Television in the United States | History & Shows

<!doctype html> <html lang="en" class="topic-desktop ui-ie7 ui-ie"> <head prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns# fb: https://ogp.me/ns/fb#"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133"> <link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js" /> <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.png" /> <meta name="description" content="Television in the United States, the body of television programming created and broadcast in the United States since the mid-20th century." /> <meta name="keywords" content="Television in the United States, encyclopedia, encyclopeadia, britannica, article" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States" /> <title>Television in the United States | History & Shows | Britannica</title>  <script> !function(){"use strict";function e(e){const t=e.match(/((?=([a-z0-9._!#$%+^&*()[\]<>-]+))\2@[a-z0-9._-]+\.[a-z0-9._-]+)/gi);return t?t[0]:""}function t(t){return e(a(t.toLowerCase()))}function a(e){return e.replace(/\s/g,"")}async function n(e){const t={sha256Hash:"",sha1Hash:""};if(!("msCrypto"in window)&&"https:"===location.protocol&&"crypto"in window&&"TextEncoder"in window){const a=(new TextEncoder).encode(e),[n,c]=await Promise.all([s("SHA-256",a),s("SHA-1",a)]);t.sha256Hash=n,t.sha1Hash=c}return t}async function s(e,t){const a=await crypto.subtle.digest(e,t);return Array.from(new Uint8Array(a)).map(e=>("00"+e.toString(16)).slice(-2)).join("")}function c(e){let t=!0;return Object.keys(e).forEach(a=>{0===e[a].length&&(t=!1)}),t}function i(e,t,a){e.splice(t,1);const n="?"+e.join("&")+a.hash;history.replaceState(null,"",n)}var o={checkEmail:e,validateEmail:t,trimInput:a,hashEmail:n,hasHashes:c,removeEmailAndReplaceHistory:i,detectEmails:async function(){const e=new URL(window.location.href),a=Array.from(e.searchParams.entries()).map(e=>`=`);let s,o;const r=["adt_eih","sh_kit"];if(a.forEach((e,t)=>{const a=decodeURIComponent(e),[n,c]=a.split("=");if("adt_ei"===n&&(s={value:c,index:t,emsrc:"url"}),r.includes(n)){o={value:c,index:t,emsrc:"sh_kit"===n?"urlhck":"urlh"}}}),s)t(s.value)&&n(s.value).then(e=>{if(c(e)){const t={value:e,created:Date.now()};localStorage.setItem("adt_ei",JSON.stringify(t)),localStorage.setItem("adt_emsrc",s.emsrc)}});else if(o){const e={value:{sha256Hash:o.value,sha1Hash:""},created:Date.now()};localStorage.setItem("adt_ei",JSON.stringify(e)),localStorage.setItem("adt_emsrc",o.emsrc)}s&&i(a,s.index,e),o&&i(a,o.index,e)},cb:"adthrive"};const{detectEmails:r,cb:l}=o;r()}(); </script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel"> window.$UI = {}; window.Constants = {"LICENSE_URL": "/bps/license","DEFAULT_TEST_VERSION": "A","DEFAULT_STATE": "XX","QUIZ_URL": "/quiz","SPOTLIGHT_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/spotlight","CONTENT_TYPE_TEXT": "text/plain;charset=UTF-8","TOPIC_FACTS_DATA_URL": "/facts","QUIZ_BROWSE_IMAGE_QUIZZES": "images","TOPIC_MEDIA_PATH": "/images-videos","USER_PROFILE_URL": "/user","DEBUG_URL": "/debug","ONE_GOOD_FACT_URL": "/one-good-fact","ERROR_404_URL": "/error404","PROCON_CITED_IN_THE_NEWS_URL": "/procon/ProCon-in-the-News","PROCON_URL": "/procon","TOPIC_PAGE_CONTENT_AJAX_URL": "/topic-content/page","INFINITE_SCROLL_PREFIX_URL": "/scroll","TOPIC_TOP_QUESTION_BROWSE_URL": "/questions","CC_USD": "USD","domain": "britannica.com","PROCON_EDITOR_ID": "12941390","SURVEY_URL": "/survey","CATEGORY_BROWSE_URL": "/browse","STORY_BROWSE_URL": "/stories","COUNTRY_US": "US","OPEN_MEDIA_OVERLAY_PARAMETER": "/media","NEWSLETTER_SUBSCRIPTION_URL": "/newsletter-subscription","MAINTENANCE_ERROR_URL": "https://maintenance.eb.com","IMARS_EDITOR_ID": "12365882","PROFILE_EB_EDITOR_URL": "/editor","WEB_INF_RESOURCES_PATH": "WEB-INF/resources","AI_ABOUT_PAGE_URL": "/about-britannica-ai","TOPIC_ADDITIONAL_INFO_PATH": "/additional-info","SUDOKU_GAME_URL": "/games/sudoku","CC_INR": "INR","ARTICLE_PRINT_URL": "/print/article","FIRST_EDITION_URL": "/subscriber/firstedition","WW1_PORTAL_URL": "/discover/World-War-I","MENDEL_COOKIE": "__mendel","topicUrlClasses": "[topic, animal, art, biography, event, place, plant, science, sports, technology, procon, money]","DEMYSTIFIED_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/demystified","LIST_BROWSE_URL": "/list/browse","PROFILE_EXPERT_URL": "/contributor","ASSEMBLY_IMAGE_URL": "/image/assembly","DAY_IN_HISTORY_URL": "/on-this-day","DEFAULT_CURRENCY": "USD","CONTENT_TYPE_XML": "text/xml;charset=UTF-8","PORTAL_FINANCE_BROWSE_URL_PREFIX": "/money/browse","MONEY_IMARS_CATEGORY": "13000","AJAX_PREFIX_URL": "/ajax","TOPIC_BROWSE_URL": "/topic-browse","MARKETING_CONTENT": "/marketing-content","ENV_RUNTIME": "runtime","GALLERY_URL": "/gallery","topicUrlClassesList": "topic|animal|art|biography|event|place|plant|science|sports|technology|procon","CONTENT_TYPE_HTML": "text/html;charset=UTF-8","ENV_LOCAL": "override","MEDIA_OVERLAY_URL": "/media-overlay","CHATBOT_PAGE_URL": "/chatbot","NEWSLETTER_PAGE_URL": "/newsletters","ENV_DEV": "development","MEDIA_URL": "/media","TOPIC_TOP_QUESTION_URL": "/question","PORTAL_FINANCE_URL_PREFIX": "/money","PODCASTS_URL": "/podcasts","STAND_ALONE_VIDEO_URL": "/video","MORE_ON_THIS_DAY_URL": "/more-on-this-day","TOPIC_QUOTES_URL": "/quotes","SEARCH_PAGE_URL": "/search","PROCON_CLASS": "PROCON","KUSTOM_MENDEL_APPLICATION_ID": "1","TOPIC_CONTENT_AJAX_URL": "/topic-content/topic","ENV_BRANCH": "branch","ERROR_URL": "/error","MAIN_VERSION": "mainVersion","TOPIC_COLLECTION_URL": "/summary","LOGINBOX_URL": "/auth/loginbox","PROCON_DEBATE_TOPICS_URL": "/procon/Debate-Topics","ONE_GOOD_FACT_BROWSE_URL": "/one-good-fact/all-good-facts","QUIZ_BROWSE_URL": "/quiz/browse","BIO_BROWSE_URL": "/browse/biographies","LIST_URL": "/list","TIGHTROPE_QUIZ_URL": "/quiz/tightrope","ALPHA_BROWSE_URL": "/sitemap","CONTENT_TYPE_JSON": "application/json","DICTIONARY_URL": "/dictionary","COBRAND_IMAGE_URL": "/image/cobrand","PROCON_IN_THE_NEWS_URL": "/procon/pro-and-con-issues-in-the-news","PROCON_BROWSE_URL": "/procon","QUIZ_BROWSE_VOCAB_QUIZZES": "vocabulary-quizzes","SUBMISSION_URL": "/submission","EB_LOG_OUT": "/auth2/logout","ENV_PRODUCTION": "production","EXPLORE_PORTAL_URL": "/explore","TOPIC_AJAX_URL": "/ajax/topic","TOPIC_SUMMARY_BROWSE_URL": "/summaries","WTFACT_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/wtfact","VIDEO_CHANNEL_URL": "/videos","GALLERY_BROWSE_URL": "/gallery/browse","CACHE_URL": "/cache","PROCON_ABOUT_URL": "/procon/About-ProCon","COMPANION_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/companion","MEDIA_FOLDER": "/eb-media","SHOW_ALL_CONTRIBUTORS": "/additional-info#contributors","BRITANNICA_EDITORS_ID": "4419","ENV_CACHE_DISABLED": "mendelCache","CALCULATORS_BROWSE_URL": "/calculators","STORY_URL": "/story","DEFAULT_COUNTRY": "US","NAVBAR_URL": "/ajax/navbar","EB_LOGIN_URL": "/auth/eb-login","NEW_ARTICLES_URL": "/new-articles",}; window.CDN = "https://cdn.britannica.com"; window.CAM_SETTINGS_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com/settings"; window.CAM_LOGIN_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com/login"; window.CAM_SIGN_UP_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com/registration" window.Mendel = { "config" : { "domain": "britannica.com", "page": "Topic", "videoPlayerId": "UyMCoK2v", "sharedUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States", "amuselabsUrl": "https://cdn3.amuselabs.com", "resourcesPrefixUrl": "https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/[url]?v=3.133.9", "date": 20250217, "userInfo": { "type": "ANONYMOUS" ,"currency": "AUUS" ,"country": "SG" ,"state": "XX" ,"timezone": "Asia/Singapore" ,"bcomId": "8805002717736786693" ,"hasAds": true ,"testVersion": "D" ,"adsTestVersion": "C" ,"consumerId": "" ,"instId": "" ,"consumerUserName": "" ,"instUserName": "" ,"cognito": null }, "tvs":{ "r":[25,25,25,25], "a": [25,25,45,5]}, "isLoggedInAsUser": false, "isPhone": false, "isDesktop": true, "logoutUrl": "/auth2/logout", "selfServiceUrl": "https://myaccount.britannica.com", "cdnUrl": "https://cdn.britannica.com", "chatbotApi": "https://www.britannica.com/chat-api", "fetchOffset": 800, "mendelCookieName": "__mendel", "mendelCookie": {"surveyShown":false,"visitedTopicId":1513870,"currentDate":20250217}, "autocompleteToSearchPage": false,"topicUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States", "freeTopicReason": "PERMANENT_FREE_TOPIC", "topicId": 1513870, "template": "DESKTOP", "type": "CORE", "hasToc": true, "chatbotApi": "https://www.britannica.com/chat-api", "showPreview": false, }, "GA": {"leg":"D","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} }; </script> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="1887621861548296"/ <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@britannica" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/76483-050-39EA4360/Milton-Berle.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Television in the United States, the body of television programming created and broadcast in the United States since the mid-20th century."/> <meta property="og:type" content="ARTICLE"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Television in the United States | History & Shows | Britannica"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Television in the United States, the body of television programming created and broadcast in the United States since the mid-20th century."