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The Rise of Cable TV

Cable TV originated in 1948, from the ideas of people in Arkansas, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. It was designed as a way to phase out radio as our only way for receiving media. By 1952, there were about 14,000 cable subscriptions. That number grew to around 850,000 in the 1960s.

The concept of paying for extra channels not included in your subscription was started by HBO in 1972. Today, your cable package can include 5 HBOs, 3 HBOs, or no HBOs. Cable started to be regulated by the FCC in 1972. The passage of the Cable Act of 1984 helped the industry grow tremendously.

Today, there are over 800 networks on cable. The creation of DVR and VOD allow for us to record and rewatch our favorite shows whenever we want, not binding us to scheduled programing. This coupled with the advent of streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and network provided services allow for us to watch our favorite shows whenever, wherever. Cable has grown tremendously since it's creation, and it continues to grow today.

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