Television · 1945
Post-War Rebirth and Technical Breakthroughs
As World War II concluded in 1945, television broadcasting began pivoting from wartime restrictions to rapid civilian expansion. Technical innovations and historic live news coverage laid the groundwork for the modern broadcast era.
- May 8, 1945 | NBC | News Broadcast
WNBT V-E Day Broadcast
NBC's flagship New York station WNBT airs a record fourteen hours of continuous news coverage and live remote views of celebrating crowds on Victory in Europe Day.
- October 25, 1945 | RCA | Tech Milestone
RCA Image Orthicon Unveiling
RCA publicly demonstrates its revolutionary Image Orthicon camera tube, which dramatically improves low-light sensitivity and enables viable indoor and nighttime live broadcasts.
- October 1945 | RDF | France
RDF Resumes Eiffel Tower Transmissions
Radiodiffusion Française resumes regular experimental television broadcasts from the Eiffel Tower transmitter following the liberation of Paris.
- December 1, 1945 | NBC | Live Sports
Army-Navy Game Inter-City Broadcast
NBC transmits the Army-Navy football game live from Philadelphia to New York and Schenectady using AT&T coaxial cables, demonstrating early network distribution capabilities.
- August 14, 1945 | NBC | News Special
WNBT V-J Day Coverage
Television cameras capture joyous crowds in Times Square as news breaks of the Japanese surrender, bringing live historical events directly into early television homes.
- October 1945 | FCC | Broadcasting Policy
FCC Post-War VHF Allocation Plan
The Federal Communications Commission assigns thirteen VHF channels for commercial television, setting the structural foundation for North American television networks.
- 1945 | DuMont | Variety
DuMont WABD Live Variety Experimentation
DuMont's New York station WABD broadcasts pioneering live broadcasts, including experimental variety and drama programs, despite severe wartime equipment shortages.
- 1945 | CBS | Tech Trial
CBS Experimental Color Transmissions
CBS conducts ultra-high frequency experimental broadcasts in New York City to test Peter Goldmark's mechanical field-sequential color television system.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?