Skip to content TV TV Pioneers Menu Pioneers Timeline Archive Newsletter Contact Curated history • Profiles • Firsts Celebrating the innovators who made television possible. TV Pioneers documents the breakthroughs, voices, and moments that shaped the medium— from early experiments to the shows that defined generations. Explore pioneers Browse the timeline 120+ Profiles 1900s–Now Coverage Weekly New entries Featured The “Firsts” Collection Landmark moments: first broadcasts, first formats, first trailblazers on-screen, and the technologies that changed how we watch. • Early broadcast experiments • Color TV breakthroughs • Satellite & global distribution • Streaming-era pivots Open the archive → Featured pioneers Starter profiles—swap these with real entries when you’re ready. AP Archive Producer Preservation • Research • Context Collects primary sources, verifies dates, and connects innovations to cultural impact. Oral histories Broadcast logs Restoration Suggest a pioneer → SE Signal Engineer Transmission • Standards • Infrastructure Highlights key technical leaps—cameras, compression, antennas, and everything in between. NTSC/PAL/SECAM Color Digital See milestones → SH Show Historian Genres • Writers • Cultural shifts Tracks the creative evolution of television—formats, storytelling, and representation. Sitcom News Documentary Browse collections → Timeline A quick “scaffold” you can expand into a full interactive history. 1920s–30s Experiments & prototypes Early mechanical and electronic systems establish the basics of image transmission. 1940s–50s Mass adoption Household television grows rapidly, transforming news and entertainment. 1960s–80s Color, satellites, cable Distribution expands and formats mature across genres and global markets. 1990s–Now Digital + streaming Compression, internet delivery, and on-demand viewing reshape production and audiences. Archive Collections you can grow over time. Search is local + instant. Search the archive Standards & Color Formats • Compatibility • Adoption How