This is a list of American television-related events in 1956.
Events Date Event Ref. January 28 Elvis Presley makes his national television debut on the CBS program, Stage Show, the first of six appearances on the series. January 30 NBC swaps its Cleveland radio and TV stations to Westinghouse Broadcasting in exchange for Westinghouse's own Philadelphia radio and TV stations. The trade was eventually reversed in 1965. "NBC, Westinghouse complete exchange." Broadcasting, January 30, 1956, pg. 59."The great swap takes place June 19; Westinghouse, NBC return to original properties." Broadcasting, June 14, 1965, pg. 83. February U.M. & M. TV Corporation acquires the pre-October 1950 releases of Paramount Pictures cartoons and theatrical shorts, excluding the Popeye the Sailor cartoons (which were sold to Associated Artists Productions in June) and the Superman cartoons. This includes most Fleischer/Famous Studios-produced cartoons. Those assets would eventually be purchased by National Telefilm Associates about fourteen months later. April U.S. Senator Estes Kefauver holds congressional hearings on the rising rates of juvenile crime and publishes an article in Reader's Digest named "Let's Get Rid of Tele-Violence." NBC owned-and-operated station WNBQ-TV (now WMAQ-TV) in Chicago, Illinois becomes the first television station to locally broadcast in color. April 14 The Ampex company demonstrates a videotape recorder at the 1956 NARTB (now National Association of Broadcasters) convention in Chicago. It was the demonstration of the first practical and commercially successful videotape format known as 2" Quadruplex. ABC, NBC, and CBS place orders for the recorders. August 6 The DuMont Television Network ends network operations, with a live broadcast of a boxing match being the network's final broadcast. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network Cable and TV Shows, 1946-Present (9 ed.). New York: Ballantine. p. 174. .Weinstein, David (2004). The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television. Temple University Press. p. 38. . May 22 NBC introduces a brightly-hued peacock logo to denote the network's first color broadcasts. An animated version of the peacock would air the following year. October National Telefilm Associates launches the ad-hoc NTA Film Network in the latest attempt to create a fourth television network two months after the demise of the DuMont network. October 29 CBS uses its Ampex VTR to record the evening news, anchored by Douglas Edwards, which was then fed to the West Coast stations three hours later. This event marks the first use of videotape in network television programming. Chet Huntley and David Brinkley take over anchor duties of NBC's evening newscast, which is renamed The Huntley-Brinkley Report. November 3 CBS televises the first-ever broadcast of the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer release The Wizard of Oz. An estimated 45 million people viewed the broadcast. November Jonathan Winters uses videotape and superimposing techniques to be able to play two characters in the same skit for his NBC television show. This occasion marks the first use of videotape for a network television entertainment program. December 31 Bob Barker makes his national television debut on the game show Truth or Consequences. Guy Lombardo hosts his first televised New Year's Eve celebration on CBS. Unknown date Portable black-and-white television sets were marketed for the first time.
Other notable events The Paramount Television Network ends network operations after about eight years.
