in the trading of material for transmission on a daily basis.

Timeline
    1878  CEThe Cathode ray tube is invented by Crookes an English chemist.
    1880  CEFrance's Leblanc theorizes transmitting a picture in segments.
    1881  CEFirst book about television, The Electric Telescope, is published
    1890  CEKarl Ferdinand Braun invents the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
    1902  CEOtto von Bronk applies for German patent on colour television.
    1906  CETh screen aspect ratio of 4:3 is established as an international viewing standard.
    1907  CEIn Russia, Rosing develops a theory of television.
    1907  CEEdouard Belin makes the first telephoto transmission, from Paris to Lyon to Bordeaux and back to Paris.
    1907  CEDr Lee de Forest perfects the Audion tube, a triode vacuum tube that magnifies sound.
    1910  CESweden's Elkstrom invents 'flying spot' camera light beam.
    1921  CEFirst transatlantic telephoto transmission is made between Annapolis, Md., and Belin's laboratories at La Malmaison, Fr.
    1922  CEThe British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is established.
    1923  CEZworykin produces an electronic iconoscope camera tube and kinescope display tube.
    1923  CERibbon microphone becomes the studio standard.
    1923  CEA picture, broken into dots, is sent by wire.
    1923  CEVladimir Zworykin patents television picture tube.
    1925  CEA moving image - the blades of a model windmill - is telecast
    1926  CEJohn Logie Baird demonstrates an electro-mechanical disk-based Television system in London.
    1926  CEBell Telephone Labs transmit film by television
    1927  CEFarnsworth assembles a complete electronic TV system
    1927  CEUsing phone lines TV is sent from Wash DC to NYC
    1927  CEBell Laboratories perform the first mechanical television transmission in United States.
    1928  CETelevision sets are put in three homes - programming begins
    1928  CEIn an experiment - television crosses the Atlantic
    1928  CEIn Schenectady - NY - the first scheduled television broadcasts
    1928  CEScottish inventor J Blaird demonstrates color-TV
    1928  CEThe first transatlantic TV image received, Hartsdale NY
    1929  CEExperiments begin on electronic colour television.
    1929  CEIn Germany, magnetic sound recordings are made on plastic tape.
    1929  CEA television studio is built in London.
    1929  CEBell Lab transmits stills in colour by mechanical scanning.
    1929  CEZworykin demonstrates a cathode-ray tube 'kinescope' receiver which provides 60 scan lines.
    1929  CEThe first US color TV demonstration, in New York City.
    1929  CEThe first regularly scheduled US TV broadcasts, 3 nights per week.
    1930  CETVs based on British mechanical system roll off factory line
    1931  CEElectronic TV broadcasts in Los Angeles and Moscow
    1931  CENBC experimentally doubles transmission to 120-line screen
    1932  CEPhil T. Farnesworth demonstrates electronic television.
    1934  CEIn Germany - a mobile television truck roams the streets
    1936  CEBerlin Olympics are televised closed circuit
    1936  CEThe first high-definition TV broadcast service, by BBC in London
    1936  CEThe first US TV Gardening show
    1937  CENBC sends mobile TV truck onto New York streets
    1937  CEA recording - the Hindenburg crash - is broadcast coast to coast
    1938  CEBroadcasts can be taped and edited
    1938  CEDuMont markets electronic television receiver for the home
    1938  CEThe first public experimental demonstration of Baird color TV (London)
    1939  CENew York World's Fair shows television to public
    1939  CERegular TV broadcasts begin
    1940  CEThe first showing of high definition color TV
  1 Jul 1941  CEFollowing US FCC approval, regular US scheduled commercial TV broadcasts begin.
    1941  CECBS and NBC start commercial transmission - WW II intervenes
    1941  CEGoldmark at CBS experiments with electronic colour TV
    1941  CEFirst commercial television license is issued in US.
    1944  CEThe first TV Musical comedy (The Boys from Boise)
    1947  CERevised International Telecommunication Convention adopted
    1947  CEThe first permanent TV installed on seagoing vessel (The New Jersey)
    1947  CERCA mass produced a 7 inch TV and 170,000 of them were sold.
    1947  CE1 million US TV sets had been sold.
    1948  CEPublic clamor for television begins - FCC freezes new licenses
    1948  CEAn airoplane re-broadcasts TV signal across nine states
    1948  CEAllen Funt's "Candid Camera" TV debut on ABC
    1948  CEPhilips begin experimental TV broadcasting
    1948  CEFirst U.S. cable television systems appear.
    1949  CENetwork TV in US
    1949  CECommunity Antenna Television - forerunner to cable
    1949  CECandid Camera, TV comedy Variety, moves to NBC
    1949  CEThe first UHF television station operating regular basis (Bridgeport Ct)
    1949  CEColumbia Pictures converts its short-subject division to television production, beginning a trend other Hollywood studios would soon follow.
    1950  CEVidicon camera tube improves television pictures.
    1951  CEOne and a half million TV sets in US - a tenfold jump in one year
    1951  CEThe first transcontinental TV broadcast, by Pres Truman
   Sep 1952  CEIn the USA, private colour television test broadcasts began with 'Kukla, Fran and Ollie'. Futher test trasmissions were made in March and April of 1953.
    1952  CEUnivac projects the winner of the presidential election on CBS
    1952  CEZenith proposes pay-TV system using punched cards
    1952  CEThe first human birth televised to public from Denver, Colarado.
    1952  CEThe first ultra high frequency (UHF) television station, Portland Or
 30 Aug 1953  CEIn the USA, 'Kukla, Fran and Ollie' stared in the first public colour television broadcast.
    1953  CENTSC colour standard adopted in the US
    1953  CECATV system uses microwave to bring in distant signals
 
