EOTO: The History of Television

 In almost every American home, you can find the same things- refrigerators, beds, and in most homes, a television. Television has become a part of every day 21st century life in the US. Almost every family has one in their living room or bedroom. But how did this invention become so popular? And where did it come from? In order to dive into TV history, we have to start at the beginning, at its creation. 

The very first electronic television was created in 1927 by Philo Taylor Farnsworth, who was just 21. He took the mechanical television, which was just short image clips on a screen, and turned it into something entirely new. After tweaking and fixing for a few years American electronic television sets were produced and released commercially in 1938. Different than mechanical televisions, electronic televisions are what we use today. In an article by Be Businessed, they explain the inner workings of the TV. "To control the firing of electrons, CRTs use two 'steering coils'. Both steering coils use the power of magnets to push the electron beam to the desired location on the screen. One steering coil pushes the electrons up or down, while the other pushes them left or right." This is what differentiates the electronic television from the mechanical. 

After its release, electronic televisions started to take off. They became very popular. By 1955, the first wireless remote was released to turn the TV on and off or change the channel. Soon, colored television was introduced. Though CBS’s first colored TV program ran in 1951, it wasn’t until 1966 that CBS had taken the lead to bring colored films and programming to all television. By 1993, 98% of American households owned a TV. In 2005, flat screens were introduced, which leads us to 2021. In the current age, most Americans own a colored, flat screen electronic television with a functioning remote.

But what makes the TV so special? Why does everyone have one? For starters, People can now get information quicker. Through broadcast journalism, any current event you should know about is accessible on television. Also, entertainment is a lot more accessible. Any time someone's bored, all they have to do is switch on the TV and flip through channels. Its never been easier to waste time. This is why the television became so popular so fast.

America has been able to witness historical moments through the comfort of their own home due to television. For example, the moon landing was broadcasted in 1969. In 1981, the royal wedding was played, and in 2012, the London Olympics were broadcasted. People have been able to watch the most influential events from their couch all because of this invention. This is why a century after its creation, the television is still relevant and popular.