The history of television is a rich and complex journey that spans over a century,
involving multiple inventors, nations, and technologies. Here’s a structured and
simplified overview of how television evolved from concept to global media
powerhouse:
📺 1. Early Concepts and Experiments (Late 1800s – 1920s)
• 1870s–1890s: Scientists like Paul Nipkow (Germany) proposed mechanical
methods to transmit images. His invention, the Nipkow disk (1884), laid the
foundation for early scanning technology.
• 1897: Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) was invented by Karl Ferdinand Braun,
forming the basis for future TVs.
• 1900: The term “television” was first used at the Paris World’s Fair by
Russian scientist Constantin Perskyi.
2. Mechanical Television (1920s–1930s)
• John Logie Baird (UK) was a pioneer. In 1926, he demonstrated the first
working television system using mechanical scanning.
• 1928: Baird made the first transatlantic TV broadcast from London to
New York.
• Mechanical TVs used spinning disks and neon lamps, offering very low-
resolution images.
⚡ 3. Electronic Television (1930s–1940s)
• Philo Farnsworth (USA) and Vladimir Zworykin (Russia/USA) were key
figures in developing fully electronic television.
• Farnsworth made the first successful electronic TV transmission in
1927.
• By the late 1930s, companies like RCA began commercial development.
🌍 4. Television Goes Public (1939–1950s)
• 1939 New York World’s Fair: RCA introduced television to the American
public.
• World War II delayed mass adoption, but research continued.
• Post-War Boom: In the late 1940s, TV sets became available to the
public. Broadcasting networks like NBC, CBS, and ABC began expanding.
5. Golden Age of Television (1950s–1960s)
• TV became a household staple in the U.S., UK, and parts of Europe.
• Popular genres: sitcoms, dramas, news, and live variety shows.
• Major broadcasts: Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (1953) and U.S.
Presidential Debates (1960) between Kennedy and Nixon.
• Color TV debuted in the 1950s but became mainstream in the 1960s.
6. Global Expansion and Satellites (1960s–1980s)
• 1962: The Telstar satellite enabled international TV broadcasts.
• More countries launched national TV stations.
• In Indonesia, TVRI was launched in 1962, marking the beginning of TV
broadcasting.
• Cable and satellite TV expanded programming choices, including sports,
movies, and international news.
💡 7. Technological Innovation (1980s–2000s)
• VCRs, remote controls, and home consoles changed how viewers interacted
with TV.
• Flat-screen TVs (LCD, Plasma) began replacing bulky CRTs.
• Rise of digital television and HDTV (High Definition Television).
• Globalization of content: Hollywood, Japanese anime, Indian serials,
and Latin American telenovelas gained global audiences.