  1954  CERegular US colour TV broadcasts begin
 
 
  1954  CESporting events are broadcast live in colour
 
 
  1954  CERCA manufactures 1st color TV set (12½" screen at $1,000)
 
 
  1954  CEThe first Miss America TV broadcast
 
 
  1954  CEThe first TV soap opera "Secret Storm" premieres
 
 
  1955  CECommercial TV begins in England.
 
 
  1955  CEMary Martin as "Peter Pan" televised
 
 
  1955  CESteve McQueen makes his network TV debut (Goodyear Playhouse)
 
 
  1955  CEThe first microwave TV station operated (Lufkin, Tx)
 
 
  1955  CEThe first President to appear on color TV (Eisenhower)
 
 
  1955  CE(Between 1955-1958) Major Hollywood studios enter into 'telefilm' series production and sell or lease their pre-1948 feature films to TV syndicates.
 
 
  1955  CEFirst all-colour television series, 'Howdy Doody' begins.
 
 
  1956  CE"King Kong", 1st televised
 
 
  1956  CEThe first video recording on magnetic tape televised coast-to-coast
 
 
  1957  CEA surgical operation is televised
 
 
  1957  CELast broadcast of "I Love Lucy" on CBS-TV
 
 
  1957  CEPope Pius XII encyclical On motion pictures, radio, TV.
 
 
  1959  CELocal announcements - weather data and local ads go on cable
 
 
  1959  CEFrench SECAM and German PAL TV systems introduced in Europe
 
 
  1959  CE"Bonanza" premiers
 
 
  1959  CEGroucho, Chico & Harpo's final TV appearance together
 
 
  1959  CERod Serling's "Twilight Zone" premieres on CBS
 
 
  1960  CEZenith unsuccessfully tests subscription TV
 
 
  1960  CEThe first prime time animation show, 'The Flintstones', premiers.
 
 
  1960  CERCA (TV & Infra-Red Observation 'weather' Satellite) I launched
 
 
  1961  CEBoxing match test shows potential of pay-TV.
 
 
  1961  CEThe first live television broadcast from the Soviet Union.
 
 
  1961  CEThe first live, US nationally televised Presidential news conference (JFK).
 
 
  1962  CECable companies import distant signals.
 
 
  1962  CEFCC requires UHF tuners on tv sets.
 
 
  1962  CETelstar satellite transmits an image across the Atlantic.
 
 
  1962  CEThe Lucy Show premiers.
 
 
  1963  CETV news 'comes of age' in reporting JFK assassination
 
 
  1964  CE"The Man from U.N.C.L.E." premiers on NBC-TV
 
 
  1964  CE"The Munsters" premiers
 
 
  1964  CEThe first draft of Star Trek's pilot "The Cage" released
 
 
  1965  CESatellites begin domestic TV distribution in Soviet Union
 
 
  1965  CEMost broadcasts are in colour
 
 
  1965  CEFCC rules bring structure to cable television
 
 
  1965  CESolid-state equipment spreads through the cable industry
 
 
