24 Interesting Facts About Television You Probably Don’t Know

The television is something we take for granted these days. Almost every household has one and it plays an important part in everyday life. While it might seem like the television doesn’t do much except broadcast TV networks, the idiot box provides us with information and entertainment 24/7 along with giving us all the feels. Whether you are watching the news, your favorite drama, or a movie, the television can have us laughing, crying, or thinking deeply about the world around us. There are so many facts about television and how it impacts our everyday life that we’ve decided to compile some interesting tidbits about television for you to enjoy. 

From its humble beginnings showing silent black-and-white programs in the late 1920s to its transformation into the massive color television of today, the TV set has come a long way in a short time. They are even connected to the internet, meaning not only do you have access to your local TV channels, but also a variety of streaming services and other apps and options. It’s your one-stop media center where you can find out everything from sports scores and weather reports to watching your favorite shows and movies. 

Almost 80s years since the first working television was invented, here’s a look at television history and some little-known facts about the marvelous invention that keeps us entertained on a daily basis. 

24 Interesting Facts About Television You Probably Don’t Know

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1. The first TV was demonstrated in 1927.

The first electronic television was successfully demonstrated by 21-year-old Philo Farnsworth in San Francisco on September 7, 1927. Interestingly he wouldn’t allow his own children to watch TV. 

2. The origins of the word “television.”

The term “television” was first used at the Paris World’s Fair in 1900, where the first International Congress of Electricity was held. The word was coined by Russian scientist Constantin Perskyi. 

3. Black and white TV first came about in 1884. 

German inventor Paul Nipkow managed to achieve static black and white television transmission with his famous “Electric Telescope” in 1884, which is cited as the first version of the television. 

4. Many people helped television become a success. 

There were many different people who helped pioneer the first television, including the likes of Paul Nipkow, Boris Rosing, Vladimir Zworkin, John Baird, Philo Farnsworth, Charles Francis Jenkins, and William Bell. All played an important role in the creation and evolution of television during the early years. 

5.  The first ever TV sold to consumers arrived in 1929. 

The Baird television was the first ever sold commercially in 1929.

6. The world’s most expensive advert was for perfume. 

The most expensive television advertisement in history cost $33 million to film. Shot in 2004, the 180-second advertisement was promoting the famous scent Chanel No.5. Named “The Film,” the ad featured Nicole Kidman (who received a reported $3 million) and Rodrigo Santoro in a strange love story that makes for an interesting watch. 

7. Black and white dreaming.

People who grew up with a black and white TV often dream in black and white. A 2008 study found people under the age of 25 hardly ever dream in black and white, while those over 50, who were brought up with black and white TV, dream in the monochrome colors a quarter of the time. The study also found 12% of people only dream in black and white. 

8. Television becomes the number one source of information. 

In 1963, for the first time ever, television became the number one source of information over newspapers. 36% of Americans found their news on TV as opposed to 24% through the paper. 

9. The first ad was broadcast in 1941.

The first official TV advert was broadcast on July 1st, 1941, in New York City. An ad for Bulova, the watchmaker, ran during a baseball game on WNBT (now WNBC channel four). The ten-second commercial only cost $9 to air, with a few thousand people estimated to have seen it.

10. Mr. Rogers saves the day.

In 1969, the U.S. wanted to cut the public broadcasting budget. Mr. Rogers, then a relatively unknown TV host of the preschool television series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, went to Washington to chat with congress about the proposed cuts. Somehow he managed to convince the Senate that not only was Public Access TV important, but it need a bigger budget, with the network going from a badget of $9 million to $22 million.

11. TV before radio.

TV technology was actually invented before the radio. German electrical engineer Karl Ferdinand Braun came up with the cathode-ray tube, the key part of the television, in 1987. The first commercial radio stations didn’t exist until 1920.

12. The forgotten network.

While the three major television networks – NBC, ABC, and CBS – still exist today, there was also a fourth. The DuMont Television Network was the second network to begin broadcasting. It only operated from 1942 to 1956 but did give viewers the first-ever sitcom in the form of The Honeymooners. 

13. The M*A*S*H* finale is the most-watched episode of TV.

A smash hit across its 11-season run, the final episode of the Korean War set comedy-drama drew in an estimated 106 million people when it aired on February 28, 1983. That equates to 60.2% of American households watching the final episode, which is phenomenal. 

14. The British Pay-TV tax.

As the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is funded by the people, every citizen in the U.K. who wants to watch the network must pay a TV tax. The money goes straight back into the network and is currently £159, which is roughly US$190.

15. The Golden Age of Television.

Between 1949 and 1969 is considered the Golden Age of television. It was during this time that television really expanded, going from 69 to 566 stations and creating a raft of content for consumers to watch. The price of TV sets also dropped, with around 44 million households owning them by the end of the 60s. 

16. Wendy’s founder loves a commercial. 

The founder of the burger chain Wendy’s, Dave Thomas, appeared in more than 800 commercials for his business. That’s the most commercials anybody has ever done and a record that will not be beaten anytime soon.

17. The Sopranos was voted the best TV show ever written. 

In the early 2000s, the Writer’s Guild of America West voted HBO’s hit mafia show, The Sopranos, as the best-written show of all time. Other notable shows to make the list were Seinfeld (second spot), M*A*S*H* (fifth spot), Mad Men (seventh spot), The Simpsons (eleventh spot), and Breaking Bad (thirteenth spot). 

18. LG has created the world’s largest television. 

The world’s biggest-ever television from LG ranges from 108 inches to 325 inches. The television uses Direct View LED technology, has an ultra-HD resolution, and allows you to watch up to 20 different channels at the same time. It’s estimated to cost $120,000.

19. Morning talk shows first aired in the 1950s.

If there is one thing you can count on seeing on TV in the United States, it’s morning shows. These variety shows first came about during the Golden Age of Television, with NBC’s Today show debuting in 1952. First hosted by Dave Garroway, it became a ratings hit and soon had competition from ABC’s Good Morning America.

20. The arrival of VCR.

The first video cassette recorder (VCR) was invented in the late 50s, but it wasn’t until 1963 that the first VCR was ready for public sale. This model was created by the UK Nottingham Electronic Valve Company but was quickly surpassed by Sony’s much more reliable CV-2000 in 1965.

21. There is a World Television Day.

Held annually on November 21, “World Television Day” recognizes the impact television has had on the world. 

22. The original moon landing tapes are no more.

One of the biggest events in television history was when man walked on the moon. People stopped what they were doing all over the world to watch as Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin walked across the moon’s surface. But those original tapes that recorded the moon landing are no more. It’s believed NASA wiped them and reused them to save on costs. 

23. Black and White TV ended in 1966.

By this time color television had become the norm, with black and white reserved for old movies and some news reports. 

24. 3D TV has been around for almost a century. 

Inventor John Logie Baird was responsible for the first 3D television way back in 1928. While it never really caught on, 3D TVs did make a resurgence in the mid-00s but have once again become obsolete, with consumers not really liking the gimmick.