/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Encyclopedia Britannica" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/76483-050-39EA4360/Milton-Berle.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/jpeg" /> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="init opengraph"> Mendel.openGraph = {"type":"ARTICLE","title":"Television in the United States | History & Shows","description":"Television in the United States, the body of television programming created and broadcast in the United States since the mid-20th century.","imageUrl":"https://cdn.britannica.com/83/76483-050-39EA4360/Milton-Berle.jpg","imageType":"image/jpeg","pageUrl":"https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States"}</script> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/" > <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/icon?family=Material+Icons"> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/vendor-bundle.css?v=3.133.9" rel="stylesheet" /> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/mendel-css.css?v=3.133.9" rel="stylesheet" /> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.css?v=3.133.9" rel="stylesheet" /> <script type="text/javascript"> if (self !== top) { top.location = self.location; } </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/at.js?v=3.133.9" async ></script> <script> dataLayer = []; </script> <script type="text/javascript">(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= '//www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-5W6NC8'); </script> <meta name="last-modified" content="2025-01-29" /> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"headline":"Television in the United States | History & Shows","image":{"url":"https://cdn.britannica.com/83/76483-050-39EA4360/Milton-Berle.jpg","@type":"ImageObject"},"author":[{"name":"Steve Allen","url":"https://www.britannica.com/contributor/Steve-Allen/5473","@type":"Person"},{"name":"Robert J. Thompson","url":"https://www.britannica.com/contributor/Robert-J-Thompson/5129","@type":"Person"}],"keywords":"Television in the United States","wordcount":24441,"url":"https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States","datePublished":"2009-08-12T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","description":"Television in the United States, the body of television programming created and broadcast in the United States since the mid-20th century.","publisher":{"name":"Encyclopedia Britannica","@type":"Organization","logo":{"url":"https://corporate.britannica.com/wp-content/themes/eb-corporate/_img/logo.png","@type":"ImageObject"}},"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"article"} </script> </head> <body data-leg="D" class="new-topic topic-desktop first-page-true user-ANONYMOUS user-ads md-desktop leg-d b-ie">  <script>Mendel.config.adProvider='cafemedia';</script> <script data-no-optimize="1" data-cfasync="false"> (function(w, d) { w.adthrive = w.adthrive || {}; w.adthrive.cmd = w. adthrive.cmd || []; w.adthrive.plugin = 'adthrive-ads-manual'; w.adthrive.host = 'ads.adthrive.com';var s = d.createElement('script'); s.async = true; s.referrerpolicy='no-referrer-when-downgrade'; s.src = 'https://' + w.adthrive.host + '/sites/61575e5c934c481d714b3ca9/ads.min.js?referrer=' + w.encodeURIComponent(w.location.href) + '&cb=' + (Math.floor(Math.random() * 100) + 1); var n = d.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; n.parentNode.insertBefore(s, n); })(window, document); </script> <div class="ie-warning d-flex align-items-center align-self-center justify-content-center site-alert bg-orange"> <div> You are using an <strong>outdated</strong> browser. Please <a class="text-white text-underscore" href="https://browsehappy.com/">upgrade your browser</a> to improve your experience and security. </div> </div> <script id="json-navbar-info" type="application/json"> {"topSectionLinks":[{"title":"Ask the Chatbot","url":"/chatbot","navbarId":"CHATBOT"},{"title":"Games & Quizzes","url":"/quiz/browse","navbarId":"QUIZZES"},{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society","navbarId":"HISTORY"},{"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech","navbarId":"SCIENCE"},{"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies","navbarId":"BIOS"},{"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature","navbarId":"ANIMALS"},{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel","navbarId":"GEOGRAPHY"},{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture","selected":true,"navbarId":"ART"},{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon","navbarId":"PROCON"},{"title":"Money","url":"/money","navbarId":"MONEY"},{"title":"Videos","url":"/videos","navbarId":"VIDEOS"}],"selectedSuperCategory":{"id":2,"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"Arts-Culture","description":"Explore arts and culture; entertainment and pop culture, actors, comics, dance, film, food, music, theatre, tv; visual arts, architecture, fashion, painting, photography, sculpture; literature, fiction, nonfiction, plays, poetry, short story; sports and recreation","keywords":"entertainment and pop culture, actors, comics, dance, film, food, music, theatre, tv; visual arts, architecture, fashion, painting, photography, sculpture; literature, fiction, nonfiction, plays, poetry, short story; sports and recreation","classId":"ART","sortOrder":6},"selectedNavbarLink":{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture","selected":true,"navbarId":"ART"}} </script> <script id="json-hamburger-menu" type="application/json"> {"britannicaMenu1":[{"title":"Home","url":"/"},{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society"},{"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech"},{"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies"},{"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature"},{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel"},{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture"},{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon"},{"title":"Money","url":"/money"}],"britannicaMenu2":[{"title":"Games & Quizzes","url":"/quiz/browse"},{"title":"Videos","url":"/videos"},{"title":"On This Day","url":"/on-this-day"},{"title":"One Good Fact","url":"/one-good-fact"},{"title":"Dictionary","url":"/dictionary"},{"title":"New Articles","url":"/new-articles"}],"browseByCategory":[{"title":{"id":5,"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society"},"links":[{"title":"Lifestyles & Social Issues","url":"/browse/Lifestyles-Social-Issues"},{"title":"Philosophy & Religion","url":"/browse/Philosophy-Religion"},{"title":"Politics, Law & Government","url":"/browse/Politics-Law-Government"},{"title":"World History","url":"/browse/World-History"}]},{"title":{"id":6,"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech"},"links":[{"title":"Health & Medicine","url":"/browse/Health-Medicine"},{"title":"Science","url":"/browse/Science"},{"title":"Technology","url":"/browse/Technology"}]},{"title":{"id":3,"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies"},"links":[{"title":"Browse Biographies","url":"/browse/biographies"}]},{"title":{"id":1,"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature"},"links":[{"title":"Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates","url":"/browse/Birds-Reptiles-Vertebrates"},{"title":"Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates","url":"/browse/Bugs-Mollusks-Invertebrates"},{"title":"Environment","url":"/browse/Environment"},{"title":"Fossils & Geologic Time","url":"/browse/Fossil-Geologic-Time"},{"title":"Mammals","url":"/browse/Mammals"},{"title":"Plants","url":"/browse/Plants"}]},{"title":{"id":4,"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel"},"links":[{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/browse/Geography-Travel"}]},{"title":{"id":2,"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture"},"links":[{"title":"Entertainment & Pop Culture","url":"/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture"},{"title":"Literature","url":"/browse/Literature"},{"title":"Sports & Recreation","url":"/browse/Sports-Recreation"},{"title":"Visual Arts","url":"/browse/Visual-Arts"}]}],"browseByFeature":[{"title":"Companions","url":"/stories/companion"},{"title":"Demystified","url":"/stories/demystified"},{"title":"Image Galleries","url":"/gallery/browse"},{"title":"Lists","url":"/list/browse"},{"title":"Podcasts","url":"/podcasts"},{"title":"Spotlight","url":"/stories/spotlight"},{"title":"Summaries","url":"/summary"},{"title":"The Forum","url":"/stories/the-forum"},{"title":"Top Questions","url":"/question"},{"title":"#WTFact","url":"/stories/wtfact"}],"moreFromBritannica":[{"title":"Britannica Kids","url":"https://kids.britannica.com/","newTab":true}],"menuType":"DEFAULT"} </script> <header id="header" class="bg-navy-dark"> <div class="global-nav-top-bar"> <div class="grid gx-0 h-100 justify-content-between align-items-center container-lg mx-auto p-0 position-relative"> <div class="d-flex align-items-center"> <button class="d-flex align-items-center justify-self-start js-toggle js-toggle-hamburger btn btn-link link-white btn-sm rounded-0 p-10"> <div class="hamburger-tooltip"> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block font-24" id="nav-toggle" data-icon="menu"></em> </div> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block font-24 global-nav-search-icon" id="nav-search-icon" data-icon="search" ></em> </button> <a href="/" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center