Television Channels in America and the UK in the 1960s

The 1960s were a period of significant change in the television landscape, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the television system was dominated by three major broadcast networks, while in the UK, the television landscape was more limited. Let's explore the number of TV channels available in each country during this era.

TV Channels in America in the 1960s

In the 1960s, particularly around 1965, the television landscape in America was dominated by a few major networks. At that time, the three primary broadcast networks were:

These networks were the main sources of television programming and had a significant reach across the country. In addition to these major networks, there were also independent stations and a few regional networks, but their numbers varied widely by location.

By the mid-1960s, the total number of television stations in the U.S. was around 600, which included both network affiliates and independent stations. The broadcast channels available at that time were numbered from 2 to 83, but by 1965, there was a moratorium on channel 37 in favor of radio astronomy. This left 82 channels. However, non-broadcast channels also existed. Cable systems commonly had channels labeled A through J, which added another 10 channels. Amateurs commonly used 420–450 MHz for fast-scan TV, with 7 overlapping channels in use according to Wikipedia. Additionally, there was the Instructional Television Fixed Service operating on microwave 2.2 GHz, which had 4 channels, though some may consider there to be more.

As a result, a total of approximately 102 channels was available in the U.S. during the 1960s.

TV Channels in America in Mid-Sized Cities

For many mid-sized American cities like Albuquerque, Denver, and San Diego, where I lived during the mid-1960s, the number of channels available was limited to the ones that one could actually receive on an average city dweller's TV set. Let's examine the channels available in these regions:

This amounted to a total of five channels. While television sets might have been equipped with the capability to tune into VHF or UHF, these often consisted of the same networks being rebroadcast by nearby cities to help the signal travel farther into rural areas. In the West, where there were fewer cities, the situation was often much simpler, with just snow and visual and audio static.

TV Channels in the UK in the 1960s

In the UK, the television landscape was much simpler compared to the United States. In 1955, the UK had two television channels:

The third channel, BBC2, did not start until 1964. By 1965, there were broadcast channels numbered 2-83, which included 82 channels. The number of non-broadcast channels included cable systems with channels A through J, adding another 10 channels. Additionally, amateurs were using frequencies in the 420–450 MHz range, and there were up to 7 overlapping channels in that space. On microwave 2.2 GHz, the Instructional Television Fixed Service had 4 channels.

Those numbers indicate that by 1965, there were approximately 102 channels available in the UK, similar to the U.S. For mid-sized cities, the situation was slightly different, with just two channels available:

By 1965, the landscape had begun to change as BBC2 started to air, providing additional programming options.

Conclusion

The 1960s were a period of transformation in television, with both the U.S. and the U.K. seeing a significant increase in the number of TV channels available to the public. From the original two channels in the UK to the major networks in the U.S., television was evolving to provide viewers with a greater variety of programming. By the end of the decade, both countries were on their way to the vast array of channels that viewers enjoy today.