The First
Washington, D.C.-to-
New York City telecast through
AT&T Corporation's
coaxial cable is termed as a success by engineers. This broadcast was images of General
Dwight Eisenhower placing a wreath at the base of the statue in the
Lincoln Memorial, with others making brief speeches. Time magazine, however, called it 'as blurred as an early
Chaplin movie.'
February 25
The 18-channel
VHF allocation, introduced before
World War II, is officially ended in favor of a new 13-channel VHF allocation due to the appropriation of some frequencies by the
United States Armed Forces, and the relocation of
FM radio on the broadcast spectrum. Only five of the old channels are the same as the new channels in terms of frequency and none have the same number as before.
The first televised heavyweight
boxing title fight between
Joe Louis and
Billy Conn is broadcast from
Yankee Stadium. The fight was seen by 141,000 people, the largest television audience to see a boxing match to that date.
August 15
The
DuMont Television Network officially begins operations as a second television network to compete with
NBC. New York City's
WABD serves as the network's flagship. DuMont's broadcast schedule consisted of a
Western film on Sunday night for an hour, other programming for an hour on Tuesday, and half hours on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
October 2
The DuMont network telecasts the first-ever television network
soap opera, Faraway Hill.
December 24
WABD broadcasts the first-ever televised
church service from Grace Episcopal Church in New York City.