Entertainment Marketing Timeline

  • Introduction of outdoor entertainment

    Introduction of outdoor entertainment including bowling, primitive amusement rides, music and dancing.
  • Sounds in movies

    Development of recording of sound on motion picture film.
  • Radio starts up

    First commercial radio stations with regularly scheduled broadcasts.
  • NBC

    RCA established the National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
  • First electronic television picture

    Farnsworth transmits first electronic television picture; receives patent.
  • CBS

    The Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) is founded.
  • Stock Market Crash

    The Stock Market Crash leads to the Great Depression closing nearly three-fourths of amusement parks.
  • TV gets sold

    First television is sold.
  • TV hits a million homes

    Televisions are in over one million homes.
  • Color TV

    Color television is introduced.
  • Disneyland in Cali

    Disneyland in Anaheim, California opens costing $17 million to build.

    3.8 million visitors come the first year
  • TV hits 100 million homes

    Over 100 million television sets are in homes around the world.
  • Six Flags over Texas

    Six Flags opens in Texas
    First regional theme park
  • Magic Kingdom in Orlando

    The Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida opens costing $375 million the build
  • CNN launch

    CNN, the first all news network, is launched by Turner Cable Network
  • Royal Wedding

    Prince Charles and Diana Spencer are married on international television
  • PC hits stores

    First IBM Personal Computers are available for retail sales
  • MTV debuts

    MTV debuts
  • Thriller hits 20 million

    Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” sells 20 million albums
    Largest selling record ever
  • CD is released

    First compact disc is released
  • Nintendo is introduced

    Nintendo home entertainment system is introduced
  • Time Warner Inc.

    Time and Warner merge to become Time Warner Inc.
  • First webcast

    First television program delivered via the Internet (webcast)
  • Princess Diana is killed

    Princess Diana is killed in an automobile accident