How many American households had televisions in the 1930s? How many in 1940s?

PAMELA

There would not have been any television programmes in the 30's, and the great depression meant no one could afford a set anyway, it really got going in the consumer demand for all electric goods in the 50's.Britain was the first country in the world to have a television service in 1936, not many sets were sold and the service shut down for the duration of the second world war, starting up again in 1946,in britain the boom in sales came from ellizabeth II coronation in 1953, even then most sets were rented, they were just too expensive to buy.

Mike

I just checked, and it seems 2.5 million sets were sold in 1949. Shows were broadcast mostly in a few big cities and the middle of the country didn't get reception until later.

capitalgentleman

None. They were only just being developed then, and were not available for the home market. Not until late in the '50's.

Driko

No

humpty

None in the thirties. A few in the late forties, but damned few. Television was an early fifties thing, exploding on us over the course of the decade.

Emothic Von Hellsing

In both cases less then 5% of Americans. A T.V. back then would basically cost around $10,000 or more today. T.V.s really didn't start to become in the average American household untill the mid to late 1950s, but this was more for the middle/upper class. Wasn't till the 1960s where the more lower classes could afford them.

B

1930s- less than 10,000 sets 1940s- still less than 10,000 sets

armouror

My Family had TV in 1947 a 9 " screen