ml-10"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png" alt="Encyclopedia Britannica" class="global-nav-logo global-nav-logo-left" /> </a> <div class="global-nav-top-search-bar global-nav-top-search-container global-nav-search-container" id="global-nav-top-search-bar"> <form method="get" action="/search" id="global-nav-search" class="md-search-form m-0 global-nav-search-bar-small"> <div class="search-box position-relative col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="global-nav-search-query">Search Britannica</label> <input name="query" id="global-nav-search-query" placeholder="Search Britannica..." class="form-control form-control-lg rounded-lg font-16 search-query pl-20 pr-70 shadow-sm" maxlength="200" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search Britannica" /> <button class="search-reset-btn btn btn-link px-10 position-absolute top-0 h-100 d-none" type="reset"> <em class="material-icons" data-icon="close"></em> </button> <button class="search-submit btn btn-link text-blue px-10 position-absolute top-0 right-0 h-100" type="submit" disabled> <span class="sr-only">Click here to search</span> <em class="material-icons search-icon" data-icon="search"></em> </button> </div> </form> </div> </div> <a href="/" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png" alt="Encyclopedia Britannica" class="global-nav-center global-nav-logo non-homepage-logo" /> </a> <form method="get" action="/search" id="global-nav-search" class="md-search-form m-0 global-nav-search-bar-small global-nav-center search global-nav-center-search-container"> <div class="search-box position-relative col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="global-nav-search-query">Search Britannica</label> <input name="query" id="global-nav-search-query" placeholder="Search Britannica..." class="form-control form-control-lg rounded-lg font-16 search-query pl-20 pr-70 shadow-sm" maxlength="200" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search Britannica" /> <button class="search-reset-btn btn btn-link px-10 position-absolute top-0 h-100 d-none" type="reset"> <em class="material-icons" data-icon="close"></em> </button> <button class="search-submit btn btn-link text-blue px-10 position-absolute top-0 right-0 h-100" type="submit" disabled> <span class="sr-only">Click here to search</span> <em class="material-icons search-icon" data-icon="search"></em> </button> </div> </form> <div class="col-35 col-sm-auto text-right order-3 mr-lg-15 align-items-center d-flex justify-content-end"> <div class="d-none d-md-inline-block"> <SPAN class="marketing-HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_DESKTOP2 marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_DESKTOP2"><a href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav&utm_campaign=evergreen-cap" class="subscribe-link btn btn-sm btn-orange py-5 mr-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> SUBSCRIBE </a></SPAN></div> <div class="d-inline-block d-md-none mr-5 mr-sm-10"> <SPAN class="marketing-HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_MOBILE marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_MOBILE"><a href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav-mobile&utm_campaign=evergreen" class="subscribe-link btn btn-xs btn-orange p-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> SUBSCRIBE </a></SPAN></div> <button class="js-toggle-user-dropdown js-toggle btn btn-sm btn-link link-white rounded-0 px-md-15 pl-5 pr-5"> <span class="d-none d-md-inline-block mr-5">Login</span> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block d-md-none font-16 font-sm-20" data-icon="account_circle"></em> <div class="d-none dropdown-menu-subscription-link">https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=nav-login-box&utm_campaign=evergreen</div> <em class="material-icons inactive-icon d-inline-block font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_down"></em> <em class="material-icons active-icon d-inline-block font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_up"></em> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none hamburger-menu-subscription-link"><DIV class="marketing-HAMBURGER_MENU_CTA marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HAMBURGER_MENU_CTA"><a href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=hamburger-menu&utm_campaign=evergreen" class="subscribe-link btn btn-sm btn-orange py-5" target="_blank"> SUBSCRIBE </a></DIV></div> <div id="global-nav-react"> <div class="d-none"> <ul> <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/History-Society">History & Society</a></li> <li><a href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a></li> <li><a href="/Biographies">Biographies</a></li> <li><a href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a></li> <li><a href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a></li> <li><a href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/procon">ProCon</a></li> <li><a href="/money">Money</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/quiz/browse">Games & Quizzes</a></li> <li><a href="/videos">Videos</a></li> <li><a href="/on-this-day">On This Day</a></li> <li><a href="/one-good-fact">One Good Fact</a></li> <li><a href="/dictionary">Dictionary</a></li> <li><a href="/new-articles">New Articles</a></li> </ul> <a href="/History-Society">History & Society</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Lifestyles-Social-Issues">Lifestyles & Social Issues</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Philosophy-Religion">Philosophy & Religion</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Politics-Law-Government">Politics, Law & Government</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/World-History">World History</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Health-Medicine">Health & Medicine</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Science">Science</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Technology">Technology</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Biographies">Biographies</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/biographies">Browse Biographies</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Birds-Reptiles-Vertebrates">Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Bugs-Mollusks-Invertebrates">Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Environment">Environment</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Fossil-Geologic-Time">Fossils & Geologic Time</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Mammals">Mammals</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Plants">Plants</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture">Entertainment & Pop Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Literature">Literature</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Sports-Recreation">Sports & Recreation</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Visual-Arts">Visual Arts</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/stories/companion">Companions</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/demystified">Demystified</a></li> <li><a href="/gallery/browse">Image Galleries</a></li> <li><a href="/list/browse">Lists</a></li> <li><a href="/podcasts">Podcasts</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/spotlight">Spotlight</a></li> <li><a href="/summary">Summaries</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/the-forum">The Forum</a></li> <li><a href="/question">Top Questions</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/wtfact">#WTFact</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="https://kids.britannica.com/">Britannica Kids</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </header> <div class="bg-navy-dark"> <div class="container-lg p-0 d-flex justify-content-center global-nav-categories-bar overflow-hidden"> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 global-nav-slider category-snap-slider"> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex font-14 overflow-hidden text-nowrap mx-5"> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-CHATBOT " href="/chatbot">Ask the Chatbot</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-QUIZZES " href="/quiz/browse">Games & Quizzes</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-HISTORY " href="/History-Society">History & Society</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-SCIENCE " href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-BIOS " href="/Biographies">Biographies</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-ANIMALS " href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-GEOGRAPHY " href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-ART selected selected" href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-PROCON " href="/procon">ProCon</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-MONEY " href="/money">Money</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-VIDEOS " href="/videos">Videos</a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <main> <div class="md-page-wrapper"> <div id="content" class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-desktop infinite-pagination"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <script> Object.assign( window.Mendel.config, { "infiniteScrollList": [{"p":27,"t":1513870},{"p":21,"t":1262241},{"p":1,"t":1995158},{"p":1,"t":414607},{"p":5,"t":101977},{"p":5,"t":550924},{"p":1,"t":126803},{"p":1,"t":265176},{"p":1,"t":126599},{"p":1,"t":99756}], "sequence": 