Television

The Early Years: 1930s–50s

Although proof-of-concept television broadcasts occurred in the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s, many historians point to television's unveiling at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City as the beginning of the technology as a mass medium. At the fair, Radio Corporation of America (RCA) president David Sarnoff championed the new technology by broadcasting the events of the fair and launching televised content on the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) network. These earliest televisions displayed images in black and white on five-inch screens, were prohibitively expensive, and were able to receive only a small amount of programming. Television met with a mixture of curiosity and enthusiasm, but widespread production and adoption of the new technology did not occur in the United States until the late 1940s and early 1950s, following the end of World War II. Television programming during this period borrowed heavily from popular radio and stage acts, and variety shows and news dominated the airwaves. Milton Berle's Texaco Star Theater, Meet the Press, Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town, and the Howdy Doody Show were some of the most popular shows during the early years of television.

Early televisions from the 1930s and 1940s displayed images on small black-and-white screens, cost hundreds of dollars (the equivalent of around $4,000 today), and could receive a minimal amount of programming.

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The Golden Age: 1950s–70s

From the early 1950s through the 1970s, television cemented its place in homes in the United States and around the world as its programming branched out from its vaudeville and radio roots to include shows that took full advantage of the immensely popular, in-demand medium. The situation comedy, the artfully directed drama, the news magazine show, and most other staples of contemporary television programming are grounded in this era. Most of the programs during the Golden Age were broadcast by the three major television networks, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), and the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS).

Television saw some important technological changes during this era. Not only did television sets become larger, cheaper, and more dependable, but the amount and technical quality of programming increased as well. In the mid-1960s consumers started purchasing color televisions, and by the end of the decade it was common to find many homes with multiple sets.

As television adoption became widespread, many sectors of public life had to learn how to adapt. High-interest sporting events were aired during prime television viewing hours, press releases were timed to coincide with the television news cycle, and anyone interested in selling a product or idea had to learn how to best utilize the medium. For example, among the many important “firsts” for television during this period, the presidential debate between a perspiring and ill-prepared Richard Nixon and a television-primed John F. Kennedy in 1960 is seen by many as a turning point in American political life. Popular programming of the era included shows such as I Love Lucy (1951–57), Leave It to Beaver (1957–63), I Dream of Jeannie (1965–70), All in the Family (1971–79), and M∗A∗S∗H (1972–83).

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