There were two inventors that brought television to the masses.  American Charles Jenkins was given his patent for the transmission of picture over wireless in 1925 and British researcher John Baird created the first television set in the late 1920’s.  It is in America that television shows became cultural trademark of the USA and where the television became the central focus of family life.

Television Facts in the USA

• In 1928, WRGB then W2XB was started as world’s first television station, broadcasting from a small town in new York State
• It is said that those who watch color TV will dream in color while those who watch black and white TV will dream in black and white.
• The Television Ghost, aired in 1931, was the first original television program in the USA.
• Star Trek was the first show that showed an inter-racial kiss on US TV.
• In 1963 after the death of President Kennedy, the TV networks played commercial free coverage of the funeral for 4 days. This cost them roughly $100 million in advertising revenue.
• In 1987, during an episode of Dr Who, an unknown man hijacked a television station and wore a Max headroom mask while uttering nonsense. To this day he hasn’t been caught.
• In the USA there is something that is referred to as the CSI effect. This is because of unrealistic expectations of investigation techniques and forensic science due to television crime dramas and jurors.
• “Arthur”, the children’s television show, is the second longest running animated series behind “The Simpsons”.

The technology of television is continually being improved and television remains the mainstay of home entertainment in the USA and, indeed, all over the world.