The Theater Television Network was an early American

television network A television network or television broadcaster is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay television providers. Until the mid- ...

founded in 1951. The network was not a traditional 1950s television network: unlike the other TV networks that operated at that time, Theater Network programs were not broadcast into homes; instead, they aired at participating movie theaters. The Theater Television Network, like many current theaters do for major events, broadcast mostly sporting events:

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

basketball games,

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...

matches, entertainment events. TTN however also broadcast public affairs programming. The network broadcast

Harry Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

's 1951

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. Theater Television required special equipment to be installed at the Theater. After this initial cost the content could be transmitted over the air or through telephone cables. There were drawbacks to both systems. Theater owners pressed the FCC for bandwidth in the UHF spectrum but this was either resisted or given in short-term periods. The alternative was to use AT&T cable which was both expensive and limited the quality of the output. In the period 1948-52 the FCC imposed a ban on issuing licences for new TV stations. This was the window of opportunity for Theater Television. However, once the freeze was over many new TV stations were established and the public preferred "free" TV in their own living rooms. The last Theater Television operation finished in 1953.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Theater Television Network Defunct television networks in the United States Television channels and stations established in 1951 1953 disestablishments in the United States Television channels and stations disestablished in 1953 1951 establishments in the United States