1, "topics": {} }); </script> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content md-expanded" data-topic-id="1513870"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States">Television in the United States</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref283599"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States#ref283599">Overview</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref283600"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States#ref283600">The Golden Age: 1948–59</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283601"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States#ref283601">Getting started</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283602"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Early-genres">Early genres</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283603"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Early-genres#ref283603">Variety shows</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283604"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Early-genres#ref283604">Anthology series</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283605"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Early-genres#ref283605">Developing genres</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283606"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Sitcoms">Sitcoms</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283607"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Sitcoms#ref283607">The freeze</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283608"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/News-and-politics">News and politics</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283609"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/News-and-politics#ref283609">The political commercial</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283610"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/News-and-politics#ref283610">Nixon’s “Checkers” speech</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283611"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-red-scare">The red scare</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283612"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-red-scare#ref283612">Responding to McCarthy</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283613"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-late-Golden-Age">The late Golden Age</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref283614"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-year-of-transition-1959">The year of transition: 1959</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref283615"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-year-of-transition-1959#ref283615">The 1960s</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283616"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-Kennedy-Nixon-debates">The Kennedy-Nixon debates</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283617"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-Kennedy-Nixon-debates#ref283617">Minow’s “vast wasteland”</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283618"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Rural-humour">Rural humour</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283619"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Rural-humour#ref283619">Escapism</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283620"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/A-potpourri-of-genres">A potpourri of genres</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283621"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/A-potpourri-of-genres#ref283621">Technology and educational TV</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283622"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/A-potpourri-of-genres#ref283622">Satellites</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283623"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/A-potpourri-of-genres#ref283623">Educational TV</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref283624"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-late-1960s-and-early-70s-the-relevance-movement">The late 1960s and early ’70s: the relevance movement</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283625"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-late-1960s-and-early-70s-the-relevance-movement#ref283625">The new cultural landscape</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283626"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/All-in-the-Family"><em>All in the Family</em></a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283627"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/All-in-the-Family#ref283627"><em>The Mary Tyler Moore Show</em></a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283628"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/M-A-S-H"><em>M*A*S*H</em></a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283629"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/M-A-S-H#ref283629">The development of sports programming</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283630"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Media-versus-the-federal-government">Media versus the federal government</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283631"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Media-versus-the-federal-government#ref283631">The Prime Time Access Rule and “fin-syn”</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283632"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/TV-violence-and-self-regulation">TV violence and self-regulation</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref283633"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/TV-violence-and-self-regulation#ref283633">The late 1970s: the new escapism</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283634"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/TV-violence-and-self-regulation#ref283634">“Jiggle TV”</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283635"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-era-of-the-miniseries">The era of the miniseries</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref283636"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-era-of-the-miniseries#ref283636">The 1980s: television redefined</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283637"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-era-of-the-miniseries#ref283637">The growth of cable TV</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283638"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/CNN">CNN</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283639"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/CNN#ref283639">MTV</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283640"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/CNN#ref283640">Quality dramas</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283641"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Nighttime-soaps">Nighttime soaps</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283642"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Nighttime-soaps#ref283642">The late shows</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283643"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Tabloid-TV">Tabloid TV</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283644"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Tabloid-TV#ref283644">Reorganization and deregulation</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref283645"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-1990s-the-loss-of-shared-experience">The 1990s: the loss of shared experience</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283646"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-1990s-the-loss-of-shared-experience#ref283646">Demographic divergence</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283647"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Urban-humour">Urban humour</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283648"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Urban-humour#ref283648">The newsmagazines</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283649"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Teen-dramas-and-adult-cartoons">Teen dramas and adult cartoons</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref283650"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Teen-dramas-and-adult-cartoons#ref283650">New boundaries: the growth of cable</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283651"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Conglomerates-and-codes">Conglomerates and codes</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref283652"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-21st-century">The 21st century</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283653"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-21st-century#ref283653">Breaking news</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283654"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-21st-century#ref283654">Cable news as entertainment</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283655"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-21st-century#ref283655">The return of the game show</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283656"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Reality-TV">Reality TV</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283657"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/Prime-time-in-the-new-century">Prime time in the new century</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref283658"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/The-new-technologies">The “new technologies”</a></li></ul></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/television-in-the-United-States">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States/images-videos">Images & Videos</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/76483-050-39EA4360/Milton-Berle.