  1965  CE"Lost in Space" premiers
 
 
  1965  CEThe first use of satellite TV, Today Show on the Early Bird Satellite
 
 
  1966  CE"Daktari" African adventure series premieres on CBS TV
 
 
  1966  CE"Star Trek" premiers on NBC TV
 
 
  1966  CE"The Monkees", premier on NBC
 
 
  1967  CEPre-recorded movies on videotape sold for home TV sets
 
 
  1967  CEFinal episode of "What's My Line?", hosted by John Charles Daly
 
 
  1967  CEFinal TV episode of "The Fugitive"
 
 
  1968  CEApprox 200 million TV sets in the world - 78 million of them in the US
 
 
  1968  CE"Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" premieres on NBC
 
 
  1968  CEHawaii Five-O debuts as an hourly program on CBS
 
 
  1968  CEJacques Cousteau's 1st undersea special on US network TV
 
 
  1968  CEJohn Cleese (Monty Python) marries Connie Booth
 
 
  1968  CEThe first live telecast from a manned US spacecraft (Apollo 7)
 
 
  1969  CEBBC orders 13 episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus
 
 
  1970  CEA videodisc is demonstrated in Germany
 
 
  1970  CERobert Altman's "M*AS*H", premieres
 
 
  1971  CE"Benny Hill Show" tops TV ratings
 
 
  1972  CEHBO starts pay-TV service for cable in the US
 
 
  1972  CESony introduces 3/4 inch 'U-Matic' cassette VCR
 
 
  1972  CEDigital television comes out of the lab
 
 
  1972  CEThe BBC offers 'Ceefax -' two-way cable information system
 
 
  1972  CESony's Port-a-Pak - a portable video recorder
 
 
  1973  CEJohn Cleese's final episode on "Monty Python's Flying Circus", on BBC
 
 
  1973  CERowan & Martin's Laugh-In, last airs on NBC-TV
 
 
  1974  CEIn Britain - the BBC transmits Teletext data to TV sets
 
 
  1974  CE"Happy Days" begins an 11 year run on ABC
 
 
  1974  CE"The $6 Million Man" starring Lee Majors premieres on ABC TV
 
 
  1975  CESony's Betamax and JVC's VHS battle for public acceptance
 
 
  1975  CESony Corporation introduces Betamax videotape.
 
 
  1975  CEWith the launching of America's first commercially available geo-stationary orbit satellite, SATCOM I, Home Box Office (HBO) initiates pay-cable television boom.
 
 
  1976  CEBritish TV networks begin first teletext system
 
 
  1976  CE"The Bionic Woman" with Lindsay Wagner debuts on ABC (later NBC)
 
 
  1977  CE8th (final) part of "Roots" is most-watched entertainment show ever
 
 
  1977  CEMiniseries "Roots" premieres on ABC
 
 
  1977  CEThe first broadcast of "Roots" mini-series on ABC TV
 
 
  1977  CEMatsushita Electric Industrial Company introduces its video home system (VHS), setting off a battle for the home-video market.
 
