The History of Cable TV
Cable TV has become an essential addition to many households, because it offers a wide range of entertainment and educational programs, and it enables Americans to learn about important events that occur in the country as well as around the world. Presently, about 60% of all homes in the United States subscribe to cable TV, with the majority of subscriptions coming from middle-class households. Cable TV did not enjoy such success when it was first introduced, and it had to overcome a lot of obstacles to achieve its present popularity.
1940s
When cable TV was offered to the public for the first time in the 1948, it was called Community Antenna TV, or CATV. At that time, it was used to enhance the reception of television signals in mountainous areas. An appliance store owner from Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania called John Walson erected an antenna on top of a mountain to make it possible for residents in the area to watch television. He brought CATV to the homes of the residents with the use of coaxial cable and self-made amplifiers.
1950s
By the year 1952, a total of 70 CATV systems were set up across the country, and they collectively served about 14,000 subscribers. Later on, Walson and other cable operators started to experiment with microwave, so that they can pick up signals from distant places. With increased range of reception, they could offer more channels to their subscribers, and this made cable TV more attractive to the public.
1960s
By 1962, there were close to 800 cable systems in the country, and nationwide subscriptions had risen to more than 800,000. Large corporations such as Westinghouse, Cox, and TelePrompTer began to invest in the industry, resulting in an immense growth in the popularity of cable TV. Local television stations regarded cable TV as competition, and they voiced their concerns to the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC. The FCC responded by imposing restrictions on cable operators’ ability to receive distant signals, and the growth of the cable industry was temporarily halted.
1970s
The first pay-TV network in the United States was launched in 1972. Charles Dolan of Sterling Manhattan Cable conceived the idea of pay-TV, and he worked with Gerald Levin to establish Home Box Office, or HBO. Later on, satellite distribution system was developed, and it enabled all cable operators in North America to receive HBO’s signals. In Atlanta, another television station began to use satellite to broadcast programs. This station was owned by Ted Turner, and it would soon become the first superstation in the country, WTBS.
1980s
In 1984, the US government introduced the Cable Act, which enabled the cable industry to operate more freely. This led to a rapid growth in investment as well as demand for cable services. Between the years 1984 and 1992, the cable industry invested over $15 billion in wiring projects throughout the country and billions more in the development of better programs. By the end of the 1980s, nationwide subscriptions had increased to more than 52 million, and the number of cable program networks had risen to 79.
1990s
As demand for cable TV increased, consumers had to pay higher subscription fees. In response to this, the Congress decided to pass a new legislation that would hamper the growth of the cable industry. Nonetheless, the industry continued to boom by offering more satellite networks that catered to “niche” audiences. By 1998, there were 171 national cable video networks in the country. From 1996 to 2002, cable operating companies invested about $65 billion to develop broadband networks. These networks could provide a wide range of benefits for consumers, including multichannel video, high definition video, high-speed Internet access, and two-way voice, all via a single wire into a home.
2000s
By the year 2002, around 18% of homes with television were using digital cable, and a new technology was introduced to allow direct connection between digital TV sets and cable systems, without a set-top box. The following year, consumers could avail of advanced services such as high-definition cable TV and video-on-demand. By 2005, the number of digital cable subscriptions had risen to more than 27.5 million. As of today a quick search for cable providers in my area will reveal dozens of providers in many zip codes through the US with many providers offering cable tv, internet and phone packages bundled together as providers compete for a greater share of this lucrative market.