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1513870/96645" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/76483-004-F1B33F46/Milton-Berle.jpg" alt="Milton Berle" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/episode-Milton-Berle-guest-appearance-The-Buick-Berle-1954/127608" data-href="/media/1/1513870/127608" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/78/129278-138-51AD7AB8/episode-Milton-Berle-guest-appearance-The-Buick-Berle-1954.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Watch a 1954 episode of “The Buick-Berle Show” featuring Milton Berle and a guest appearance by Mickey Rooney" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/90/159690-050-C429DC45/George-Burns-Gracie-Allen-1958.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1513870/168729" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/90/159690-004-91538E2D/George-Burns-Gracie-Allen-1958.jpg" alt="George Burns and Gracie Allen" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/96/127396-050-ED52C245/Jay-Silverheels-Clayton-Moore-Tonto-the-Lone-1951.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1513870/122004" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/96/127396-004-D656D774/Jay-Silverheels-Clayton-Moore-Tonto-the-Lone-1951.jpg" alt="Jay Silverheels and Clayton Moore in The Lone Ranger" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/episode-You-Bet-Your-Life-Groucho-Marx/127609" data-href="/media/1/1513870/127609" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/80/129280-138-F84E6F38/episode-You-Bet-Your-Life-Groucho-Marx.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Watch an episode of the television game show “You Bet Your Life” hosted by Groucho Marx" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/71/128671-050-DA8038FB/Jackie-Gleason-Audrey-Meadows-Art-Carney-The-Honeymooners.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1513870/185600" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/71/128671-004-5D3F59B2/Jackie-Gleason-Audrey-Meadows-Art-Carney-The-Honeymooners.jpg" alt="The Honeymooners" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/The-Honeymooners-sketch-program-Cavalcade-of-Stars-1951/127603" data-href="/media/1/1513870/127603" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/129273-138-2B087B7B/The-Honeymooners-sketch-program-Cavalcade-of-Stars-1951.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Watch “The Honeymooners,” a 1951 sketch from Cavalcade of Stars" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/13205-004-943C18C9/Lucille-Ball-Desi-Arnaz.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1513870/8727" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/13205-004-943C18C9/Lucille-Ball-Desi-Arnaz.jpg" alt="Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/19051-004-9926CB31/Edward-R-Murrow-1954.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1513870/16621" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/19051-004-9926CB31/Edward-R-Murrow-1954.jpg" alt="Edward R. Murrow" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/92/129192-050-110C58CF/Ken-Curtis-Matt-Dillon-role-Gunsmoke-television.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1513870/124688" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/92/129192-004-6EBA4D22/Ken-Curtis-Matt-Dillon-role-Gunsmoke-television.jpg" alt="Gunsmoke" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-quizzes"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Quizzes </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/pop-culture-vocabulary-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/249845-131-314A2B7D/1970s-retro-television-set.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="1970s style television set with static on the screen, on a small table with a doily underneath. (retro style)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/pop-culture-vocabulary-quiz" >Pop Culture Vocabulary Quiz</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/pop-culture-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/65/129465-131-8F637272/USA-Annual-Academy-Awards-Closeup-entrance-statue-2009.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="USA 2006 - 78th Annual Academy Awards. Closeup of giant Oscar statue at the entrance of the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, film movie hollywood" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/pop-culture-quiz" >Pop Culture Quiz</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/american-reality-tv"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/90/187190-131-5CD23365/Kardashians-Colony-Kardashian-Kollection-Launch-Party-Los-August-17-2011.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="The Kardashians at the Kardashian Kollection Launch Party held at the Colony in Los Angeles, California, United States on August 17, 2011." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/american-reality-tv" >American Reality TV</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/and-the-emmy-goes-to-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/186091-131-F226EB43/Viola-Davis-work-TV-series-Emmy-Award-2015.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Viola Davis accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "How to Get Away With Murder"at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/and-the-emmy-goes-to-quiz" >“And The Emmy Goes To…” Quiz</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-read-next"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Read Next </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/pro-and-con-binge-watching"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/68/230768-131-2275F759/Television-TV-remote.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Hand on TV remote. Television remote. Binge watching. Streaming TV shows. Television apps and programs" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/pro-and-con-binge-watching" >Pro and Con: Binge-Watching</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/14-questions-about-government-in-the-united-states-answered"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/35/137235-131-D6F1442C/building-United-States-Supreme-Court-court-world-1935.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="The United States Supreme Court building, Washington, D.C." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/14-questions-about-government-in-the-united-states-answered" >14 Questions About Government in the United States Answered</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/vile-or-visionary-11-art-controversies-of-the-last-four-centuries"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/181457-131-E3E73B89/Members-artwork-view-art-gallery-Damien-Hirst-April-2-2012.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Members of the public view artwork by Damien Hirst entitled: The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living - in the Tate Modern art gallery on April 2, 2012 in London, England. (see notes) (1991) Tiger shark, glass, steel" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/vile-or-visionary-11-art-controversies-of-the-last-four-centuries" >Vile or Visionary?: 11 Art Controversies of the Last Four Centuries</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/5-art-restorations-gone-wrong"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/234574-131-61BF2B71/sculpture-woman-before-and-after-restoration-office-building-Palencia-Spain.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Sculpture of woman before restoration (left) and after restoration on the exterior of an office building in Palencia, Spain. (art restoration)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/5-art-restorations-gone-wrong" >5 Art Restorations Gone Wrong</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/us-death-toll-during-major-events"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/85/237485-131-5B5B4152/interactive-United-States-death-toll-major-events.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Bar graph of the United States Death Toll during major events. Infogram chart." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/us-death-toll-during-major-events" >U.S. Death Toll During Major Events</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-discover"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Discover </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/new-seven-wonders-of-the-world"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/162636-131-E4AA93A0/Colosseum-Rome-Italy.