Television has come a long way since its inception in the early 1900s.
Here are ten fun facts about television:
1. The first ever televised event was a boxing match between two heavyweights in New York City on August 20, 1939.
2. The first regular television broadcasts began in 1941 in Schenectady, New York.
3. In 1948, the first commercial television station went on the air in Los Angeles.
4. The first colour broadcast wasn’t until 1951 and it was of a parade during the Festival of Britain.
5. The first live transatlantic broadcast occurred in 1952 and featured President Truman giving a speech at his desk in the Oval Office.
6. In 1953, “The Ed Sullivan Show” debuted and would go on to become one of the most popular variety shows of all time. It featured acts such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Michael Jackson throughout its 24-year run.
7. “I Love Lucy” premiered in 1951 and is often cited as one of the most influential sitcoms of all time. It starred Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as a married couple living in New York City.
8. “The Twilight Zone” aired for five seasons from 1959-1964 and is considered one of the greatest science fiction TV series of all time. It was created by Rod Serling and featured stories that often had twist endings or dealt with social commentary
9. “Star Trek” debuted in 1966 and spawned an entire franchise consisting of multiple spin-off series, films, books, comics, games, etc.. Set centuries into the future, “Star Trek” follows the adventures of Captain James Tiberius Kirk and his crew aboard the starship USS Enterprise as they explore strange new worlds and encounter alien life forms.
10. “Saturday Night Live” is a sketch comedy show that has been airing on NBC since 1975.
