This year marks a century since the first public demonstration of television. From a small, blurry screen in a London shop to today’s high-definition digital world, television has come a long way.
The year 2026 marks a monumental milestone: it has been 100 years since the public first experienced television. This groundbreaking event took place in a shop in London, UK, in 1926, where inventor John Logie Baird introduced his ’televisor.’ This early television device could display moving images transmitted through the air. Despite its small screen and blurry images, the televisor captivated many.
A decade later, in 1936, the United Kingdom launched the world’s first regular public television service. Rapid advancements followed, with TV sets improving in quality and image clarity. Sweden joined the television revolution in 1954 with the inaugural program ’En skål för televisionen,’ hosted by Lennart Hyland. However, due to the high cost of TV sets, widespread ownership didn’t occur until 1958, driven by the excitement of watching Sweden compete in the FIFA World Cup.
Initially, television broadcasts were in black and white, and in Sweden, viewers had access to only one channel. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has transformed drastically. There are countless channels available, and many people now watch television on various devices, including computers and smartphones. Despite these changes, television remains as enthralling as ever.