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="The Colosseum, Rome, Italy. Giant amphitheatre built in Rome under the Flavian emperors. (ancient architecture; architectural ruins)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/new-seven-wonders-of-the-world" >New Seven Wonders of the World</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/10-democrats-who-made-history"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/89/164789-131-D3197AD4/Barack-Obama-2012.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="United States Presidential Election of 2012. Mitt Romney. Official portrait of President Barack Obama in the Oval Office, Dec. 6, 2012 after his reelection Nov. 6, 2012. Official portrait Obama" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/10-democrats-who-made-history" >10 Democrats Who Made History</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/6-important-mughal-emperors"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/172209-131-02E18D09/Shah-Jahan-watercolour-gold-ink-paper-1690.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Shah Jahan. Taj Mahal. Mughal architecture. Emperor Shah Jahan fifth Mughal Emperor (reigned 1628-1658) India, Himachal Pradesh, Basohli or Jammu and Kashmir, Mankot, circa 1690 Drawings; Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper (see notes)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/6-important-mughal-emperors" >6 Important Mughal Emperors</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/10-women-scientists-who-should-be-famous-or-more-famous"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/38/148438-131-7A2FD02E/Maria-Telkes.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Dr. Maria Telkes, September 4, 1956." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/10-women-scientists-who-should-be-famous-or-more-famous" >10 Women Scientists Who Should Be Famous (or More Famous)</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/is-spontaneous-human-combustion-real"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/07/195407-131-BF6F47C2/Illustration-Spontaneous-human-combustion.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Illustration for Demystified "Spontaneous human combustion"." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/is-spontaneous-human-combustion-real" >Is Spontaneous Human Combustion Real?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/secret-service-code-names-of-11-us-presidents"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/189145-131-45FF672E/Secret-Service-Agent-Earpiece.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Secret Service Agent Listens To Earpiece" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/secret-service-code-names-of-11-us-presidents" >Secret Service Code Names of 11 U.S. Presidents</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/how-many-countries-are-there-in-the-world"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/27/238527-131-D73B3F08/flagpoles-world-countries.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Flags of the countries of the world (flagpoles)." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/how-many-countries-are-there-in-the-world" >How Many Countries Are There in the World?</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <button class="drawerToggle btn position-sticky border btn-xs btn-white btn-circle rounded-sm d-none d-lg-flex " type="button" aria-label="Toggle Drawer"> <em class="material-icons font-18 text-blue" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="h-100 ml-0 pr-lg-0 "> <div class="h-100 grid gx-0 gx-lg-20"> <div class="h-100 col-sm"> <div class="h-100 infinite-pagination-container d-flex flex-column position-relative"> <div class="position-absolute top-0 h-100 w-100"> <div class="toc-sticky-header d-none d-lg-none bg-gray-50 px-10 px-sm-30 position-sticky w-100 "> <div class="toc-sticky-header-inner-container align-items-center d-flex mx-auto h-100 w-100"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-sm btn-white text-blue border-2 border-gray-100 gtm-mobile-toc-header-button js-sections-button d-lg-none p-10"> <em class="material-icons my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Contents </button> <div class="header-ai-ask-button-placeholder"></div> <div class="header-ai-summarize-button-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grey-box w-100 grey-box-top"> <div class="grey-box-content mx-auto w-100"> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 1, "item" : { "@id" : "https://www.britannica.com/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture", "name": "Entertainment & Pop Culture" } } , { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 2, "item" : { "@id" : "https://www.britannica.com/browse/Television-Radio", "name": "Television & Radio" } } , { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 3, "item" : { "@id" : "https://www.britannica.com/browse/TV-Radio-Shows-Networks", "name": "TV & Radio Shows & Networks" } } ] } </script> <nav class="breadcrumb mt-20"> <span class="breadcrumb-item "> <a class="link-gray-600" href="/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture">Entertainment & Pop Culture</a> </span> <span class="breadcrumb-item "> <a class="link-gray-600" href="/browse/Television-Radio">Television & Radio</a> </span> <span class="breadcrumb-item "> <a class="link-gray-600" href="/browse/TV-Radio-Shows-Networks">TV & Radio Shows & Networks</a> </span> </nav> <div class="page2ref-true topic-content topic-type-REGULAR" data-student-article="false"> <script class="page-description-json" type="application/json"> { "url": "/art/television-in-the-United-States", "shareUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States", "browserTitle": "Television in the United States | History & Shows", "firstTopicPage": true, "topicId":1513870 } </script> <div class="reading-channel"> <div class="desktop-header-image module-spacing"> <figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-20 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="13684" data-asm-type="image"> <div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"> <a style="min-height: 160px;" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/76483-050-39EA4360/Milton-Berle.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/1513870/96645"> <picture> <source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/76483-050-39EA4360/Milton-Berle.jpg?w=300"> <img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/76483-050-39EA4360/Milton-Berle.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop" alt="Milton Berle" loading="eager" /> </picture> <button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"> <em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em> </button> </a> </div> <figcaption class="card-body"> <div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"> <span> <a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/76483-050-39EA4360/Milton-Berle.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1513870/96645">Milton Berle</a> <span></span> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <span class="link-blue">(more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h1>Television in the United States</h1></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="d-block md-topic-tools qa-action-buttons mb-15" data-topic-id="1513870"> <button class="js-tooltip btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border pr-10 border-2 text-nowrap" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="more_vert"></em> More Actions </button> <div class="md-more-popover popover popover-sm p-0 font-14 z-1"> <div> <button class="js-print-modal-button js-modal gtm-topic-tool btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=1513870] .md-print-modal" > <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="print"></em> Print </button> <div class="md-print-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">print</em> Print </div> <div class="mt-20 mb-10"> Please select which sections you would like to print: </div> <form action="/print/article/1513870" method="post" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <div class="print-box-items"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><label><input class="mr-10" type="checkbox" name="sequence[]" value="0">Table Of Contents</label></li> </ul> </div> <input type="submit" class="btn btn-blue md-disabled" value="Print" /> </form> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-modal qa-cite-modal-button btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=1513870] .md-cite-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="verified"></em> Cite </button> <div class="md-cite-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom mb-15"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">verified</em>Cite </div> <div class="font-serif"> While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. </div> <div class="label mt-20 mb-10">Select Citation Style</div> <select class="js-citation-format-select form-select"> <option selected value="mla">MLA</option> <option value="apa">APA</option> <option value="chicago">Chicago Manual of Style</option> </select> <div class="citation font-serif border rounded p-15 mt-20" data-authors="Allen, Steve, Thompson, Robert J." data-authors-initial="Allen, S., Thompson, R.J." data-title="Television in the United States" data-published-date="29 Jan. 2025" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States" > <div class="citation-text"></div> </div> <button class="js-copy-citation-button mt-20 btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="file_copy"></em> <span