In the 1950s, my grandparents purchased a television set, one of the first in my hometown of Pleasanton, Texas. The black-and-white set could receive only three networks -- CBS, NBC and Dumont -- and programming was only a few hours a day. The stations showed a Test Pattern when no shows were up for viewing.Once described as a "Vast Wasteland," television may be getting worse
Early Television Museum — See the first mechanical and electonic sets.
Here are some Historical Highlights of television:
1923 'Television camera tube developed at Westinghouse by Vladimir Zworykin (left) 1925 John Logie Baird and mechanical television. 1927 Philo Farnsworth (above right) applies for patent on electronic television. 1939 'Television demonstrated at New York World's Fair. 1941 FCC authorizes commercial television, but WW II intervenes. 1947 "Howdy Doody" is first major children's television program. "Captain Kangaroo" also smash hit. 1934 Communications Act establishes Federal Communications Commission to regulate airwaves. 1948 NBC and CBS networks offer evening news and entertainment programs. 1948 Licensing of TV frozen (until 1952). 1951 First coast-to-coast television from New York to San Francisco. 1952 "The Today Show" ushers in new talk-news-interview format. 1950s The early days of television mimicked radio. 1953 Eisenhower inauguration is first to be carried live on television. 1954 McCarthy hearings shown live; Edward R. Murrow responds with "See It Now." 1960 Nixon-Kennedy debates change presidential politics. This was repeatedly referenced this election year with the multitude of debates in the Republican primary and the presidential election campaign.Measuring the Audience:
RATING - A rating is the percent of households tuned to a particular program from the total available TV households in a designated area. In this example there are 500 households tuned to program "A" out of a possible 2,800 (all of the TV households represented in the pie). By dividing the larger number (2,800) into the smaller (500) we get a percent; in this case 17.86. So the rating of program "A" is 18. (Since ratings are in terms of percentages, you don't need to say "percent," just 18.) Using the same procedure you can see that the rating for program "B" would be 11.
SHARE - A share is the percentage of TV households with sets turned on that are watching your program. In the case of program "A" you divide 1,600 into 500 and get 31 as the audience share for program "A". The share for program "B" would be 18.75 or 19. The first ratings systems, developed for radio use in the 1930s, involved telephone interviews, face-to-face interviews at the door and postcard reply surveys. All of the systems relied on the cooperation of those who responded, and on their recall ability. Then, in the 1960s, the technology had improved to the point where data were automatically fed to the company over phone lines, making the data available to the producers within a few days. Today, overnights are available. For a closer look at ratings, click here.
Television Programming:
In this case dealing with networks, programming involves introducing a new program into an already existing framework of programs.
Two problems exist in programming: (1) Programmers tend to underestimate the intelligence of the viewers and aim at the lowest common denominator of intelligence. (2) Too many hours on too many channels to fill with "quality" programming.
Television’s impact on society has been both positive and negative.
Here are some examples of early entertainment and information shows on television.
Edward R. Murrow on "See It Now"
Edward R. Murrow was an American broadcast journalist. He first came to prominence with a series of radio news broadcasts during World War II, which were followed by millions of listeners in the United States and Canada.
Senor Wences on "The Ed Sullivan Show"
Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the television variety programs The Toast of the Town and The Ed Sullivan Show.
The opening of the Milton Berle show
Milton Berle was an American comedian and actor. As the host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater, he was the first major American television star and was known to millions of viewers as "Uncle Miltie" and "Mr. Television" during TV's golden age.