On this day, we turn our attention to the ever-present screen in our living rooms, the device that has shaped culture, politics, and daily life for nearly a century: the television. While September 11th is a date forever marked by solemn remembrance, the history of television offers a parallel narrative of human connection, innovation, and storytelling. Today, we reflect on the medium’s journey and its enduring, albeit transformed, role in our lives.
The Dawn of a New Era
The story of television is not one of a single invention, but a cascade of breakthroughs. While Philo Farnsworth is famously credited with transmitting the first electronic television image (a simple straight line) in 1927, it was on a day like today in 1928 that the General Electric station in Schenectady, New York, under the call letters WGY, began one of the first regular schedules of television programming. These early broadcasts, watched on tiny, blurry screens by a handful of people, were the humble beginnings of a revolution.
A National Living Room
Television’s true golden age began after World War II, as sets became more affordable and networks expanded. It quickly became the central hearth of the home. Families gathered to watch everything from the nail-biting drama of I Love Lucy to the thrilling spectacle of the moon landing in 1969. Television had an unparalleled power to create shared national experiences. It brought wars into living rooms, united the nation during moments of tragedy, and provided a common cultural vocabulary through watercooler shows like MASH* and Seinfeld.
The 24/7 News Cycle and Its Impact
The evolution of television news has profoundly shaped history itself. The transition from nightly, half-hour bulletins to the advent of 24-hour cable news channels like CNN created an environment of constant information. This shift was never more evident than on September 11, 2001. On that terrible day, television became the essential, terrifying, and unifying link for a horrified nation and world. For days, non-stop coverage provided real-time updates, raw footage, and a platform for national mourning, demonstrating the medium’s immense power to inform and unify in a crisis.
The Digital Transformation
Today in 2025, the concept of “television” has been utterly transformed. The big wooden box with three channels is a relic. The rise of streaming services—Netflix, Hulu, Max, and countless others—shattered the network monopoly, creating the era of “peak TV” with hundreds of high-quality series competing for our attention. We now watch on ultra-high-definition smart screens, laptops, tablets, and phones, whenever we want, commercial-free.
The term “appointment viewing” is nearly extinct, replaced by the “binge-watch.” Yet, television’s core function remains: storytelling. Prestige series from streaming platforms now command the cultural buzz that once belonged to major network finales.
Television on September 11, 2025
So, what is the state of television on this Thursday, September 11, 2025? It is a hybrid beast. Linear TV persists for live events: sports, awards shows, and breaking news. But on-demand streaming is the dominant king. Artificial intelligence is now curating our watchlists, and interactive shows are pushing the boundaries of narrative.
Yet, amidst this fractured digital landscape, television still has the power to bring us together. A gripping season finale, a live global charity event, or a breaking news alert can still make millions of screens, for a moment, feel like one.
From that first flickering line in a lab to the crystalline, on-demand streams of today, television has continuously reinvented itself. It has been a window to the world, a storyteller, a informant, and a comfort. As we look back on its history, we see not just a device, but a reflection of ourselves—our creativity, our curiosity, and our endless desire to connect.