1926 in American television

none 1926 This is a list of American television-related events in 1926. Events May 11 – AT&T centralized its radio operations into a new subsidiary known as the Broadcasting Company of America (BCA).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 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119281771/on-the-air-with-mike-change-at-weaf/ 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 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.July 22, 1926 Broadcasting Monopoly Seen in KJZ (sic) Sale 1 Messenger-Inquirer Associated Press Owensboro, Kentucky https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119283053/broadcasting-monopoly-seen-in-kjz-sic/ 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 Banning 1946 288–290. May 27 - The television pioneer Philo Farnsworth married Elma "Pem" Gardner. The couple soon traveled to Berkeley, California, where Farnsworth continued his experiments. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/03/arts/television/03farnsworth.html Elma Gardner Farnsworth, 98, Who Helped Husband Develop TV, Dies The New York Times May 3, 2006 http://www.byhigh.org/History/Farnsworth/PhiloT1924.html Philo Taylor Farnsworth: Mathematician, Inventor, Father of Television Brigham Young High School Alumni April 24, 2015 Article edited by Kent M. Farnsworth, 2006. 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 $US 1000000 1926 in US),Mack Robert September 13, 1926 Price Paid for WEAF Sets New Record in Radio B12 Oakland Tribune Consolidated Press Association Oakland, California https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119271276/price-paid-for-weaf-sets-new-record-in/ February 20, 2023 Newspapers.com February 20, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213404/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119271276/price-paid-for-weaf-sets-new-record-in/ live (Note: "Robert Mack" was a house byline used by multiple Consolidated Press reporters.) September 13, 1926 WEAF Will Lead U.S. Broadcasting Service B12 Oakland Tribune Associated Press Oakland, California https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119271546/weaf-will-lead-us-broadcasting-service/ February 20, 2023 Newspapers.com February 20, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230220213400/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119271546/weaf-will-lead-us-broadcasting-service/ live a deal made public on that day.Messen19260722p1 July 28 - In a separate deal, WCAP was sold to RCA, with its broadcast hours ceded to time-share partner WRC three days later.Fagan William J. August 9, 1926 WCAP Has Been Disposed Of 3 The Plain Speaker United Press Hazleton, Pennsylvania https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119275802/wcap-has-been-disposed-of/ 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 July 28, 1926 WCAP Station Sale Second Within Week: Fans Will Not Lose By Program Transfer To WRC 15 The Evening Sun Baltimore, Maryland https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119275274/wcap-station-sale-second-within-week/ 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 While the deal was criticized for granting RCA a monopoly on broadcasting, a charge RCA denied,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 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119285976/denies-weaf-sale-is-monopoly-move/ 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 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.Stevenson Thomas August 1, 1926 Sale of WEAF May Renew Radio Monopoly Discussion 10:4 Pittsburgh Daily Post Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119284631/sale-of-weaf-may-renew-radio-monopoly/ 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 September 13 - 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.September 13, 1926 To Inaugurate Radio Service 4 The Pittsburgh Press Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119255125/to-inaugurate-radio-service/ 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 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."September 13, 1926 Announcing the National Broadcasting Company, Inc. (advertisement) 21 The Evening Star Washington, D.C. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119272114/announcing-the-national-broadcasting/ 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 November 15 - NBC's network operations were officially launched with a gala broadcast beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. 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".November 8, 1926 Program Planned by Radio Company 18 The Pittsburgh Press Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119255713/program-planned-by-radio-company/ 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 Carl Schlegel of the Metropolitan Opera opened the inaugural broadcast, which also featured Will Rogers and Mary Garden.November 15, 1926 Radio – Notes and Programs for the Day 7 The North Adams Transcript North Adams, Massachusetts https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119288751/radio-notes-and-programs-for-the-day/ 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 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.November 15, 1926 Radio Treat Tonight 14 The Reading Eagle Reading, Pennsylvania https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uowhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ypcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4785%2C3248250 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 NBC is the first and oldest major broadcast network in the United States. Births 1926 in television#Births Deaths 1926 in television#Deaths References Sources Banning William Peck https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/History/Commercial-Broadcasting-Pioneer-WEAF.pdf 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 1926 Category:1926 in American television