Don't touch that dial

Television did not begin in the 1950s, but it wasn't until that decade that folks really began to own the little boxes. That was when families would gather around the small black and white screen to watch such popular shows as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke.

The public quickly became enthralled with the invention. After all, it was definitely a better form of entertainment than the radio. This one came with moving pictures, just like the movies! In fact, you became very popular in your neighborhood, very quickly, if your family had a TV set. It was common to see people lingering outside the windows of stores that sold this new contraption - hoping to catch a glimpse of the future. With only three channels - yes, three channels - those days were a far cry from what television is today.

Today, TVs are found in restaurants, doctors' offices and other businesses, grocery stores and bars. Originally programs were broadcast only in the late afternoon and evening. Today images and sounds blast away at us 24 hours a day, even days a week, hoping to catch the attention of viewers. Additional advancements through the years include going from black and white to color, and sets have gone from small to big and bulky consoles to portable and flat screens that are hung against the walls. The advent of videocassette recorders and DVDs also turned the TV into something that is viewed and recorded as opposed to something that was just viewed. Today you can hook up your computer to your TV and it becomes a monitor or a photo screen.

Its broad appeal has always made television a favorite advertising medium. Target markets are determined by such things as age, race, sex, and gender. Many target audiences are determined by programming. Today, cable and satellite TV has broadened the channel dial from the three original networks to more than 200 channels, many of which are targeted to specific audiences. For example, the hit program, Cougar Town, is geared at younger Baby Boomer women, while ESPN Sports Center is more likely to attract a male audience of teenage boys to middle-aged men.

Most recently, new innovations involve analog and high definition screens. Talk is that 3-D screens are just around the corner. You may be able to catch your favorite show on your IPad or phone, but those devices make it difficult for more than one person to watch at time, ensuring that television has a lasting place in society.