Date
Development
1960
  • First experimental satellite was launched .
  • Called Echo1.
1962
  • US Congress passed law that allowed home television to recieve UHF channels.
  • All television sets for sale must have VHF and UHF tuners.
  • Education Television Faculties Act- gave federal aid to educational television.
  • Test satellite called Telstar launched.
1964
  • NBC increased the amount of shows broadcast in color .
1965
  • First commercial communications satellite called Early Bird started operating.
  • Carnegie Commision studied ETV.
1966
  • Two more networks broadcast in color.
1967
  • Public Broadcasting Act passed due to Carnegie Commission Report.
1969-1972
  • FCC let cable companies operate new programs and advertising. Cable companies then were allowed to have control over their own programming.
1974
  • First actual non-experimental satellite put into use for domestic TV broadcasting.
1975
  • HBO is the first national cable network, using a satellite system.
1970's
  • VCR, disc players, and video games allow for more home entertainment than ever before!
1980's
  • European television market grew substantially over decade.
1992
  • Jonny Carson announced that he was retiring from The Tonight Show after thirty years.
1993
  • Congressional hearings were held to combat the amount of violence on television; warning labels were proposed.
1997
  • Cable's Home Box Office (HBO) won an Emmy; it was the first cable show to do so.
1998
  • Started in 1997, the FCC enacted legislation to protect children's programing.
2000s
  • TV set technology improves with HDTV, Plasma, Liquid Crystal and Projection types.

The History of Television