The DU Lounge

Taraman

(406 posts)

21. Everyone I knew had a TV. We were one of the last to get one.

Tue Feb 18, 2020, 10:29 AM

Feb 2020

My father was concerned about their potential for propaganda and that people would stop reading.

My home room teacher came in that morning, weeping, and dismissed the class. She could barely say, "Just go home." I'd never seen a teacher cry before.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

59 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Did most Americans have televisions when JFK was assassinated? [View all] Mike 03 Feb 2020 OP

All my acquaintances and family had TVs. Black/white only. apcalc Feb 2020 #1

We had TV. There was constant coverage for days. Raven Feb 2020 #2

By that time, we'd had TV for many years, so I don't know about your parents. Frustratedlady Feb 2020 #3

Most had black and white. True Blue American Feb 2020 #4

Exactly! polmaven Feb 2020 #9

I'll double check with my mother. Mike 03 Feb 2020 #6

Everything was live. The entire world watched live. Chipper Chat Feb 2020 #5

Close to 90% of households had tv by 1960 hlthe2b Feb 2020 #7

Schools let out. Events were cancelled. Businesses closed up. Chipper Chat Feb 2020 #8

Not all schools let out. Lindsay Feb 2020 #11

That's awful. Even if they did not let wnylib Feb 2020 #24

I was in Catholic elementary school. The teachers and nuns were in tears. Farmer-Rick Feb 2020 #55

In my experience, most families had tv well before then. Probably one reason they began dameatball Feb 2020 #10

Yes we did. I cried for 3 days watching TV non stop. katmondoo Feb 2020 #12

I was watching, True Blue American Feb 2020 #15

Yes, most Americans had tv....except Sancho Feb 2020 #13

Dont forget the Dumont Television Network. Chipper Chat Feb 2020 #30

Yes...we occasionally would tune in UHF and get Dumont... Sancho Feb 2020 #34

Everybody I knew had one. Small town SC. Nt raccoon Feb 2020 #14

According to these Nielsen figures, about 90% of households had a TV then. sl8 Feb 2020 #16

Memories and reflections from 1962 South Carolina (not mine): sl8 Feb 2020 #17

I was living on James Island in 1962...so that was great... Sancho Feb 2020 #37

I think most people in cities had tv. Seems like the day of there were news bulletins then updates Srkdqltr Feb 2020 #18

Absolutely, yes snowybirdie Feb 2020 #19

We had tv from about 53 on. WhiteTara Feb 2020 #20

Everyone I knew had a TV. We were one of the last to get one. Taraman Feb 2020 #21

Everyone I knew had one. redstatebluegirl Feb 2020 #22

There were still some families that did not wnylib Feb 2020 #23

Yes, by the 1960s most families had televisions Fla Dem Feb 2020 #25

No. AirmensMom Feb 2020 #26

I know my dads parents didnt have one The Genealogist Feb 2020 #27

It happened at mid day Jarqui Feb 2020 #28

Yes, televisions were plentiful. I didn't know anyone who didn't have a television. Eyeball_Kid Feb 2020 #29

We didn't. brer cat Feb 2020 #31

Everyone I knew in 1964 had television radical noodle Feb 2020 #32

I think all my friends had TVs by then. CanonRay Feb 2020 #33

People relied on Newspapers, remember those? 2naSalit Feb 2020 #35

Yes, they did. We got our first TV set in 1954 Glorfindel Feb 2020 #36

I was in first grade class Bayard Feb 2020 #38

Everyone had televisions. bikebloke Feb 2020 #39

Yes, it was covered on radio as well as TV lastlib Feb 2020 #40

Yes. nancy1942 Feb 2020 #41

We even had TVs in the barrack's day rooms. sarge43 Feb 2020 #42

My parents had a TV MissMillie Feb 2020 #43

We had one and everybody I knew had one. We weren't rich & neither were any of our catbyte Feb 2020 #44

We always had a BW TV. Mendocino Feb 2020 #45

I saw it all from Mexico lunatica Feb 2020 #46

In urban areas customerserviceguy Feb 2020 #47

Hi! I lived in Gary then, too. kas125 Feb 2020 #48

I vaguely remember Brunswick school customerserviceguy Feb 2020 #49

I was a Brunswick kid, you were a Glen Park kid, lol. kas125 Feb 2020 #50

Yes, Merrillville customerserviceguy Feb 2020 #53

I said the same thing when I went to look at our Brunswick house. kas125 Feb 2020 #56

You're lucky to have it so available! customerserviceguy Feb 2020 #57

Yes everyone my parents knew had a tv. kimbutgar Feb 2020 #51

I think so, though they would have been black & white. The Velveteen Ocelot Feb 2020 #52

We had TVs randr Feb 2020 #54

We did not have a television. hamsterjill Feb 2020 #58

Most in the US had TVs, but ours was Still Sensible Feb 2020 #59