class="js-citation-status-text">Copy Citation</span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-share-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=1513870] .md-share-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="share"></em> Share </button> <div class="md-share-modal size-lg d-none qa-share-modal"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10" data-icon="share"></em> Share </div> <div class="label my-20">Share to social media</div> <div class="md-social-toolbar-circle d-flex align-items-start inverted" data-value="share" title="Television in the United States" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States" > <a class="social-icon facebook justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Facebook</span></a> <a class="social-icon x justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="x" href="https://x.com/britannica" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>X</span></a> </div> <div class="label pt-20 mt-20 mb-5 border-top">URL</div> <a class="font-serif text-truncate d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States">https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States</a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-feedback-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal=".md-feedback-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="message"></em> Feedback </button> </div> <div> <button class="qa-external-website-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=1513870] .md-websites-modal"> <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 mr-5" data-icon="link"></em> External Websites </button> </div> </div> <div class="md-feedback-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom"> Feedback </div> <form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/1513870"> <div class="my-20"> Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="http://www.ushistory.org/us/53c.asp" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">U.S. History.org - Land of Television</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="http://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/Electronic-Technology/Television/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">History, Art, and Archives - United States House of Representatives - Speaker Martin's Television Debut: The House and Television</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="http://www.elon.edu/e-web/predictions/150/1930.xhtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Elon University School of Communications - Imagining the Internet Center - 1920s-1960s Television</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Steve-Allen/5473" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Steve Allen</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Steve Allen was a pioneering American television entertainer, versatile author, songwriter, and comedian who performed in radio, motion pictures, and theatre as well as television. He was perhaps best...</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Steve Allen</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Robert-J-Thompson/5129" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Robert J. Thompson</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University; founding director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television. Author of <em>Television's Second Golden Age</em>...</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Robert J. Thompson</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-01-29T00:00:00CST" >Jan 29, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/place/United-States" topicid="616563">United States</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/television-broadcasting" topicid="586142">television</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/television-in-the-United-States"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref1022914"></span>Television in the United States</strong>, the body of <span id="ref1058934"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/television-broadcasting" class="md-crosslink ">television</a> programming created and broadcast in the <span id="ref1058705"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-United-States" class="md-crosslink ">United States</a>. American TV programs, like American popular <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="culture" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture" data-type="MW">culture</a> in general in the 20th and early 21st centuries, have spread far beyond the boundaries of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> and have had a <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="pervasive" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pervasive" data-type="MW">pervasive</a> influence on global popular culture.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref283599"> <h2 class="h1">Overview</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Although television was first regarded by many as “<span id="ref1053891"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/radio" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">radio</a> with pictures,” public reaction to the arrival of TV was strikingly different from that afforded the advent of radio. Radio in its early days was perceived as a technological wonder rather than a medium of cultural significance. The public quickly adjusted to radio broadcasting and either enjoyed its many programs or turned them off. Television, however, prompted a tendency to criticize and evaluate rather than a simple on-off response.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">One aspect of early television that can never be recaptured is the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="combined" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/combined" data-type="EB">combined</a> sense of astonishment and glamour that greeted the medium during its infancy. At the midpoint of the 20th century, the public was properly agog about being able to see and hear actual events that were happening across town or hundreds of miles away. Relatively few people had sets in their homes, but popular fascination with TV was so pronounced that crowds would gather on the sidewalks in front of stores that displayed a working television set or two. The same thing happened in the typical tavern, where a set behind the bar virtually guaranteed a full house. Sports events that might attract a crowd of 30,000 or 40,000 suddenly, with the addition of TV cameras, had audiences numbering in the millions. By the end of television’s first decade, it was widely believed to have greater influence on American culture than parents, schools, churches, and government—institutions that had been until then the dominant influences on popular conduct. All were superseded by this one cultural <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="juggernaut" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juggernaut" data-type="MW">juggernaut</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The 1950s was a time of remarkable achievement in television, but this was not the case for the entire medium. American viewers old enough to remember TV in the ’50s may fondly recall the shows of <span id="ref1053733"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sid-Caesar" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sid Caesar</a>, <span id="ref1053734"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jackie-Gleason" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Jackie Gleason</a>, <span id="ref1053735"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Milton-Berle" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Milton Berle</a>, and <span id="ref1053736"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lucille-Ball" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lucille Ball</a>, but such high-quality <span id="ref1053737"></span>programs were the exception; most of television during its formative years could be aptly described, as it was by one Broadway playwright, as “amateurs playing at home movies.” The underlying problem was not a shortage of talented writers, producers, and performers; there were plenty, but they were already busily involved on the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Broadway-street-and-district-New-York-City" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Broadway</a> stage and in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/vaudeville" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">vaudeville</a>, radio, and motion pictures. Consequently, television drew chiefly on a talent pool of individuals who had not achieved success in the more popular media and on the young and inexperienced who were years from reaching their potential. Nevertheless, the new medium ultimately proved so fascinating a technical novelty that in the early stages of its development the quality of its content seemed almost not to matter.