If you are of a young enough age, you may not remember a time before cable television. In fact, many today get their video content through satellite or other means like a fiber optic line. Still, cable television is still a mainstay in America and around the world.
You may not realize it, but cable TV was actually first started in 1948. It was originally known as Community Antenna Television or CATV. John Walson and Margaret Walson had started the Service Electric Company earlier in the decade, but 1948 was when they rolled out their programming.
In the mountains of Pennsylvania, Wilson was unable to get a steady television signal. So, he put up a huge antenna, then ran a wire in his store to pick up the stations. Soon, many people around the mountain wanted a cable to their home. The Wilsons obliged and modern cable television was born.
From this humble beginning, cable TV has spawned into a powerful, multinational force to be reckoned with. Of course, if you look around the Internet, you are going to find that the Wilson’s aren’t the only ones who lay claim to having the first cable television system. However, the story is the one that is most well known. The company is still around today.
In 1950, Robert Tarlton started up a commercial business to get television programming to remote customers via a land line or cable. The company was a huge success at the time and got a lot of press coverage. Soon, the idea of cable television really began to spread. It would still be a while before it became popular on a big scale, but these were the humble beginnings.
By the 1960s, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) was passing legislation to control cable television. Over the next couple decades, the modern face of cable television began to form. The popularity of cable television continued to increase, even with very limited programming.\
The Birth of Basic Cable
In 1976, Ted Turner started the first basic cable TV station – WTBS the TBS Superstation. Via satellite, the programming was available all over. Other people soon followed with their own basic stations that were available to any and all cable subscribers.
The Beginning of Premium Cable
In 1975, HBO (Home Box Office), began making available premium, commercial free content – for a price. The premium cable station quickly became popular over the years – and is still around today, providing great original content. Because of how it was broadcast and because there was a fee (it wasn’t available to everyone) the content tended to be a lot racier on premium cable stations – adding to their popularity.
Cable TV in the 21st Century
In the 21st century, cable TV is still around, but it has changed dramatically over the years. From 24 hour news channels to a wealth of other “stations” available, there are many great advances in cable television that have happened over the years. As for the future, there’s no telling. It may fade slightly because of the rise in high speed wireless technologies, but you can be sure it’s going to be around in some form or another for years and years to come.