1926 in American television explained

This is a list of American television-related events in 1926.

Events

• May 11 – On May 11, 1926, AT&T centralized its radio operations into a new subsidiary known as the Broadcasting Company of America (BCA).^[1] Although not widely known at the time, this was done in anticipation of selling the radio network, the result of a management decision that the radio operations were incompatible with the company's primary role as the leading U.S. supplier of telephone services.^{[2] [3]}
• May 27 - The television pioneer Philo Farnsworth married Elma "Pem" Gardner on May 27. The couple soon traveled to Berkeley, California, where Farnsworth continued his experiments. ^{[4] [5]}
• July 22 - A few weeks after AT&T consolidated its radio operations into the Broadcasting Company of America subsidiary, it agreed to sell BCA's assets to RCA for approximately $1 million (equivalent to $ in), a deal made public on July 22, 1926.
• July 28 - In a separate deal, WCAP was sold to RCA on July 28, 1926, its broadcast hours ceded to time-share partner WRC three days later.^{[6] [7]} While the deal was criticized for granting RCA a monopoly on broadcasting, a charge RCA denied,^[8] then-Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover declined to publicly comment; Chief Radio Supervisor W. D. Terrell stated that neither he or anyone else in the Commerce Department had legal jurisdiction to reject the deal inasmuch as they could not prevent a store from selling bread or meat.^[9]
• September 13 - On September 13, 1926, RCA chairman of the board Owen D. Young and president James G. Harbord announced the formation of the National Broadcasting Company, Inc., to begin operations upon RCA's acquisition of WEAF on November 15.^[10] A widely placed full-page company advertisement stated that: "The purpose of the National Broadcasting Company will be to provide the best program available for broadcasting in the United States. ... It is hoped that arrangements may be made so that every event of national importance may be broadcast widely throughout the United States."^[11]
• November 15 - NBC's network operations were officially launched with a gala broadcast beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on November 15, 1926. In anticipation, one newspaper reported: "The most pretentious broadcasting program ever presented, featuring among other stars of the theatrical, concert and radio field, some of whom have never been heard on the air, will mark the introduction of the National Broadcasting company to the radio public Monday evening", with NBC president Merlin H. Aylesworth characterizing the event as "a four-hour program beginning at 8 p.m., which will live long in their memories as an occasion marking another milestone in the history of radio broadcasting".^[12] Carl Schlegel of the Metropolitan Opera opened the inaugural broadcast, which also featured Will Rogers and Mary Garden.^[13] This broadcast, which included a remote link from KYW in Chicago, was coordinated through WEAF, and carried by twenty-two eastern and Midwestern stations, located as far west as WDAF in Kansas City, Missouri.^[14] NBC is The first and oldest major broadcast network in the United States.

Sources

• Book: Banning, William Peck . Commercial and Broadcasting Pioneer: The WEAF Experiment, 1922–1926 . Harvard University Press . 1946 . Cambridge, Massachusetts . February 17, 2023 . World Radio History . January 31, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230131055904/https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/History/Commercial-Broadcasting-Pioneer-WEAF.pdf . live .

Notes and References

1. News: May 12, 1926 . On the Air With Mike: Change at WEAF; Past Experimental Stage; No Paper, No X-Words . 12 . The Evening Journal . Wilmington, Delaware . February 20, 2023 . Newspapers.com . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213408/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119281771/on-the-air-with-mike-change-at-weaf/ . live .
2. News: July 22, 1926 . Broadcasting Monopoly Seen in KJZ (sic) Sale . 1 . Messenger-Inquirer . Associated Press . Owensboro, Kentucky . February 20, 2023 . Newspapers.com . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213401/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119283053/broadcasting-monopoly-seen-in-kjz-sic/ . live .
3. .
4. News: Elma Gardner Farnsworth, 98, Who Helped Husband Develop TV, Dies . . May 3, 2006.
5. Web site: Philo Taylor Farnsworth: Mathematician, Inventor, Father of Television . Brigham Young High School Alumni . April 24, 2015. Article edited by Kent M. Farnsworth, 2006.
6. News: Fagan . William J. . August 9, 1926 . WCAP Has Been Disposed Of . 3 . The Plain Speaker . United Press . Hazleton, Pennsylvania . February 20, 2023 . Newspapers.com . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213411/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119275802/wcap-has-been-disposed-of/ . live .
7. News: July 28, 1926 . WCAP Station Sale Second Within Week: Fans Will Not Lose By Program Transfer To WRC . 15 . The Evening Sun . Baltimore, Maryland . February 20, 2023 . Newspapers.com . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213349/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119275274/wcap-station-sale-second-within-week/ . live .
8. News: July 24, 1926 . Denies WEAF Sale is Monopoly Move: Radio Corporation Chief Says Purchase Is Step to Develop Broadcasting Art—U. S. May Block Plans . 6 . The Indiana Gazette . Indiana, Pennsylvania . February 20, 2023 . Newspapers.com . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213348/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119285976/denies-weaf-sale-is-monopoly-move/ . live .
9. News: Stevenson . Thomas . August 1, 1926 . Sale of WEAF May Renew Radio Monopoly Discussion . 10:4 . Pittsburgh Daily Post . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . February 20, 2023 . Newspapers.com . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213354/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119284631/sale-of-weaf-may-renew-radio-monopoly/ . live .
10. News: September 13, 1926 . To Inaugurate Radio Service . 4 . The Pittsburgh Press . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . February 20, 2023 . Newspapers.com . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213359/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119255125/to-inaugurate-radio-service/ . live .
11. News: September 13, 1926 . Announcing the National Broadcasting Company, Inc. (advertisement) . 21 . The Evening Star . Washington, D.C. . February 20, 2023 . Newspapers.com . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213349/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119272114/announcing-the-national-broadcasting/ . live .
12. News: November 8, 1926 . Program Planned by Radio Company . 18 . The Pittsburgh Press . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . February 20, 2023 . Newspapers.com . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213415/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119255713/program-planned-by-radio-company/ . live .
13. News: November 15, 1926 . Radio – Notes and Programs for the Day . 7 . The North Adams Transcript . North Adams, Massachusetts . February 20, 2023 . Newspapers.com . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213354/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119288751/radio-notes-and-programs-for-the-day/ . live .
14. News: November 15, 1926 . Radio Treat Tonight . 14 . The Reading Eagle . Reading, Pennsylvania . live . February 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221129175805/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uowhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ypcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4785%2C3248250 . November 29, 2022.