 | August 22, 1932 | In the mid-1920s, Scottish inventor John Logie Baird demonstrated the world's first television. But while his novel invention was technologically revolutionary, it still lacked one key ingredient: something worth watching. For years, Baird produced experimental programs showcasing the power of his new invention, and a small number of hobbyists tuned in with makeshift TV sets. But on August 22, 1932, Baird's TV gained a valuable ally: the British Broadcasting Corporation. On this day, the BBC debuted its first experimental television broadcast, demonstrating it believed in TV's future with early "shows" that included jiu-jitsu demonstrations, performing sea lions, painting instructions, and more. Still, the broadcast wasn't TV as we think of it today. Because the BBC ruled radio, Baird had to fit his television signal in a transmission originally designed to carry speech. As a result, the mechanical broadcast had a pinkish hue, was displayed vertically, and was extremely grainy compared to today's high-tech TV sets. Baird's system was eventually replaced by an electronic one in 1936, right before television manufacturing was put on hold during World War II. Baird died soon after the war, and never saw the transformation of his humble invention from a small, niche oddity to an indispensable fixture of modern life. |
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