April 30 - In the United States the FCC approves the NTSC standards of 525 lines and 30 frames per second, and authorizes commercial TV to begin on July 1.
May 2 - In the United States 10 television stations are granted commercial TV licenses (effective July 1). These stations are required to broadcast 15 hours per week. Bulova Watch Co., Sun Oil Co., Lever Bros. Co. and Procter & Gamble sign on as sponsors of the first commercial telecasts from WNBT in New York.
July 1 - Commercial TV authorized by the FCC.
July 1 - The first legal TV commercial in the United States for Bulova watches occurs at 2:29 PM over WNBT (now WNBC) New York. A WNBT test pattern was modified to look like a clock, complete with functioning hands. The Bulova logo, with the phrase "Bulova Watch Time", was shown in the lower right-hand quadrant of the test pattern. http://www.earlytelevision.org/images/rca_bulova_ad-1.jpg. As a one-off special, Ralph Edwards hosts the first game broadcast on United States television, Truth or Consequences, simulcast on radio and TV and sponsored by Ivory soap. Weekly broadcasts of the show commenced in 1956, with Bob Barker.
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