By Jordan Davis

 1884 George Eastman invents flexible photographic film

1887 Thomas Edison patents motion picture camera.

 1888 Edison attempts to record picture photos onto a wax cylinder.

1927 Talking films begin with Al Jolson in "The Jazz Singer".

1936 First television broadcast made available in London.

1948 The earliest cable systems are born in remote areas of Pennsylvania and Oregon. Known then as Community Antenna Television, its function was simply to bring TV signals into communities where off-air reception was either non-existent or poor because of interfering mountains or distance

1949 By January, number of TV stations grows to 98 in 58 market areas.

1952 Bob Hope takes his comedy from radio to TV when "The Bob Hope Show" debuts in October.

1953 Color broadcasting officially arrives in the U.S. on Dec. 17, when FCC approves modified version of an RCA system.

1957 CBS's "Ed Sullivan" show is the year's most-watched network program, with a 50.4 average audience rating

1958 By year's end, ad expenditures in radio and TV cross the $2 billion mark.

1960-The first of four "great debates" between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon is broadcast on Sept. 26 across the country, breaking new ground in presidential campaigning.

1961 In search of added profit, ABC stretches the station break between programs to 40 seconds from 30. The other networks follow.

 1963-On Aug. 28, Dr. Martin Luther King delivers his "I have a dream" speech as millions watch on TV

 1965-Color TV booms as NBC leads the way and begins to use the phrase " The Full Color Network ". By year's end, 96% of NBC's nighttime schedule is broadcast in color, along with all major programs, sports events and specials

1966-A live-action representation of the comic strip Batman is brought to TV and achieves instant success with its star, Adam West.

 1968-Spending for TV in presidential campaigns increases to $27 million, from $10 million in 1960.

1969-Public Broadcasting Service begins, and in November launches " Sesame Street, " one of the most influential achievements in children's TV.

 On July 20, astronaut Neil Armstrong takes mankind's first step on the moon as millions of U.S. viewers watch the historic event live on network TV.

1977-More than 75% of TV-equipped homes are able to receive color on one or more sets.

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