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2004 in television – Ken Jennings attains
celebrity status after a 74-game winning streak on Jeopardy!Corner Gas debuts as
one of Canada's most successful programs. Lost and
Desperate Housewives
premieres and both become big hits for ABC, with the latter,
this marked a return of prime time soap operas that were popular
during the 1980s also CSI: NY and new medical Drama House
become big hits for the CBS and Fox networks respectiably. The
Friends finale
reaches 52.5 million Americans. ITV plc is formed from the merger of Carlton
and Granada. Tom Brokaw retires from NBC Nightly
News after 22 years there.
2001 in television – Pop Idol premieres in
the UK; many international versions follow. 24 and
Law & Order: Criminal Intent premiere. Entertainment
programming is virtually suspended for a week in the US as the
networks offer extensive coverage of the September 11 Attacks.
2000 in television – Survivor premieres on CBS, sparking an interest in reality
television in the US. The same thing happens in the UK with the
premiere of their Big Brother on Channel 4. CBS also scores
with the original CSI:. People are shocked by MTV's new
prank TV show Jackass, with
many kids being hurt trying to imitate the actions on the
show.
1997 in television – Ellen DeGeneres
and her sitcom character, both come out of the
closet; parental advisories debuted on the show. Adult-targeted
animated series become accepted, with the debuts of King of the
Hill and South Park. Stargate SG-1,
the longest-running sci-fi show in US history, premieres. Channel 5 launches in the UK. Buffy the Vampire
Slayer, though only a moderate ratings hit but later to
become a pop culture phenomenon, debuts on The WB. Ally McBeal debuts
on FOX, sparking questions about feminism in the 1990s.
1991 in television – First
television sets with built-in closed-caption
display are introduced in the US. Cigar and pipe tobacco adverts
are banned from UK television. The last episode of Dallas airs on CBS.
1983 in television – over
105 million Americans tune in to watch the final episode of M*A*S*H. Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings become sole anchors of
nightly newscasts on NBC and ABC, respectively. The UK's first
country-wide breakfast television service
launches, Breakfast Time on BBC1. Mini-series
The Dismissal + Return To Eden premiere in Australia.
1980 in television – A
cliffhanger on Dallas asked "Who shot J.R.?",
and it is the current 3rd most watched series episode in American
television. Cable News
Network is launched. Kingswood Country premiers. SBS (Special
Broadcasting Service)is launched.The first Children in
Need telethon is broadcast on BBC1 in the UK.
1979 in television – 43
million viewers watch Elvis! on ABC. All-sports cable
channel ESPN is launched. A
technician's strike forces ITV off
air for eleven weeks (except in the Channel Islands) while BBC2 launches the first
computer generated ident in the
world.
1967 in television – PBS, the principal
noncommercial public broadcasting network in the United States,
begins regular service. PAL and SECAM colour standards introduced
in Europe, with the UK's BBC2 the first in that continent to transmit in
color. In the USA, The Smothers
Brothers Comedy Hour and The
Carol Burnett Show premiere on CBS, while the NFL and AFL stage Super Bowl I on CBS
and NBC.
1953 in television – The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
is seen by approximately 20 million TV viewers in the United
Kingdom. TV Guide
is published for the first time. After initially approving the CBS
field-dequential color system and then rescinding its approval, the
FCC makes a final choice for color television in the United States
by approving the RCA compatible all-electronic system. Commercial
color YV broadcasting would begin the following New Year's Day. It
would remain the standard for analog color television broadcasting
for 56 years, and in modified form would influence color television
development worldwide.
1952 in television – The
first political advertisements appear on US television. The Guiding
Light moves to TV after 15 years on radio. NBC launches
Today. Television broadcasting
begins in Canada under the auspices of CBC/SRC. TV Broadcasting
begins in the Dominican Republic. The Flowerpot Men premieres on
the BBC. Hockey Night in Canada debuts on
television after 29 years on radio; it becomes the world's
longest-running sports broadcast.
1951 in television –
Television transmission begins in Argentina. In May. coaxial cable
and microwave service links make coast-to-coast live television a
reality in the United States; a speech by President Truman is the
first program seen live simultaneously across the country.- I Love Lucy debuts
on CBS. The first long-running soap operas, Search for
Tomorrow and Love of Life, also debut on CBS (they
last until 1986 and 1980, respectively). The UK version of What's My
Line? premieres on the BBC.
1950 in television – What's My
Line? debuts on CBS, beginning a 25 year run. Television
broadcasting begins in Mexico.
The FCC approves CBS's
color TV system, a decision which is later rescinded as technical
problems with the system arise. Andy Pandy premieres on the BBC.
1949 in television – The
first Emmy Awards are
presented. Television broadcasting begins in Cuba. Come Dancing starts its 46 year run
on the BBC. In the United States,
Eastern and Midwestern stations are networked for live programming
feeds spanning from the east coast west to the Mississippi
River.
1948 in television –
Four-network service begins on US television. CBS, which has
operated a New York station since 1941, begins live programming
feeds to other markets in April. ABC feeds its first network
programs in the spring, with full daily network service beginning
in August with the opening of its New York flagship station and
production center. Ed
Sullivan's show begins 23-year run on CBS, while Milton Berle becomes
NBC's first superstar. 1 million television sets are now in use in
the US. The BBC broadcasts coverage of the 1948
Summer Olympics.
1946 in television – The
BBC resumes television broadcasting after its suspension during World War II. RCA demonstrates all-electronic color
television system. FCC issues first network license to DuMont.
DuMont begins limited network operations.
1945 in television – DuMont
begins first network broadcasts, August 9. Applies for first
network license.
1944 in television – The
FCC increases its limits for single ownership of television
stations from three to five. NBC begins the first regularly
scheduled network service in the United States over a three station
Eastern chain including stations in New York City (WNBT),
Philadelphia (WPTZ) and the Albany/Schenectady/Troy, New York area
(WRGB).
1938 in television – DuMont
manufactures and sells the first all electronic television sets to
the public. Baird gives the first public demonstration of color
projection television. The BBC broadcasts the world's first ever television science
fiction (R.U.R.), and
television crime series (Telecrime).
1936 in television – The
BBC starts a regular high-definition (over 200 lines) television
service in the UK, the first of its kind in the world.
1935 in television – First
TV broadcasts in Germany.
The final transmissions of John Logie Baird's 30-line television
system are broadcast by the BBC. First TV broadcasts in France on
February 13 on Paris PTT Vision.
1934 in television – Philo
Farnsworth demonstrates a non-mechanical television system. The
agreement for joint experimental transmissions by the BBC and John
Logie Baird's company are comes to an end. First 30 Line Mechanical
Television Test Transmissions commence in April in Brisbane
Australia conducted by Thomas Elliott and Dr Val McDowall.
1933 in television – The
first television revue, Looking In, is broadcast on the
BBC.
1932 in television – The
BBC starts a regular public television broadcasting service in the
UK.
1931 in television – Allen B. DuMont
perfects long-lasting reliable cathode-ray tubes later used for
television reception. Canada's
first television station, VE9EC, begins broadcasting in Montreal.
1929 in television—In
September the Baird Television Development Company begins
experimental broadcasting in association with the BBC.
1928 in television—Baird
demonstrates a mechanical color television system. On May 28, the
first television station, W2XB, begins broadcasting in Schenectady, New York (the
forerunner to WRGB). CBS is founded.
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