Television programs Debuts Date Debut Network January 3The New York Times Encyclopedia of Television by Les Brown (Times Books, a division of Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Company, Inc., 1977), , p. 348 Queen for a Day NBC January 3 Do You Trust Your Wife? CBS February 10 My Friend Flicka CBS April 2 As the World Turns CBS April 2 The Edge of Night CBS April 8 Telephone Time CBS May The Open Mind NET May 12Vincent Terrace, Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010, 2nd edition, page 375, McFarland, 2014 The Gabby Hayes Show ABC June 24The Steve Allen Show from the Museum of Broadcast Communications The Steve Allen Show NBC July 3 G.E. Summer Originals ABC July 3 The Kaiser Aluminum Hour NBC July 3 Sneak Preview NBC August 7 The Golden Touch of Frankie Carle NBC September 3 The Adventures of Dr. Fu Manchu Broadcast syndication September 18 Conflict ABC September 7 The Adventures of Jim Bowie ABC September 7 Treasure Hunt ABC September 8McNeil, Alex, Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming From 1948 to the Present, Fourth Edition, New York: Penguin Books, 1996, , p. 375.Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime-Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present (Sixth Edition), New York: Ballantine Books, 1995, , p. 458.The Classic TV Archive Hey, Jeanne!/The Jeannie Carson Show Accessed 16 November 2020 Hey, Jeannie! CBS September 12 Twenty-One NBC September 18 Conflict ABC September 21 The Sheriff of Cochise Broadcast syndicationSeptember 21Ethel Barrymore TheatreDumont September 23 Circus Boy NBC September 24 Stanley NBC September 25 Broken Arrow ABC September 25 State Trooper Broadcast syndication September 29 The Gale Storm Show CBS October 1 Dr. Christian Broadcast syndication October 3 The Adventures of Hiram Holliday NBC October 4 The Ford Show NBC October 4 Playhouse 90 CBS October 4 Wire Service ABC October 5 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre CBS October 5 The Dinah Shore Chevy Show NBC October 5 The West Point Story CBS October 14 The Heckle and Jeckle Cartoon Show CBS October 21 Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers NBC October 29 The Huntley–Brinkley Report NBC November 11Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. . Air Power CBS November 26 The Price Is Right NBC December 18 To Tell the Truth CBS December 22 You're on Your Own CBS Unknown Bingo at Home DuMont
Ending this year Date Program Network First aired Status Notes/References January 12 Wanted CBS October 20, 1955 Ended January 21 Captain Midnight CBS September 9, 1954 Ended February 25 Life Begins at Eighty ABC January 13, 1950 (on NBC) Ended March 5 Medical Horizons ABC September 12, 1955 Canceled March 14 Brave Eagle CBS September 28, 1955 Ended March 19 Jungle Jim Syndication September 26, 1955 Canceled March 22 The Cisco Kid Syndication September 5, 1950 Ended March 25 Justice NBC April 8, 1954 Ended April 24 Casablanca ABC September 27, 1955 Ended April 28 It's Always Jan CBS September 10, 1955 Canceled May 2 MGM Parade ABC September 14, 1955 Ended May 11 Our Miss Brooks CBS October 3, 1952 Ended May 22 Warner Bros. Presents ABC September 20, 1955 Ended June 1 Hollywood Preview DuMont September 14, 1955 Ended June 3 It's a Great Life NBC September 7, 1954 Ended June 14 Stop the Music ABC May 5, 1949 Ended June 23 Chance of a Lifetime Unknown 1952 Ended June 23 The Jimmy Durante Show Unknown 1954 Ended July 9 TV Reader's Digest ABC January 17, 1955 Ended August 7 The Gene Autry Show CBS July 23, 1950 Ended August 9 Star Tonight ABC February 3, 1955 Ended August 14 Sneak Preview NBC July 3, 1956 Ended August 27 Medic NBC September 13, 1954 Ended August 31 The Best in Mystery NBC 1954 Ended September 3 The Dotty Mack Show ABC February 16, 1953 (on DuMont) Canceled September 8 Down You Go NBC May 30, 1951 Ended September 11 This Is Show Business NBC July 15, 1949 Ended September 18 Stage Show ABC July 3, 1954 Ended September 18 G.E. Summer Originals ABC July 3, 1956 Ended September 22 The Honeymooners CBS October 1, 1955 Canceled September 25 Joe and Mabel CBS September 20, 1955 Ended September 27 Combat Sergeant