In the late 1800s, inventors worldwide began conceptualizing television technology, led by American inventor George Carey's "selenium camera" proposal in 1876. Because these early concepts emerged long before the necessary technology evolved, the first experimental broadcasts did not occur until the 1920s in England and the United States, and these were composed merely of silhouette images. The first live television transmission finally occurred in 1927, engineered by Bell Laboratories and the Department of Commerce, featuring Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover.
While various sources encompass slightly differing years for the "golden age of television," the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines the period as 1930 to 1959. During this time, television in the United States evolved from limited experimental broadcasts to four networks with more than 500 established commercial stations, and from extremely limited ownership to 85 percent of American households owning a television set, according to the FCC. Broadcasts during this time were dominated by the genre of the dramatic anthology series, which featured differing characters and story lines during each airing. Objectionable topics were avoided except for in news broadcasts.
While the Visionary Period and the Golden Age were primarily characterized by technology development and social acceptance of television as an entertainment medium, the Transitional Period is best described as the evolution of programming. Programming during this period encompassed a dichotomy of escapism and relevance. Escapism, including such genres as science fiction and rural comedies, entered the story lines in the early 1960s as American society sought to recover from the divisiveness of war and other social issues. Then, in the late 1960s, both comedic and dramatic story lines began addressing relevant social issues, such as war, inequality and morality. In this way, television evolved from simple entertainment to a tool of social reflection.
The technology and programming advances of television prior to the 1970s provided fertile ground for the expansion of the cable industry. Although cable had been available since the early days of television, it was mostly used for areas where network reception was unobtainable. Efforts to expand cable to a wider audience were not successful until the launch of Home Box Office (HBO) in 1975, demonstrating that households were willing to pay for premium services.