Way Back When-sday: The History of Television

I'm constantly amazed at the advancement in technology. The concept of the television was first sketched in 1878, shortly after telephones were invented. At the same time, science fiction authors imagined that light could be transferred over copper lines, much like sound was.

 

Over the next fifty years, numerous scientists developed the idea and great advances were made. In the early 1930s, John Logie Baird produced about a thousand television sets in the United Kingdom called the "Televisor." The 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin were carried by cable to television stations in Berlin and Leipzig for the public to view live. In 1939 RCA brought the television to the general public at the World's Fair in New York, but with the outbreak of WWII, mass production was stalled. It wasn't until after the war that televisions began to grow in popularity in American households.

 

Here are a few pictures documenting the change in televisions from 1930 to 2013.



 

One of the earliest television sets, introduced in the UK
The Baird "Televisor" - 1930-1933

 

RCA introduced this television at the 1939 World's Fair in New York

Early 1940's Television Set

The television became popular after WWII
when they became mass produced.
This is a late 1940's model.

 

1950's
The first national color broadcast took place
on January 1, 1954 - the Tournament of Roses Parade

1960's
In 1965, half of the networks switched to color, which boosted
sales of color televisions

1970's
In 1972, the last of the national networks switched
to color and sales of color televisions surpassed black & white

1980's

1990's

 

2000's

2013

Your Turn: Did you ever own a black & white television? Which of these models do you remember from your childhood?