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Radio Act Passed by Congress
Congress passes the first regulatory law over all radio transmissions in the U.S as a response to the catastrophe of the sinking of the Titanic and as an effort to keep emergency stations clear. This law, initially titled "An Act to regulate communication," (S. 6412) requires all U.S. ships to monitor distress signals on emergency channels and begins the federal regulation and enforcement of licensure for radio transmissions in the United States (Tillinghast, 129). -
RCA founded
General Electric acquires The Marconi Telegraph Company and its broadcasting technology, which has been primarily used by the US government as a resource in national security measures. This convergence launches the commercialization of radio broadcasting with the foundation of the Radio Corporation of America (“The History of the RCA Brand"). -
KDKA Broadcasts As First Commercial Radio Station
KDKA station, under the Westinghouse Electric Company in Pittsburgh, PA, makes the first commercial broadcast in the U.S (Jones, The Chicago Tribune). It broadcasts the results of the Harding-Cox presidential election and sets the stage for radio broadcasting as popular entertainment. -
First Electronic Television Transmission Conducted
Philo T. Farnsworth successfully transmits the first "electronic television image" (Poletika). In the following years, the RCA experiments with television transmission and battles with Farnsworth over patent rights, a fight Farnsworth ultimately wins. Regardless, the RCA pools its technological and financial resources and continues to experiment with its own TV broadcasting methods (Limburg, 284). -
Television's "Golden Age" Emerges
Television program trends begin to take shape with the uptick of viewers, and celebrities become associated with ad agencies that sponsor TV programs. Popular genres begin to form, such as drama anthologies, comedies, and game shows, creating the time period in TV known as the "Golden Age," which lasts roughly from 1948-1959 (Baughman, 195). -
FCC Enforces Licensure Freeze
As popularity of television broadcasting grows, the Federal Communications Commission freezes the application and licensure awarding process for TV networks in an effort to decongest the frequencies. This leads to a monopoly of already existing and popular network companies in the industry, and the freeze is not lifted until 1952 (Henderson, Econlib). -
Televisions Sold as Common Household Item
The 1949 Sears, Roebuck catalogue features television sets, becoming the first mainstream retail company to offer TVs for purchase to the American consumer. This represents the integration of television into the daily life of the average middle-class American, as well as the growth of television as entertainment in the home; it is estimated that in 1950 more than 5 million television sets were produced for commercial sale (Hillard, Keith). -
Big Four Networks Emerge as Power Players
"Owned and Operated" stations ABC, NBC, CBS and DuMont Television Networks (later known as Fox) all rise to prominence and dominate air time (Brownfield). These stations mainly follow the single-sponsorship models of production, allowing them to become hugely profitable and influential in the broadcasting industry, especially in the time range of 1950-1956.