Syndication June 29, 1956 Ended September 27 Four Star Playhouse CBS September 25, 1952 Ended October 20 The Golden Touch of Frankie Carle NBC August 7, 1956 Ended October 26NBC: America's Network Michele Hilmes, Michael Lowell Henry; University of California Press, 2007 - Performing Arts - 362 pages, page 176. Camel News Caravan NBC February 16, 1949 Ended November 2 My Friend Flicka CBS February 10, 1956 Ended November 26 The Adventures of Dr. Fu Manchu Syndication September 3, 1956 Ended December 21 Ethel Barrymore Theatre DuMont September 21, 1956 Ended December 28 Ding Dong School NBC November 24, 1952 Ended Unknown date Super Circus ABC 1949 Ended
Networks and services Network launches Network Type Launch date Notes NTA Film Network Broadcast October Sports Network Incorporated Cable television Unknown
Network closures Network Type End date Notes DuMont Television Network Broadcast August Paramount Television Network Broadcast Unknown date
Television stations Station launches Date Market Station Channel Affiliation Notes/References January 1 Hastings, Nebraska KHAS-TV 5 NBC Memphis, Tennessee WREC-TV 3 CBS Odessa, Texas KOSA-TV 7 CBS January 7 Laredo, Texas KHAD-TV 8 NBC (primary) ABC/CBS (secondary) January 15 Big Spring, Texas KBST-TV 4 ABC January 30 Abilene, Texas KPAR-TV 12 CBS Denver, Colorado KRMA-TV 6 NET February 1 Savannah, Georgia WSAV-TV 3 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) February 9 Hayes Center, Nebraska KHPL-TV CBS Satellite of KHOL-TV (now KHGI-TV) in Kearney February 19 Juneau, Alaska KINY-TV 8 ABC February 20 Columbus, Ohio WOSU-TV 34 NET April 1 Roseburg, Oregon KPIC 19 NBC (primary) ABC/CBS (secondary) April 13 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma KETA-TV 13 NET Flagship of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority April 26 Marquette, Michigan WLUC-TV 6 CBS (primary) ABC/NBC (secondary) April 29 Richmond, Virginia WRVA-TV 12 CBS Spartanburg, South Carolina WSPA-TV 7 CBS May 4 Las Vegas, Nevada KSHO-TV 13 ABC May 6 Chattanooga, Tennessee WRGP-TV 3 NBC May 10 Fresno, California KFRE-TV 12 CBS May 21 Milwaukee, Wisconsin WITI-TV 6 Independent May 22 Corpus Christi, Texas KRIS-TV 6 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) June 3 Tucson, Arizona KDWI-TV 9 ABC June 11 Daytona Beach/Orlando, Florida WESH-TV 2 Independent June 24 Madison, Wisconsin WISC-TV 3 CBS June 25 Memphis, Tennessee WKNO 10 NET July 13 Columbus, Mississippi WCBI-TV 4 CBS (primary) ABC/NBC (secondary) July 29 Miami, Florida WCKT 7 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) August 1 Chico/Redding, California KVIP-TV 7 NBC August 5 Hagåtña, Guam KUAM-TV 8 NBC (primary) CBS/ABC (secondary) August 8 Andalusia, Alabama WAIQ 2 NET Part of the Alabama Educational Television network; now Dozier, Alabama-licensed WDIQ August 12 Knoxville, Tennessee WBIR-TV 10 NBC (primary) CBS (secondary) Sherman, Texas KVSO-TV 12 NBC August 13 Bristol, Virginia WCYB-TV 5 NBC (primary) ABC (Secondary) Klamath Falls, Oregon KOTI 2 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) August 21 Evansville, Indiana WTVW 7 ABC August 24 Carlsbad, New Mexico KOCT 6 ABC September 1 El Paso, Texas KILT 13 ABC September 15 Elmira, New York WSYE-TV 18 NBC September 18 Montrose, Colorado KFXJ-TV 10 CBS (primary) ABC/NBC/NTA Film Network (secondary) Now KREY-TV; calls previously used on a station in Grand Junction, Colorado September 30 Corpus Christi, Texas KSIX-TV 10 CBS (primary) ABC (secondary) October 13 Presque Isle, Maine WAGM-TV 8 CBS October 15 Dickenson, North Dakota KDIX-TV 2 CBS (primary) ABC/NBC (secondary) December 15 Portland, Oregon KGW 8 ABC Raleigh, North Carolina WRAL-TV 5 NBC
Network affiliation changes Date Market Station Channel Old affiliation New affiliation References January 1 Waco, Texas KWTX-TV 10 ABC CBS March 1 West Palm Beach, Florida WIRK-TV 21 Independent August 31, 1953 Unknown Denver, Colorado KBTV 9 DuMont (primary) ABC (secondary) ABC (secondary) Windsor, Ontario, Canada Detroit, Michigan, United States CKLW-TV 9 CBC Television (primary) DuMont (secondary) CBC Television (exclusive) Would become a CBC owned-and-operated station in 1975.
Station closures