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Fortunately, the dearth of talent was short-lived. Although it would take at least another decade before areas such as news and sports coverage approached their potential, more than enough excellence in the categories of <span id="ref1053881"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/comedy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">comedy</a> and <span id="ref1053882"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/dramatic-television" class="md-crosslink ">drama</a> emerged in the 1950s to deserve the attention of discriminating viewers. They are the most fondly remembered of the Golden Age <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="genres" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genres" data-type="MW">genres</a> for both emotional and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="intellectual" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intellectual" data-type="MW">intellectual</a> reasons. Live TV drama was, in essence, the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="legitimate" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legitimate" data-type="MW">legitimate</a> theatre’s contribution to the new medium; such shows were regarded as “prestige” events and were afforded respect accordingly. The comedies of the era are remembered for the same reason that comedy itself endures: human suffering and the ever-elusive pursuit of happiness render laughter a necessary palliative, and people therefore have a particular fondness for those who amuse them.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/pop-culture-vocabulary-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/249845-131-314A2B7D/1970s-retro-television-set.jpg" alt="1970s style television set with static on the screen, on a small table with a doily underneath. (retro style)" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Pop Culture Vocabulary Quiz</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/contributor/Steve-Allen/5473">Steve Allen</a></span> </section> <span class="marker h3"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref283600"> <h2 class="h1">The Golden Age: 1948–59</h2> <section data-level="2" id="ref283601"> <h2 class="h2">Getting started</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Until the fall of 1948, regularly scheduled programming on the four networks—the <span id="ref1053738"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/American-Broadcasting-Company" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">American Broadcasting Company</a> (ABC), the <span id="ref1053739"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/CBS-Corporation" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Columbia Broadcasting System</a> (CBS; later <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/CBS-Corporation" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">CBS Corporation</a>), the <span id="ref1053740"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/National-Broadcasting-Co-Inc" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">National Broadcasting Co.</a> (NBC), and the <span id="ref1053741"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/DuMont-Television-Network" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">DuMont Television Network</a>, which folded in 1955—was scarce. On some evenings, a network might not offer any programs at all, and it was rare for any network to broadcast a full <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="complement" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/complement" data-type="EB">complement</a> of shows during the entire period that became known as prime time (8–11 <span class="text-smallcaps">pm</span>, Eastern Standard Time). Sales of television sets were low, so, even if programs had been available, their potential audience was limited. To encourage sales, daytime sports broadcasts were scheduled on weekends in an effort to lure heads of households to purchase sets they saw demonstrated in local appliance stores and taverns—the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="venues" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venues" data-type="MW">venues</a> where most TV viewing in America took place before 1948.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="127608" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="video" video-id="129278"><a data-id="129278" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/episode-Milton-Berle-guest-appearance-The-Buick-Berle-1954/-127608"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/78/129278-138-51AD7AB8/episode-Milton-Berle-guest-appearance-The-Buick-Berle-1954.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="Watch a 1954 episode of “The Buick-Berle Show” featuring Milton Berle and a guest appearance by Mickey Rooney" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/f7Scla5n.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/78/129278-138-51AD7AB8/episode-Milton-Berle-guest-appearance-The-Buick-Berle-1954.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/4rlR6RT8", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/OHaor3zN.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="129278">Watch a 1954 episode of “The Buick-Berle Show” featuring Milton Berle and a guest appearance by Mickey Rooney</span><span>A 1954 episode of <em>The Buick-Berle Show</em> (1953–55) featuring star Milton Berle and a guest appearance by Mickey Rooney.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/art/television-in-the-United-States/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Although a television set cost about $400—a substantial sum at the time—TV was soon “catching on like a case of high-toned scarlet fever,” according to a March 1948 edition of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Newsweek" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true"><em>Newsweek</em></a> magazine. By autumn of that year, most of the evening schedules on all four networks had been filled, and sets began appearing in more and more living rooms, a phenomenon many credited to comedian <span id="ref1053743"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Milton-Berle" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Milton Berle</a>. Berle was the star of TV’s first hit show, <em><span id="ref1053742"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Texaco-Star-Theater" class="md-crosslink ">The Texaco Star Theatre</a></em> (NBC, 1948–53), a <span id="ref1053880"></span>comedy-variety show that quickly became the most popular program at that point in television’s very short history. When the series <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="debuted" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/debuted" data-type="EB">debuted</a>, fewer than 2 percent of American households had a television set; when Berle left the air in 1956 (after starring in his subsequent NBC series <em><span id="ref1058957"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Buick-Berle-Show" class="md-crosslink ">The Buick-Berle Show</a></em> [1953–55] and <em><span id="ref1058958"></span>The Milton Berle Show</em> [1955–56]), TV was in 70 percent of the country’s homes, and Berle had acquired the nickname “Mr. Television.”</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=august-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="168729" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/90/159690-050-C429DC45/George-Burns-Gracie-Allen-1958.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/1513870/168729"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/90/159690-050-C429DC45/George-Burns-Gracie-Allen-1958.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/90/159690-050-C429DC45/George-Burns-Gracie-Allen-1958.jpg?w=300" alt="George Burns and Gracie Allen" data-width="748" data-height="935" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/90/159690-050-C429DC45/George-Burns-Gracie-Allen-1958.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1513870/168729">George Burns and Gracie Allen</a><span>George Burns and Gracie Allen, 1952.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Television was still in its experimental stage in 1948, and <span id="ref1053892"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/radio" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">radio</a> remained the number one broadcast medium in terms of profits, audience size, and respectability. Most of the big stars of radio—<span id="ref1053876"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jack-Benny" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Jack Benny</a>, <span id="ref1053877"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bob-Hope" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bob Hope</a>, and the team of <span id="ref1053878"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Burns" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">George Burns</a> and <span id="ref1053879"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gracie-Allen" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Gracie Allen</a>, for example—were at first reluctant to risk their substantial careers on an upstart medium like television. Berle, on the other hand, had not had much success on the radio and had little to lose by trying his luck with TV. The reluctant stars would, of course, soon follow his lead.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> </section> </section><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":27,"pageId":1513870,"pageLength":1003,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.9"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.9' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Television in the United States | History & Shows | Britannica