In 1948, only 1 percent of America’s households had a TV set; by 1953, more than 50 percent had one; and since the early 1960s, more than 90 percent of all homes have TV. Television’s rise throughout the 1950s created fears that radio—as well as books, magazines, and movies—would become irrelevant and unnecessary; but both radio and print media adapted. In fact, today more radio stations are operating and more books and magazines are being published than ever before; only ticket sales for movies have declined slightly since the 1960s.

Three major historical developments in television’s early years helped shape it: (1) technological innovations and patent wars, (2) wresting control of content away from advertisers, and (3) the sociocultural impact of the infamous quiz-show scandals.