 
  1978  CESituation comedy "Taxi" premiers on ABC television
 
 
  1978  CEThe first broadcast of "Dallas" on CBS TV
 
 
  1978  CETV show "Dallas" premiers on CBS (as a 5 week mini-series)
 
 
  1979  CEVideotext provides data by television on command
 
 
  1979  CEFrom Holland comes the digital videodisc read by laser
 
 
  1979  CE"The Dukes of Hazzard" premieres on CBS's vast wasteland
 
 
  1979  CE43 million watch "Elvis!" on ABC
 
 
  1980  CEIntelsat V relays 12 thousand phone calls and 2 colour TV channels
 
 
  1980  CECNN 24-hour news channel
 
 
  1980  CEDallas' "Who Shot JR?" episode (Kristen) gets a 53.3 rating
 
 
  1980  CEOn TV show Dallas, JR is shot
 
 
  1981  CE"Dynasty", a prime time soap opera inspired by Dallas, starring Joan Collins, premieres on ABC-TV
 
 
  1981  CE"Hill Street Blues" premieres on NBC-TV
 
 
  1981  CEFinal performance of TV show "Soap" airs
 
 
  1981  CEMTV premiers
 
 
  1981  CEMTV begins broadcasting.
 
 
  1983  CE100 million watch ABC-TV movie "The Day After", about nuclear war
 
 
  1983  CEFinal episode of MASH; 125,000,000 viewers
 
 
  1983  CEFinal TV episode of "MASH" airs (CBS); record 125 million watch
 
 
  1984  CEA television set can be worn on the wrist
 
 
  1985  CEUS TV networks begin satellite distribution to affiliates
 
 
  1985  CEAt Expo - a Sony TV screen measures 40x25 meters
 
 
  1985  CE3-D television is developed In Japan and no spectacles are needed
 
 
  1985  CEPay-per-view channels open for business in the US
 
 
  1985  CE"Moonlighting" with Cybill Shepard & Bruce Willis, premieres
 
 
  1986  CEHBO scrambles its signals
 
 
  1986  CEUS Cable shopping networks
 
 
  1987  CEHalf of all US homes with TV are on cable
 
 
  1987  CEUS Government deregulates cable industry
 
 
  1989  CE217th & final episode of "Dynasty" is aired
 
 
  1989  CEMiami Vice's 100th episode seen on TV
 
 
  1989  CESue Ellen (Linda Gray) last appearance on Dallas
 
 
  1989  CETime Inc. announces the purchase of Warner Communications, Inc, forming the world's largest media and entertainment conglomerate.
 
 
  1990  CE"Twin Peaks" with Peggy Lipton premiers on ABC-TV
 
 
  1991  CE356th & final episode of CBS 2nd longest running series Dallas, 2nd only to Gunsmoke
 
 
  1991  CEDeForest Kelly (Dr McCoy on Star Trek) gets a star in Hollywood
 
 
  1993  CE274th & final "Cheers" on NBC
 
 
  1993  CELast broadcast of "Cheers" on NBC-TV
 
 
  1994  CEFinal Episode of LA Law after 8 year run
 
 
  1994  CEStar Trek The Next Generation, finale airs this week in syndication
 
 
  1995  CEBelgium's TV channel 2 in Flanders goes on the air
 
 
  1995  CEBelgium's TV channel VT4 goes on the air
 
 
  1997  CEAshes of Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry are launched into space
 
 
  1997  CEFox cartoon series "Simpsons" airs 167th episode the longest-running animated series in cartoon history
 
 
Note 1: Events described with text like this have been entered from one source but have not yet been verified against a subsequent source ( Explain ).
Note 2: The events are sorted in semi-chronological order according to what is factually known about the date of the event ( Explain ).
Note 3: Events with more information are marked as follows:
Has other topics associated with this event Has other topics associated with this event,
Has geographic locations associated with this event Has geographic locations associated with this event,
Has external links assocated with this event's topics Has external links assocated with this event's topics,
Has external links associated with the geographic location Has external links associated with the geographic location of this event,
Has external links specifically assocated with this event Has external links specifically assocated with this event.
 
     
 
 
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