1946 in American television

This is a list of American television-related events in 1946.

Events

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Date Event Ref.
February 4 RCA demonstrates an all-electronic color television system.
February 18 The First Washington, D.C.-to-New York City telecast through AT&T Corporation's coaxial cable is termed as a success by engineers. This broadcast was images of General Dwight Eisenhower placing a wreath at the base of the statue in the Lincoln Memorial, with others making brief speeches. Time magazine, however, called it 'as blurred as an early Chaplin movie.'
February 25 The 18-channel VHF allocation, introduced before World War II, is officially ended in favor of a new 13-channel VHF allocation due to the appropriation of some frequencies by the United States Armed Forces, and the relocation of FM radio on the broadcast spectrum. Only five of the old channels are the same as the new channels in terms of frequency and none have the same number as before.
April 12 The Columbia Broadcasting System transmits a Technicolor short film and color slides for 332 kilometres (206 mi) in distance via coaxial cable, from Manhattan to Washington, and back.
June 19 The first televised heavyweight boxing title fight between Joe Louis and Billy Conn is broadcast from Yankee Stadium. The fight was seen by 141,000 people, the largest television audience to see a boxing match to that date.
August 15 The DuMont Television Network officially begins operations as a second television network to compete with NBC. New York City's WABD serves as the network's flagship. DuMont's broadcast schedule consisted of a Western film on Sunday night for an hour, other programming for an hour on Tuesday, and half hours on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
October 2 The DuMont network telecasts the first-ever television network soap opera, Faraway Hill.
December 24 WABD broadcasts the first-ever televised church service from Grace Episcopal Church in New York City.

Other notable events

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Television stations

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Station launches

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Date City of License/Market Station Channel Affiliation Notes/Ref.
September 6 Chicago, Illinois WBKB 4 (later 2) Independent First television station to be established in the Central Time Zone, and the first station outside the Eastern Time Zone; Now CBS O&O WBBM-TV since 1953

Network affiliation changes this year

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Date City of license/Market Station Channel Old affiliation New affiliation Notes/Ref.
August 15 New York City WABD 5 Independent DuMont Television Network

Television programs

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Debuts

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Date Debut Network
January[1][2] See What You Know CBS
May 9[3] Hour Glass NBC
May 13[4] You Are an Artist NBC
May 23[5] Let's Play Reporter DuMont Television Network
June 9[6] Face to Face NBC
June 9[7] Geographically Speaking NBC
June 20 Cash and Carry DuMont Television Network
August 30[8] I Love to Eat NBC
September 24[9] Play the Game DuMont Television Network
October 2[10][11][12] Faraway Hill DuMont Television Network

Births

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Deaths

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References

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  1. ^ Castleman, Harry; Podrazik, Walter J. (2003). Watching TV: Six Decades of American Television (2 ed.). Syracuse University Press. ISBN 0-8156-2988-5.
  2. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2007). Encyclopedia of Television Subjects, Themes and Settings. McFarland & Co. ISBN 978-0-7864-2498-6.
  3. ^ Edgerton, Gary (2010). The Columbia History of American Television. Columbia University Press. p. 87. ISBN 9780231512183. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  4. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 1552. ISBN 9780307483201. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  5. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2014-01-10). Encyclopedia of Television Pilots, 1937-2012. ISBN 9781476602493.
  6. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 441. ISBN 9780307483201. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  7. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 525. ISBN 9780307483201. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  8. ^ Prud'homme, Alex (2016). The French Chef in America: Julia Child's Second Act. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 9780385351768. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  9. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (2006). Emmy Award Winning Nighttime Television Shows, 1948-2004. McFarland. p. 6. ISBN 9780786423293. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  10. ^ "First television soap opera". Guinness World Records 2017. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  11. ^ "TV Listings: Past & Present: October 2, 1946". TV Tango. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  12. ^ Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1964). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (3rd ed.). New York: Ballantine. ISBN 0-345-31864-1
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