1950 in television

The year 1950 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events during 1950.

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Events February – European Broadcasting Union (EBU) inaugurated. February 15 KENS began transmissions as KEYL. It was the second television station to sign on in the San Antonio market. WSTM-TV began transmissions as WSYR-TV. It was Syracuse's second television station, signing on a year and three months after WHEN-TV (now WTVH). February 21 – WOI-TV signs on the air as Iowa's second television station (following WOC-TV, now KWQC-TV), and the first in the Des Moines area. February 23 – First televised report of general election results in the United Kingdom. March 27 – WHAS-TV signs on the air. It was the second television station to sign on in the Louisville market and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. April 2 – WTKR began operations on channel 4 as WTAR-TV. It was Hampton Roads' first television station and the second television station in Virginia, after WTVR (channel 6) in Richmond. April 4 – The BBC Television (UK) aspect ratio changes from 5:4 to 4:3. May 1 – WLNS-TV began transmissions as WJIM-TV. It is Michigan's second-oldest television station outside Detroit. May – Desilu Productions formed by Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball in the United States. June 1 – WWMT signs on the air as WKZO-TV. It was West Michigan's second television station to debut after WLAV-TV (channel 7, now WOOD-TV channel 8 in Grand Rapids). June 17 – WAND (at this time called WTVP) goes on the air in Decatur, Illinois. July 1 – WHBF-TV signs on the air. It is the fifth-oldest surviving station in Illinois, and the oldest outside Chicago. July 26 – First television broadcast station in Mexico, XHTV, Mexico City on channel 4; Gonzalo Castellot Madrazo is the first announcer to appear. September 18 – First television network in South America launches, PRF-TV on channel 3 in São Paulo, Brazil. September 30 First BBC television broadcast from an aircraft. WSMV-TV began transmissions as WSM-TV at 1:10 pm CT. It was Nashville's first television station and the second in Tennessee. October 10 – The U.S. Federal Communications Commission approves CBS's color television system, effective November 20. October 25 - Cuba signs on to television as Havana's Union Radio TV signs on for the first time, the first television station in the Caribbean.

New shows January 4 – Abe Burrows' Almanac debuts on CBS (1950). January 11 - I Cover Times Square debuts on ABC (1950-1951). February 2 – What's My Line (1950) debuts on CBS (1950–1967). February 25 – Your Show of Shows premieres on NBC (1950–1954). March 23 – Beat the Clock premieres on CBS (1950–1961). June 17–October 12 – Hawkins Falls premieres on NBC (1951–1955). July 3 - The Hazel Scott Show on the DuMont Television Network (1950). July 3 - Menasha the Magnificent on NBC (1950). July 6 - Ford Star Revue premieres on NBC as the summer replacement for Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge. July 10 – Your Hit Parade premieres on NBC. July 11 – Andy Pandy premieres on the BBC (1950, 1970, 2002). September 5 – The Cisco Kid, starring Duncan Renaldo and Leo Carrillo, premieres (1950-1956). September 6 – Stars Over Hollywood premieres on NBC (1950-1951).Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1979). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows: 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. . September 7 – The game show Truth or Consequences debuts (1950–1988). September 10 – The Colgate Comedy Hour series debuts on NBC (1950-1955). September 18 – The Paul Winchell Show debuts on NBC with the title The Speidel Show. October 4 – Four Star Revue debuts on NBC (1950–1953).McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television. Penguin Books USA, Inc. . October 5 – The comedy quiz show You Bet Your Life, featuring Groucho Marx, premieres (1950–1961). October 12 – The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show debuts (1950–1958). October 28 – The Jack Benny Program, starring Jack Benny, premieres (1950–1965).

Television series Series Debut EndedPicture Page (UK)October 10, 1936193919451952For The Children (UK)April 26, 19371939July 7, 19461950The Voice of Firestone Televues1943194719491963Kaleidoscope (UK)November 2, 19461953Gillette Cavalcade of SportsNovember 8, 1946June 24, 1960Muffin the Mule (UK)19461955You Are an Artist19461950Kraft Television TheatreMay 7, 19471958Kukla, Fran and OllieOctober 13, 19471957Meet the PressNovember 6, 1947 —Mary Kay and JohnnyNovember 18, 1947March 11, 1950Howdy DoodyDecember 27, 1947September 24, 1960Café Continental (UK)19471953Juvenile Jury19471954Small Fry Club19471951Television Newsreel (UK)January 5, 19481954The Original Amateur HourJanuary 18, 1948September 27, 1970Court of Current IssuesFebruary 9, 1948June 26, 1951Author Meets the CriticsApril 1948October 10, 1954Hollywood Screen TestApril 15, 19481953Texaco Star TheaterJune 8, 19481953The Ed Sullivan ShowJune 20, 1948June 6, 1971Candid CameraAugust 10, 19482014CBS Evening NewsAugust 15, 1948 —Foodini the GreatAugust 23, 1948June 23, 1951Actors StudioSeptember 1948June 1950Ford TheatreOctober 17, 1948July 10, 1957The Morey Amsterdam ShowDecember 17, 1948October 12, 1950The Alan Dale Show19481951Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts1948January 1, 1958Break the Bank19481957Cartoon TeleTales19481950Celebrity Time1948September 1952Club Seven19481951The Philco Television Playhouse19481955Winner Take All19481952The GoldbergsJanuary 17, 19491956Ripley's Believe It or Not!March 1, 1949October 5, 1950Think FastMarch 26, 1949October 8, 1950Captain VideoJune 27, 1949April 1, 1955MamaJuly 1, 1949March 17, 1957Martin Kane, Private EyeAugust 7, 1949June 17, 1954The Little RevueSeptember 4, 1949April 21, 1950The Lone RangerSeptember 15, 1949June 6, 1957Come Dancing (UK)September 29, 19491995The Aldrich FamilyOctober 2, 1949May 29, 1953The Life of RileyOctober 4, 1949March 28, 1950January 2, 1953August 22, 1958The RugglesNovember 3, 1949June 19, 1952One Man's FamilyNovember 4, 1949June 21, 1952March 1, 1954April 1, 1955Arthur Godfrey and His Friends19491959What's My Line?February 2, 19501975Your Show of ShowsFebruary 25, 1950June 5, 1954Hawkins FallsJune 17, 1950July 1, 1955Your Hit ParadeJuly 10, 1950195919741974Andy Pandy (UK)July 11, 1950197020022005Truth or ConsequencesSeptember 7, 19501988The Colgate Comedy HourSeptember 10, 1950December 25, 1955You Bet Your LifeOctober 5, 19501961The George Burns and Gracie Allen ShowOctober 12, 19501958The Jack Benny ProgramOctober 28, 19501965The Adventures of Ellery Queen1950195919751976The Cisco KidSeptember 5, 1950March 22, 1956

Programs ending during 1950 Date Show Debut March 11 Mary Kay and Johnny 1947 March 29 Abe Burrows' Almanac 1950 June 23 Actors Studio 1948 Unknown Cartoon Teletales For The Children (UK) 1946 You Are an Artist

Births